New: "Faith, the Fount of Exegesis: The Interpretation of Scripture in the Light of the History of Research on the Old Testament"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Faith, the Fount of Exegesis: The Interpretation of Scripture in the Light of the History of Research on the Old Testament

by Ignacio Carbajosa

This book is a response to a desire expressed by the then Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI) who called for a
diachronic study of the results of the historical-critical method. The
study of the last 150-200 years of biblical research shows how the claim
to scientific rigor made in many works, that is, the claim to have
obtained results comparable in their certainty to those of the natural
sciences, is clearly unrealistic.

This is a comprehensive analysis of the results of almost two centuries
of the historical-critical method in two areas: the investigation into
the sources of the Pentateuch and the study of the figure of the
prophet. It reveals the philosophical and cultural presuppositions which
influenced the development of exegesis and it's most notable
hypotheses, demonstrating the world of prejudices which frequently have
conditioned the exegesis called "scientific".

It also engages the characteristic dimensions of the Catholic
interpretation of the Old Testament, attempting to unify the two basic
dimensions of the exegetical method: history and theology. Overcoming
the disconnect between "scientific" exegesis and "believing" theology is
one of the great contemporary challenges to the intellectus fidei. This
dualism cannot be overcome simply by a call to greater devotion or the
generous intention of adding pious commentary to an exegesis which has
not, from the beginning, been based on faith.

This book provides a positive contribution to the hermeneutical problem
at the heart of current exegetical debate, the status of exegesis,
addressing such questions as: Does exegesis have a theological
character? Should it have one? If it does have one, would it not then
lose its scientific character? Thus one arrives at the main question:
how can one conceive of an exegesis that is at the same time critical
and theological? How can faith be the foundation of exegesis from the
beginning? Could Faith really be the "Fount of Exegesis"?

Ignacio Carbajosa, Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the
Pontifical Biblical Institute, is a Professor of Old Testament and
Semitic Languages at the San Dámaso University in Madrid. He is the
editor in chief of the journal Estudios Bíblicos, a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, and author of numerous books on Scripture including The Character of the Syriac Version of Psalms and A Scribe in the King's Court: Read the Old Testament from Christ.