This volume introduces the reader to the most important methods of biblical criticism. It serves as an indispensable handbook for the work of students approaching biblical studies for the first time and for the professional interpreter of scripture who wants to understand the latest currents in biblical scholarship.
Steven L. McKenzie is Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Rhodes College. He holds a B.A. (summa cum laude) and an M.Div. from Abilene Christian University and the Th.D. from Harvard University. His research and teaching interests include: the history of ancient Israel, the literature of the Hebrew Bible, the Hebrew language, the Dead Sea Scrolls, methods of biblical interpretation, and archaeology. He is a past president of the board of governors of the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology at the University of Memphis. He is also a co-leader of the Middle East Travel Seminar, which tours Syria, Jordan, the Sinai, Israel, and Greece each Spring.
I didn’t read every chapter, but studied what I bought the book for—mostly the first two sections—and will be glad to have it on my shelf in the future as a reference. It’s definitely a little dated at this point, with the second edition having been published in 1999, but is nonetheless an excellent entry point to biblical critical methods and helpful guide to further reading, especially for works by the pioneers of each method. It’s balanced, broad, and charitable—a solid resource!