Digital Logos Edition
This collection of essays arises from the lively discussions in the Formation of the Book of Isaiah Seminar of the Society of Biblical Literature. The essays exhibit the diversity that has always been present in the Seminar. Each contributor has a unique perspective and thus extends the frontiers of research on the book of Isaiah. Yet, taken as a whole, the essays fall into two broad groups, being either objective in their approach to the text—embracing historical-critical method or a synchronic approach in which text rather than reader is the focus—or postmodern, in the sense that meaning is in no small degree located in what the reader does. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Mark Biddle, David Carr, Edgar Conrad, Chris Franke, Kathryn Pfisterer Darr, Rolf Rendtorff, Gerald Sheppard, Benjamin Sommer, Gary Stansell, and Roy Wells.
Contributions to this volume include:
“Seven of the essays appear to be ‘objective’ in their approach to the text; they embrace either historical-critical method or a synchronic approach in which text rather than reader seems to be the focus. The remaining five essays are ‘postmodern’ in the sense that meaning is in no small degree located in what the reader does.” (Pages 20–21)
“Secondly, the final form of the book of Isaiah presupposes that the Temple has already been rebuilt (see Isa. 56; 60–62” (Page 57)
“diachronic considerations about the redactional process by which the book was given its form” (Page 18)
“but rather that of deliberate and intentional literary and theological work.” (Page 33)
Roy Melugin is Professor of Religion at Austin College, Sherman, Texas.
Marvin A. Sweeney is Professor of Hebrew Bible at Claremont School of Theology and Professor of Religion at Claremont Graduate University.