Divine Action in Hebrews

Auteur

Craig G. Bartholomew (PhD, University of Bristol) is director of the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge, England. He is the editor and author of numerous books, most recently The Old Testament and God.

Benjamin T. Quinn is Associate Professor of Theology and History of Ideas at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary/The College at Southeastern, Associate Director of the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture, and serves as Director of Partnerships for BibleMesh. Benjamin has authored several books including his most recent Christ, the Way: Augustine’s Theology of Wisdom. Benjamin also serves as teaching pastor of Holly Grove Baptist Church in Spring Hope, NC, near his home where he lives with his wife and four children.

Résumé

Recent years have seen renewed interest in divine action, but much of the literature tends to focus on the science-theology discussion. Resulting from multi-year work of the Scripture and Doctrine Seminar, part of KLC's Scripture Collective, this book attends to the portrayal of divine action in one major biblical text, namely Hebrews. In the New Testament, Hebrews is on par with Romans in terms of importance but has too often been overlooked. Contributors to this volume explore the many different ways in which divine action is foregrounded and portrayed in Hebrews. As its name indicates, Hebrews overflows with Old Testament intertextuality, which also makes it a fertile ground for analysis of divine action stretching back into the Old Testament and opening out into different parts of the NT. The essays in this volume:

• rigorously work the interface of theology and exegesis, all related to Hebrews;
• offer an overview of the current state of discussion of divine action and the importance of exploring divine action in specific biblical texts, with special reference to William Abraham's recent 4 volume work with OUP;
• provide an overview of the reception history of Hebrews in theologies of divine action;
• explore how this has this played out in historical theology and what a retrieval of Hebrews for a theology of divine action might mean today;
• explore the relationship between the doctrine of God and divine action in Hebrews, including an engagement with classical theism;
• provocatively explore divine action in the OT, creation, and eschatology in Hebrews;
• explore the major theme in Hebrews of divine action through the ongoing priesthood of Jesus as portrayed in Hebrews;
• relate this all to preaching Hebrews today and to spiritual formation. The book's conclusion reflects on the primary action of God speaking in Hebrews.