“In a time when so many assumptions about life and faith are being actively re-examined, the ancient words of the biblical prophets have so much to teach us”
-Rev. Melody Knowles, Ph.D.
Vice President of Academic Affairs
and Associate Professor of Old Testament.
The prophets remain figures of enduring interest and importance in contemporary Judaism, Christianity, and even secular society. The Prophets introduces students to the rise of prophecy in ancient Israel, possible ancient Near Eastern parallels, the messages of individual prophets, and the significance of the compositional and editorial history of the prophetic writings. The book guides students into leading questions and issues in contemporary scholarship, and surveys different contemporary approaches to the messages of the prophets.
Part 1 introduces the prophets and prophecy in context. The rise of prophecy, the role of the prophet, key themes, and the fate of prophecy are explored. Part 2 profiles Israel’s prophets during the eighth century, the exile, and the postexilic period. This section will also look at each book of the prophets and how the prophetic writings fit within the complete Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament. These chapters also provide insights into interpreting the prophetic writings today, including Jewish and Christian interpretations, prophecy and prediction, and the secular legacy of Israelite prophecy.
Publication Details
Publisher:
Fortress Press (March 1, 2022)
Language:
English
Hardcover:
574 pages
ISBN-10:
0800699513
ISBN-13:
978-0800699512
Dr. Stephen L. Cook serves as the Catherine N. McBurney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at Virginia Theological Seminary, the largest of the accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church (founded in 1823). He and his wife Catherine, a psychotherapist, live amid the seminary community on its campus in Alexandria, Virginia with their daughter from China, Rebecca.
John T. Strong is professor of religion at Missouri State University and the coeditor, with Margaret S. Odell, of The Book of Ezekiel: Theological and Anthropological Perspectives (2000) and, with Steven S. Tuell, Constituting the Community: Studies on the Polity of Ancient Israel (2005). He resides in Springfield, Missouri.
Steven S. Tuell is James A. Kelso Professor emeritus of Hebrew and Old Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the author of The Law of the Temple in Ezekiel 40-48 and commentaries on 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezekiel, and Nahum. He resides in Wexford, Pennsylvania.
Virginia Theological Seminary is the flagship seminary of the Episcopal Church. Founded in 1823, VTS faculty prepare leaders from around the world for both ordained and lay service in the Church. Our faculty are a diverse community of scholars who are committed to excellence in teaching and research. Through publications, public speaking, and travel, faculty engage with the wider Church and world, while shaping the next generation of leaders.
