Themes in Old Testament Theology

by William A. Dyrness

Studying the New Testament without a background in the Old is like listening to only the last movement of a great symphony. Unless we begin at the beginning, we miss the sense of developing themes and their subtle variations. To fully appreciate the music of the Bible, we need to listen to its early movements. William Dyrness helps us by providing a set of program notes to important Old Testament the self-revelation of God, the nature of God, creation and providence, man and woman, sin, covenant, law, worship, piety, ethics, wisdom, the Spirit of God, prophecy and the hope of Israel. By attuning our ears to these themes, Dyrness sets us on a course of enriching study and increased understanding.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Old Testament

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

William A. Dyrness (DTheol, University of Strasbourg; Doctorandus, Free University) is dean emeritus and professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and is the author of several books on global theology.

Dyrness' specializations include theology and culture (especially theology and the visual arts), Protestant vision since the Reformation in relation to the visual arts, non-Western theology, Christian apologetics, global theology, Interfaith aesthetics.

Reviews

[Mike Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really scholarly.

[Mwansa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is smaller in size than Noel Weeks' book on the Old Testament that I had read just before this but it is heavier in content. It is a mere overview and leads you to want to read through the old testament with an eye on the themes that you may have missed before. William Dyrness put together a very good book here. Two things, out of the many, that stood out for me were..

The nature of human kind and the use of the different words within the old testament to reference different sides or elements to the human being that respond to God. God speaks to us and we respond and should respond to him with the different facets of our being which really brings a whole new dimension to loving the lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength.

The second is the section of the law. This section just blew me away and I am almost afraid of doing any sort of review on it because it would take away from such a well put together section. A tiny bit of it is how that the law at it's very core indicates the nature of God and our ability to follow it comes because we are renewed and not that we are renewed because we follow it. There's also a very interesting part of it that addresses social change and "the Bible condoning slavery".

I cannot recommend this book highly enough

[Sandu Andronic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cartea se prezintă a fi o scurtă introducere în temele majore pe care le întâlnim în Vechiul Testament. Este extrem de utilă, scurtă ca întindere, foarte simplă în limbaj, clar structurată și plină de referințe biblice, cât și de trimiteri spre alți teologi de renume. Cititorul, oricare ar fi el, va fi cu siguranță îmbogățit spiritual trecând în revistă câteve elemente centrale din gândirea, cultura, istoria și religia iudaică care acoperit o perioadă de mai bine de 1400 de ani.

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talbot Course: Theology of Worship

[Nicholas Rozier · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent treatment. He does engage in some higher criticism at certain points, which I disagree with, but otherwise orthodox.

[Laizer]

good

[Patrick Oelund · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will review it later