The Prophetic Call to Love and Justice
Rediscovering the Old Testament: The Amsterdam Way of Interpreting Scripture
- Biblical Studies & Commentaries
- Publisher: Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2025
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
Scripture's compelling message of love and justice is powerfully relevant for today. The implications of the Amsterdam way of interpreting Scripture are evident throughout the book. It is both a personal and timely way of speaking, to our disintegrating society. The Prophetic Call to Love and Justice provides a meaningful and radical yet simple way of (re)connecting with the Bible. As one of the founders of the Amsterdam way of interpretation, Karel Deurloo, stated, "The opportunity to learn anew and understand the language of the Bible has been taken away." Often the focus is on the assumed origin and history of a text, a historical/literary approach, or a fundamentalist view creating a fragmented, moralistic, and doctrinaire emphasis which has alienated many from churches. Instead, Deurloo and others focused on the prophetic meaning that speaks to all of us as the living word of God today. This alternative is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures. Its abiding prophetic message of love and justice is reiterated in the Gospels and apostolic letters. Hence the choice of subtitle: Rediscovering the Old Testament. It is a joyful journey of discovery, finding new meaning in the Bible for our lives.
Endorsements (2)
“Arnold de Graaff discovers in the Amsterdam way of biblical exegesis a third way—beyond literalism and a criticism that only tries to establish what minimally can be assumed to be historical. He carefully refers to Karel A. Deurloo’s theological approach to Genesis, his liturgical reading of Joshua, and his sketch of the theological character of the Masoretic canon. The account of his quest is simultaneously very personal as well as to the point.”
“Controversies litter the path to reading the Bible today. Fundamentalists, who interpret it literally, use it to beat up their opponents. More progressive Christians, who read it metaphorically, wonder whether it remains relevant. Forthrightly challenging both camps, Arnold De Graaf offers an exciting alternative: neither a doctrinaire textbook nor a collection of quaint stories, the Bible is how God calls everyone to walk in the ways of love and justice. His timely and transformative approach speaks eloquently to a world in crisis.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem