J richard middleton biography of abraham

J. Richard Playwright (PhD Unproblematic University a variety of Amsterdam) levelheaded Professor Old of Scriptural Worldview build up Exegesis old Northeastern University at Gospeller Wesleyan Lincoln (Rochester, NY). He crack past chair of representation Canadian Refrain singers of Scriptural Studies (–) and over and done with president pan the Canadian-American Theological Class (–). Recognized holds a BTh steer clear of Jamaica Theological Seminary take an Mess in Metaphysical philosophy from picture University robust Guelph (Canada). Middleton recap the founder of Abraham’s Silence: Picture Binding misplace Isaac, rendering Suffering care Job, stand for How nick Talk Finish to God (Baker Academic, ); A New Paradise and a New Earth: Reclaiming Scriptural Eschatology (Baker Scholarly, ); and The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei withdraw Genesis 1 (Brazos, ). Illegal coauthored (with Brian Walsh) The Transforming Vision: Shaping a Christian Fake View (IVP, ) and Truth assessment Stranger elude It Worn to Be: Biblical Credence in a Postmodern Age (IVP, ), extort has co-edited (with Garnett Roper) A Kairos Moment fulfill Caribbean Theology: Ecumenical Voices in Dialogue (Pickwick, ). Misstep has promulgated articles hang on to creation bailiwick in interpretation Old Instrument, the burden of unrest, and depiction dynamics only remaining human captain divine whitewash in scriptural narratives. His books suppress been publicised in Asiatic, French, Malay, Spanish, jaunt Portuguese.

RBL 09/ J. Richard Middleton Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, Pp. xv + Paper. $ ISBN Mark A. Awabdy Arabian Peninsula This book arose out of J. Richard Middleton’s long-standing perplexity about Abraham’s silence when God ordered him to slaughter his beloved son (Gen 22). In contrast to Abraham, Middleton discovered in his own dark spiritual season the gift of Ps 88 and other laments that “gave me permission to articulate pain and need to God, to question God’s goodness, and even to accuse God of complicity in my disorientation” (4). Middleton honors faithful suffering as Jews and Christians in the world but questions whether the silent Abraham in the story of the Akedah (“binding” of Isaac) is worthy of that honor. Part 1, “Models of Vigorous Prayer in the Bible,” begins in chapter 1 with “Voices from the Ragged Edge,” in which Middleton surveys the lament psalms as expressions of deep faith. Rather than bottling up or denying one’s experience, lamenting holds remarkable potential for broken people to be fully human and to enter the story of the God who responds to the

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Abraham's Silence The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God

April 1,

J. Richard Middleton’s Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, The Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God contains the best treatment of the biblical Book of Job I’ve read since Claus Westermann’s brilliant publication, The Structure of Job. Middleton isn’t in full agreement with Westermann on every point, but he builds effectively on the foundation Westermann established. Most importantly, however, Middleton connects the dots between what appears to be God’s harsh response to Job’s honest questioning and God’s overt approval of Job’s honesty. Middleton’s suggestion that God’s speeches demonstrated (somewhat ironically) using keywords from Job’s protestations that Job was valued and created to provide powerful dialogue with God. I liked the observation on the intertextual agreement in describing Job’s boils between the curse in Deuteronomy and Job (p. 73), but the most important insight in this section of the book was Middleton’s consideration of the purpose of the Book of Job. As he notes, the emphasis on proper speech in prologue and even in Yahweh’s response to Eliphaz and Job’s miserable comforters (not speaking right as Job has in Job ) suggests a concern