The volumes in Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible from Westminster John Knox Press offer a fresh and invigorating approach to all the books of the Bible. Building on a wide range of sources from biblical studies and the Christian tradition, noted scholars focus less on traditional historical and literary angles in favor of a theologically focused commentary that considers the contemporary relevance of the texts. This series is an invaluable resource for those who want to probe beyond the backgrounds and words of biblical texts to their deep theological meanings for the church today.
In Lamentations, Harvey Cox finds this poignant and evocative biblical book written 2,500 years ago to be a shockingly current text. Drawing on a wide array of sources from poetry, novels, films, paintings, and even photography to classical and contemporary theology, Cox offers a contemporary theological reading of Lamentations that is provocative and sure to stir numerous theological reflections and responses.
The biblical book of Song of Songs has historically been seen as pointing to Christ’s love for the church and has been interpreted allegorically. Yet, it is unique in the canon for its use of erotic poetry, celebrating the human body and human love in graphic terms. Stephanie Paulsell suggests that the Song still has profound meaning for us, teaching us “to love not only what we can see shining on the surface but also those depths of the other that are out of our reach.”
Stephanie Paulsell is Susan Shallcross Swartz Professor of the Practice of Christian Studies at Harvard Divinity School. She is the author of several books, including Religion Around Virginia Woolf.