The Old Testament, Christianity and Pluralism

How can we give acceptable contemporary Old Testament interpretations which do justice to pluralism? Cristina Grenholm examines this problem by analyzing six contemporary approaches. The starting point is Gerhard von Rad's work. Important challenges are represented by the critical approach of James Barr, the feminist approach of Phyllis Trible, the liberation theology approach of J. Severino Croatto, the Jewish approach of Jon D. Levenson and the traditional approach of Brevard S. Childs. These approaches are analysed and compared with respect to their purposes, views of the Old Testament, views of Christianity, and views of revelation and authority at a general level. Cristina Grenholm also analyzes their interpretive application to a selection of Old Testament texts. She identifies the problems and advantages of the approaches and uses them to establish six criteria for acceptable contemporary Christian Old Testament interpretations which all relate to pluralism in different aspects. Finally, she sketches an approach which meets the stipulated criteria. Two main characteristics of this approach are that biblical interpretation is treated as a complex process and that underlying perspectives and evaluations of the interpreter are regarded as important ingredients in the whole process.