The Bible and Spirituality

The essays in this volume aim to contribute to the newly developing academic subject of biblical spirituality. It is prompted by the belief that, although the Christian tradition has always nurtured an emphasis on spirituality rooted in the Bible and its interpretation, few biblical scholars, until recently, have pursued their work by making connections with either this religious tradition or present-day interest in the broader phenomenon of spirituality. Spiritual interpretation has overlaps with theological interpretation but is distinctive because of its focus on the wisdom of lived experience and practice. The essays therefore attempt, from within the context of the academy, responsible readings of Scripture that have as a major focus the study of how particular texts might contribute to a spirituality in which individual and communal flourishing is a major feature. The essays began as papers produced for an international symposium on the Bible and Spirituality in May 2012, hosted by the Centre for the Study of the Bible and Spirituality in the School of Humanities at the University of Gloucestershire. ""What a fascinating, creative, wide-ranging, thoughtful, thought-provoking collection! It repays careful, slow reading."" --John Goldingay Professor of Old Testament Fuller Seminary ""In The Bible and Spirituality we find responsible exegesis with an eye focused on the spiritual dimension of reading and experiencing the biblical text. This book sets the trajectory for an emerging hermeneutic that reunites the oft-estranged emphases on Spirit and Word within biblical reading communities."" --Mark J. Boda Professor of Old Testament, McMaster Divinity College The editors teach and research in the School of Humanities and the Centre for the Study of the Bible and Spirituality at the University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, UK. Andrew Lincoln is Portland Professor of New Testament. Gordon McConville is Professor of Old Testament Theology. Lloyd Pietersen is Senior Lecturer in New Testament.