Abstract
Arnold and Beyer’s third edition of Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey is a textbook written for students who are beginning their academic study of the Bible. The book’s 34 chapters are organized in four parts—Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetical Books, Prophets—with each chapter containing key terms, place names, and summaries that are set apart from the main text.
The benefit of this textbook is that the authors have tried to appeal to students by using coloured text, images, maps, and charts that make one want to engage with the material. Furthermore, underlying the attractive exterior is a wealth of information relating to such topics as the archaeology and the history of the Ancient Near East.
However, faculty who might be considering this textbook should be aware that the authors interpret the Hebrew Bible from a Christian theological perspective that will not appeal to everyone. For example, as a liberal Christian I found Arnold and Beyer’s conclusion that the destruction of the Canaanites in the book of Joshua ‘demonstrates how seriously God takes sin’ (p. 143) to be too simplisitc because it overlooks the challenge offered by these narratives for today’s post-colonial context. Also, although they outline how archaeology calls into question the historicity of Joshua, they nevertheless conclude that the historicity of the book might still be affirmed (p. 144). Overall, Arnold and Beyer’s theology has heavily shaped their text and, for this reason, it will not be accepted by those who interpret the Hebrew Bible through a different hermeneutical lens.
There is no question that this textbook will benefit those who share Arnold and Beyer’s theology; however, others should read it with caution.