Abstract
This brief volume provides an introduction to the book of Jeremiah and covers the wide range of approaches that over the years scholars have undertaken to explore its history, redaction, rhetoric and theological significance. Mills’ book reads straightforwardly; within eight chapters, the author presents the content and outline of this prophetic book (chs 1–2), along with an overview of the major works that each methodological approach has produced (chs 3–8). Thus, departing from the historical criticism initiated by Duhm in the early 1900s and followed by the source criticism of Mowinckel in the 1930s, Mills analyses the role of the historical critical enquiry, which culminated with the great commentaries of the 1980s, produced by Carroll, McKane, and Holladay (chs 3–4).
Mills then signals a shift in Jeremianic studies, which led scholars to focus upon the redactional strategies of the final editors, investigating the rhetoric with which the book communicates its manifold messages (chs 5–6). Next, Mills addresses feminist and post-colonial readings of the book of Jeremiah, which part from the literary context and emphasize instead how different audiences read the book and how differences in gender and cultural locations influence the reception of its message (ch. 7). Finally, the last chapter is dedicated to the theology of Jeremiah, which seeks to uncover the transcendent message of the deity in a human space-time dimension (ch. 8). Mills’ work is extremely effective in delineating the methods that have been used to read and to study the book of Jeremiah. Additionally, her analysis is also to the point in emphasizing that all these approaches should be complementary. The book of Jeremiah is the product of a long and intricate redaction history, presenting short thematic sections often conflicting with other parts of the book; therefore, only the use of different methodologies allows us to appreciate its fundamental theme, namely the fear and bewilderment derived from socio-political instability, which represent Jeremiah’s leitmotif. Mills’ book is directed primarily towards those who for the first time encounter the book of Jeremiah, and her work proves to be a very useful tool because in a simple style and a comprehensive synthesis succeeds in condensing for the reader more than a century of studies upon Jeremiah.