Canon and Exegesis: Canonical Praxis and the Sodom Narrative

Description

Previous attempts to critique the canonical approach of Brevard Childs have remained largely theoretical in nature. One of the weakness of canonical criticism, then, is its failure to have generated new readings of extended biblical passages. Reviewing the hermeneutics and the praxis of Childs's approach, Lyons then turns to the Sodom narrative (Gen 18-19) as a test of a practical exegesis according to Childs' principles, and then to reflect critically upon the reading experience generated. Surprisingly, the canonical reading produced is a wholly new one, centred around the complex, irreducible - even contradictory - request of Abraham for Yahweh to do justice (18:23-25).

William John Lyons is Reader in Religion and History in the Department of History, University of Bristol, UK

"At every point, Lyons provides painstaking reviews of the scholarly literature, reporting faithfully at least two sides of many interpretive and conceptual issues....the overall effect...is of a scrupulous scholar attempting to read a 'canonical' text in the company of a scholarly community....wading through Lyons' richly-annotated survey will excite readers eager for a complete bibliography on canonical criticism and scholarship on Genesis 18-19....represent[s] a balanced example of non-foundationalist, scholarly, and theological exegesis." --Brian Britt, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 2003-2004 'Overall, this book makes a good buy for students and pastors who wish to get a better understanding of how to read the biblical texts from a religious viewpoint.' ~ Pakka Pitkanen, Themelios, 29/1 -- Pekka Pitkanen * Themelios *