John Anthony Dunne

What if the way the book of Esther has been taught to us in church and retold to us in films, cartoons, and romance novels has missed the original point of the story? Far from being models of piety and devotion, Esther and Mordecai seem indifferent to the faith of their ancestors. How then did this story become part of the Bible and gain the broad acceptance that it has? If the church should not neglect the story, how should it be read? Esther and Her Elusive God calls Christians to avoid the common attempts to make Esther more palatable and theological, and to reclaim this secular story as Scripture. Readers will be encouraged to see in Esther a profound message of God's grace and faithfulness to his wayward people.

How a Secular Story Functions as Scripture

Esther and Her Elusive God

Eric Lewellen

N. T. Wright is widely regarded as the most exciting and influential biblical scholar in the world today. These essays throw a spotlight on his contribution to New Testament theology and interpretation over the past four decades. The structure is three-fold, corresponding to the three areas of classic Jewish theology that Wright views as starting points for discerning the shape of New Testament theology: monotheism, election and eschatology. The result is a book that facilitates a deep appreciation of key areas of current scholarly debate, and of Wright’s distinctive contribution to our understanding of the issues. The contributors are world class scholars, including Richard Hays (Duke), Richard Bauckham (St Andrews, Emeritus), James Dunn (Durham, Emeritus), Michael Gorman (St Mary’s Seminary & University), David Horrell (Exeter), Edith Humphrey (Pittsburgh), Bruce Longenecker (Baylor), Oliver O’Donovan (Oxford, Emeritus), Ben Witherington (Asbury), and others.

John Anthony Dunne

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