"Dryden brilliantly synthesizes important truths and insights from sources as hoary as the Hebrew Bible and as fresh as Mark Sneed and Sandra Schneiders. Viewing wisdom as 'a practical knowledge lived out in concrete agency shaped by desire,' Dryden plausibly claims the entirety of Christian Scripture as the locus of his shrewd and savvy reading enterprise. The biblical interpretation workplace today is littered with competing and broken methods. Dryden diagnoses the malaise and draws on classic sources from across the centuries to arrive at a fresh and innovative orientation fleshed out by helpful examples."  
\--__Robert W. Yarbrough__, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri  
  
"Modern biblical hermeneutics struggles to relate doctrine and ethics, meaning and application in a manner consistent with the Bible's own historical-literary shape and communicative ends. In identifying the Bible as a wisdom text, Dryden's A Hermeneutic of Wisdom offers an integrative approach that helps us better follow the grain of the biblical text while forming rightly ordered loves for God and neighbor."  
\--__Scott R. Swain__, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida  
  
"In an age of many good books on hermeneutics, Dryden's A Hermeneutic of Wisdom truly stands out. Rarely have I encountered an author who so deeply understands and integrates epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and biblical studies. With fair critiques of both modernism and postmodernism, Dryden calls Christians to a thoughtful and faithful engagement with Scripture, not as an object but as God's revealed wisdom aiming at our spiritual formation. Highly recommended!"  
\--__Jonathan T. Pennington__, Southern Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky  
  
"Drawing on years of reflection on the formative agency of Scripture, Dryden makes a compelling case for the 'wisdom intentionality' of the whole Bible. Theologians and biblical scholars alike will need to reckon seriously with his central thesis, while pastors and seminarians will resonate with what is a remarkably commonsensical and ecclesial way of reading the Bible. If you want to become a wiser reader of Scripture--better yet, one whose reading bears the fruit of love--then take up and read this book!"  
\--__Todd Wilson__, senior pastor, Calvary Memorial Church, Oak Park, Illinois

__J. de Waal Dryden__ (PhD, Cambridge University) is professor of biblical studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. He is the author of Theology and Ethics in 1 Peter: Paraenetic Strategies for Christian Character Formation and a forthcoming commentary on 2 Corinthians.

This book develops an integrated hermeneutic that connects the Bible to spiritual formation and the development of Christian virtues. The author shows how the whole Bible can be understood as a wisdom text that directs its readers morally, shapes them in their deepest affections and convictions, and impacts how they look at the world and live in it. Offering an innovative hermeneutical approach, it will serve as an ideal supplement to standard hermeneutics textbooks.

An experienced teacher offers an innovative hermeneutical approach, showing how the whole Bible can be understood as a wisdom text that shapes its readers morally.

__Contents__ Introduction  
__Part 1: Tilling the Soil__ 1. Knowing and Reading  
2. Theology and Ethics  
3. Law and Gospel  
__Part 2: Planting the Seeds__ 4. Reading Gospels for Wisdom: Theory  
5. Reading Gospels for Wisdom: Practice  
6. Reading Epistles for Wisdom: Theory  
7. Reading Epistles for Wisdom: Practice  
Conclusion  
Appendix: Wisdom and "Wisdom Literature"  
Indexes

de Waal Dryden, J.

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Endorsements

Dedication

Epigraph

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

Part 1: Tilling the Soil

1. Knowing and Reading

2. Theology and Ethics

3. Law and Gospel

Part 2: Planting the Seeds

4. Reading Gospels for Wisdom

5. Reading Gospels for Wisdom

6. Reading Epistles for Wisdom

7. Reading Epistles for Wisdom

Conclusion

Appendix: Wisdom and “Wisdom Literature”

Bibliography

Scripture Index

Author Index

Back Cover

A Hermeneutic of Wisdom

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A Hermeneutic of Wisdom

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