Research Guides: Religion &amp; Philosophy Research Guide: Biblical Theology

What is Biblical Theology?

What Is Biblical Theology? by James M. Hamilton Jr. This concise and highly readable book orients readers to the unified story of Scripture, helping Christians grasp the perspective of the biblical writers and follow their lead in reading and interpreting God's Word.
Understanding Biblical Theology by Edward W. Klink; Darian R. Lockett Examines and compares the five major schools of thought regarding biblical theology. Understanding Biblical Theology provides an expert and clarifying look at the catch-all term "biblical theology," a movement that tries to remove the often-held dichotomy between biblical studies for the Church and as an academic pursuit. Using a spectrum between history and theology, each of the five "types" of biblical theology are identified as landing somewhere on the continuum from "more theological" to "more historical" in concern and practice. This text defines them in detail and gives a brief developmental history for each one, exploring each method through the lens of one contemporary scholar who champions it: Biblical Theology as Historical Description (James Barr) Biblical Theology as History of Redemption (D. A. Carson) Biblical Theology as Worldview-Story (N. T. Wright) Biblical Theology as Canonical Approach (Brevard Childs) Biblical Theology as Theological Construction (Francis Watson). Readers will gain an appreciation for each of these approaches and understand how any student of the Bible can learn from them.
40 Questions about Biblical Theology by Jason DeRouchie; Oren Martin; Andrew Naselli An accessible survey of the meaning, methodologies, themes, and applications of biblical theology To understand what the entire Bible teaches about any given subject, we must practice biblical theology. By surveying the whole canon of Scripture, we can best discern what God has revealed about any particular issue. But doing so requires answering a number of important questions: * What type of biblical theology will we choose? * What overall story does the Bible tell? * How should we understand the relationship between the Old and New Testaments? * How does our topic fit within salvation history? * How do we apply the truths we discover? 40 Questions About Biblical Theologyprovides resources to answer these key questions in order to guide readers in their own study and practice of biblical theology. Other vital topics the authors address include how to understand typology, key themes in biblical theology, and how Christians should relate to Old Testament promises. Ideal for courses on biblical theology, for pastors, and for anyone who teaches or interprets Scripture, 40 Questions on Biblical Theologywill deepen your understanding and application of the whole counsel of God.
Biblical Theology by Scott J. Hafemann; Scott Hafemann (Editor) This accessible collection of twenty essays, by a wide range of Old and New Testament scholars offers a fresh assessment of issues in biblical theology: where it has been, the status of questions within it, and its future prospects.
The Ways of Our God by Charles H. H. Scobie At a time when Old Testament and New Testament studies are considered to be two very different tasks, this major new work by Charles Scobie offers an approach to biblical theology meant to take in the entire sweep of divine revelation. Comprehensive in scope, this book covers every aspect of biblical theology. Chapters are devoted first to the nature and task of biblical theology and then to major themes within the biblical message -- God's order, God's servant, God's people, and God's way. Each section of the book also features an extensive system of helpful cross-references. Not only is Scobie's attempt to bridge the biblical testaments admirable, but he also takes great care to present scholarship that is at the same time informed by, and relevant to, the daily life and work of the church. The result is a book that is relevant to readers everywhere. Accessible to teachers, clergy, students, and general readers alike, this book will reinvigorate the study of the Bible as the unified word of God.
Central Themes in Biblical Theology by Scott J. Hafemann and Paul R. House; Scott Hafemann (Editor) `Biblical theology' attempts to embrace the message of the Bible holistically and to describe this wholeness using biblical categories. These essays focus on selected central themes and their development across the canon, and demonstrate the essential unity of the Bible.

Series that focus on Biblical Theology

The following are representative volumes from various series that model a biblical theology approach. Look for the series title when searching your subject terms.

New Studies in Biblical Theology

Search for: NSBT AND topic

Essential Studies in Biblical Theology

Search for: ESBT AND topic

Biblical Theology for Life

Search: "Biblical theology for Life" AND topic

Short Studies in Biblical Theology

Search for "short studies in biblical theology" and topic

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Types of Biblical Theology

Biblical Theology can be a confusing topic. What counts as 'biblical theology' and how does that differ from Systematic, Dogmatic, NT, OT, or other theologies? Are there different goals or techniques when writing a biblical theology? Below are some considerations for what makes BT distinctive.

1. Theology that comes from Scripture
In this first sense, Biblical Theology is a presentation of scriptural teaching, apart from other scholarly discussions or sources of knowledge. It is 'biblical' in that it is simply descriptive of what the sacred text says. This approach does not overtly incorporate philosophy, logic, historical debates, appeals to tradition, confessions, or traditional categories of systematic theology in the act of drawing out and identifying the theology of text. Here, Biblical Theology only asks what the text teaches, in its final canonical form, as opposed to employing historical criticism on the text, or making claims about the composition and transmission of the text. In most cases, biblical theology does not make ideological judgements about the historical truthfulness, religious authority, or modern applications of the text. A Biblical Theology 'from the text' aligns well with the grammatical-historical method of interpretation in that it seeks to describe what is communicated by the text, apart from the presuppositions of the interpreter.

2. Theology by Thematic Unity
In this second sense, Biblical Theology begins with a designated theme and then traces that topic throughout Scripture, both in the OT and the NT. Systematic Theology often does something similar when it looks for the total scriptural teaching on a particular doctrine and then summarizes the collected findings. What makes Biblical Theology distinct is that the offered theme is presented as a unifying element that connects the 66 biblical books together, and that provides a basis for unity within diversity. Some biblical theologies will offer several complimentary themes, while others trace a single concept such as God's Presence with His people, God's Glory, Dominion, the plan of Redemption, covenants, the Promise-Fulfillment of Prophecy, or the larger narrative story of Creation-Fall-New Creation. While these approaches may seem like different models of doing Biblical Theology, they all share in the same approach of demonstrating a thematic unity to the Bible.

3. Theology through Intertextuality
In this third sense, Biblical Theology examines the patterns, motifs, and intertextual connections between the various books, especially in terms of how the NT uses the OT. In this manner, BT demonstrates a cohesive unity of the biblical text, not just through a centralized theme, but also by means of hermeneutical concerns like typology, direct citations of earlier texts, echoes and allusions, or special patterns in narratives and characterization.

Biblical Theology - General Textbooks

Biblical Theology by Andreas J. Köstenberger; Gregory Goswell
Biblical Theology provides an essential foundation for interpreting all 66 books of the Bible, identifying the central themes of each text and discussing its place in the overall storyline of Scripture.
Biblical Theology by Ben Witherington
In Biblical Theology, Ben Witherington, III, examines the theology of the Old and New Testaments as a totality. Going beyond an account of carefully crafted Old and New Testament theologies, he demonstrates the ideas that make the Bible a sacred book with a unified theology. Witherington brings a distinctive methodology to this study. Taking a constructive approach, he first examines the foundations of the writers' symbolic universe - what they thought and presupposed about God - and how they revealed those thoughts through the narratives of the Old and New Testaments. He also shows how the historical contexts and intellectual worlds of the Old and New Testaments conditioned their narratives, and, in the process, created a large coherent Biblical world view, one that progressively reveals the character and action of God. Thus, the Yahweh of the Old Testament, the Son in the Gospels, and the Father, Son, and Spirit in the New Testament writings are viewed as persons who are part of the singular divine identity. Witherington's progressive revelation approach allows each part of the canon to be read in its original context and with its original meaning.
Biblical Theology by John Goldingay
Imagine someone who has spent a lifetime listening deeply and attentively to the full range of Scripture's testimony. Stepping back, they now describe what they have seen and heard. What emerges is a theological cathedral, laid out on the great vectors of Scripture and fitted with biblically sourced materials.This is what John Goldingay has done. Well known for his three-volume Old Testament Theology, he has now risen to the challenge of a biblical theology. While taking the New Testament as a portal into the biblical canon, he seeks to preserve the distinct voices of Israel's Scriptures, accepting even its irregular and sinewed pieces as features rather than problems. Goldingay does not search out a thematic core or overarching unity, but allows Scripture's diversity and tensions to remain as manifold witnesses to the ways of God. While many interpreters interrogate Scripture under the harsh lights of late-modern questions, Goldingay engages in a dialogue keen on letting Scripture speak to us in its own voice. Throughout he asks, "What understanding of God and the world and life emerges from these two testaments?"Goldingay's Biblical Theology is a landmark achievement--hermeneutically dexterous, biblically expansive, and nourishing to mind, soul and proclamation.
From Eden to the New Jerusalem by T. Desmond Alexander
God has given us the reasons for creation and our existence in the Bible. ”by resolving an intricate plot that sheds light on the entire story,“ Alexander writes. Using this theory to start from the denouement, or resolution, in Revelation's last verses and work backward, Alexander pieces together the Bible's overarching plot. The resulting picture reveals the reasons for creation and life that have eluded those who seek to answer life's biggest questions without first placing themselves in God's story.
God's Relational Presence by J. Scott Duvall; J. Daniel Hays
Two leading biblical scholars and bestselling authors offer a fresh approach to the question of the unity of the whole Bible. This book shows that God's desire to be with his people is a thread running from Genesis through Revelation. Duvall and Hays make the case that God's relational presence is central to the Bible's grand narrative. It is the cohesive center that drives the whole biblical story and ties together other important biblical themes, such as covenant, kingdom, glory, and salvation history.
Invitation to Biblical Theology by Jeremy Kimble; Ched Spellman
Invitation to Biblical Theology provides a thorough overview of biblical theology that is accessible for those new to the topic but substantial enough for advanced study. Defining biblical theology as "the study of the whole Bible on its own terms," Jeremy Kimble and Ched Spellman begin with a brief history of the discipline followed by a survey of contemporary approaches. They then lay out their own approach, built on the framework of the canon, the covenants, and Christ. Taking God's plan of redemption in Christ as the uniting theme of Scripture, Kimble and Spellman survey the grand storyline of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, showing how each division of the canon moves the overarching story forward. The following ten chapters survey central and recurring themes of Scripture including kingdom, worship, Messiah and atonement, God's glory, and mission. The authors conclude with reflections on how biblical theology can serve the church as well as the academy.
The King in His Beauty by Thomas R. Schreiner
Thomas Schreiner, a respected scholar and a trusted voice for many students and pastors, offers a substantial and accessibly written overview of the whole Bible. He traces the storyline of the scriptures from the standpoint of biblical theology, examining the overarching message that is conveyed throughout. Schreiner emphasizes three interrelated and unified themes that stand out in the biblical narrative: God as Lord, human beings as those who are made in God's image, and the land or place in which God's rule is exercised. The goal of God's kingdom is to see the king in his beauty and to be enraptured in his glory.
A New Testament Biblical Theology by G. K. Beale
In this comprehensive exposition, a leading New Testament scholar explores the unfolding theological unity of the entire Bible from the vantage point of the New Testament. G. K. Beale, coeditor of the award-winning Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, examines how the New Testament storyline relates to and develops the Old Testament storyline. Beale argues that every major concept of the New Testament is a development of a concept from the Old and is to be understood as a facet of the inauguration of the latter-day new creation and kingdom. Offering extensive interaction between the two testaments, this volume helps readers see the unifying conceptual threads of the Old Testament and how those threads are woven together in Christ. This major work will be valued by students of the New Testament and pastors alike.
The Promise-Plan of God by Walter C. Kaiser
What is the central theme of the Bible?Given the diversity of authorship, genre, and context of the Bible's various books, is it evenpossible to answer such a question? Or in trying to do so, is an external grid being unnaturallysuperimposed on the biblical text?These are difficult questions that the discipline of biblical theology has struggled to answer.In this thoroughly revised and expanded edition of his classic Toward an Old Testament Theology,Walter Kaiser offers a solution to these unresolved issues. He proposes that there is indeeda unifying center to the theology and message of the Bible that is indicated and affirmed byScripture itself. That center is the promise of God. It is one all-encompassing promise of lifethrough the Messiah that winds itself throughout salvation history in both the Old and NewTestaments, giving cohesiveness and unity to the various parts of Scripture.After laying out his proposal, Kaiser works chronologically through the books of both testaments,demonstrating how the promise is seen throughout, how the various sub-themesof each book relate to the promise, and how God's plan to fulfill the promise progressivelyunfolds. Here is a rich and illuminating biblical theology that will stir the emotion and theintellect.