This thesis is a work in biblical interpretation and Christian theology, which seeks to develop and apply a missional hermeneutic to the book of Job; that is, to offer a reading of Job in the light of what I see as the missional nature of the Bible. Part one concerns the development of a missional approach to Job. I begin in chapter one by framing Christian mission using the concepts of missio Dei and holistic mission. Drawing on the emerging conversation on missional hermeneutics, I then set out an understanding of the missional nature of the Bible; that is, the Bible as a product, record and means of God’s mission. In chapter two I evaluate the use of Job in previous scholarship that has brought together the Bible and mission, identifying a number of themes and concluding that there remains significant room for a more intentional, substantial, sustained and nuanced treatment of Job in relation to mission. In chapter three I develop a framework for such a treatment with specific reference to missional hermeneutics, concluding with several adapted lines of enquiry that I follow through in the rest of the thesis. Part two concerns the application of this missional hermeneutic to the book of Job. In chapter four I pay particular attention to the universalising impulse evident in Job, seen especially in the non-Israelite theme in the book and in relation to the missio Dei. Of particular significance is my contention that in the book of Job, the very mission of God is at stake. I then compare the book with several similar Ancient Near Eastern texts to demonstrate Job’s distinctly Israelite beliefs, which contribute to the Bible’s articulation of Yahweh faith in contrast to competing renderings of reality. In chapter five I develop the reading by addressing the treatment of the poor in Job. By framing this missionally, I tie Job’s ethical teaching on poverty to the shaping of the Christian church’s participation in the missio Dei. The thesis demonstrates that a missional reading of Job is not only possible, but highly profitable, and contributes to the developing missional hermeneutics conversation in constructive ways. To conclude the thesis, in chapter six I revisit the concept of the missional nature of the Bible, this time by focusing on the book of Job as a product of mission, in relation to the story of God’s mission, and as a means of God’s mission. I then set out my contribution to scholarship and conclude with some suggestions for further research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:646786 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Davy, Timothy J. |
| Contributors | Mcconville, Gordon ; Lo, Alison |
| Publisher | University of Gloucestershire |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/2271/ |
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