DESCRIPTION
Series: The Bible in Medieval Tradition (BMT) Retrieves rich historical biblical insights for readers of Genesis todayIn this latest addition to the Bible in Medieval Tradition series, Joy Schroeder provides substantial excerpts — none previously available in English — from seven noteworthy medieval biblical interpreters who commented on Genesis between the ninth and fifteenth centuries.
Representing a chronological and geographical range of authors — including Hildegard of Bingen, Nicholas of Lyra, and Denis the Carthusian — these clear, readable translations illustrate the rich diversity of medieval approaches to biblical interpretation. The commentary covers the entire book of Genesis and includes an in-depth introduction by Schroeder that locates each of the medieval authors within his or her context.
REVIEWS
Review of Biblical Literature
“Offers a very similar service to students of the Bible: it makes accessible in English translation some of the riches of traditional Christian interpretation.”
John L. Thompson
— Fuller Theological Seminary
"A compendium of medieval interpretations of the book of Genesis could hardly select better representatives than the seven writers who appear here. Joy Schroeder's original translations are equally admirable for presenting not just a variety of writers but also distinct exegetical genres as well as comments on every chapter of the Bible's first book. Consequently, this work may well claim to be the missing link that now enables a continuous English-based survey of the history of Genesis interpretation, filling the gap between patristic and Reformation sources. Well done!"
Deborah L. Goodwin
— Gustavus Adolphus College
"Offers readers a richly rewarding encounter with the `cloud of witnesses' who made up the world of medieval biblical commentators. . . . Diverse in voice, approach, and preoccupation, these authors display a rich texture of medieval speculation on, and fascination with, the sacred text. This impasto makes it possible for modern readers to read as medieval scholars did, opening up new avenues of exploration and reflection."
Boyd Taylor Coolman
— Boston College
"Accompanied by Schroeder's concise though comprehensive historical contextualization, these elegant translations of representative, though less familiar, medieval interpretations of Genesis are most welcome. Medieval exegesis remains enigmatic, poorly understood, and insufficiently explored, let alone mapped. This volume helpfully provides new signposts in the terrain."
Frans van Liere
— Calvin College
"Delightful. . . . Including monastic and scholastic exegetes alike, this is a welcome anthology for anyone with an interest in medieval exegesis."