Vriezen

So, I decided not to go to Basel this weekend. Another time.

However, myself, Anja and our friend, Susi, went to Stuttgart yesterday - they to the Staatsgalerie while I checked out an Antiquarian that specialises in theological books. Nice selection, but way too expensive.

I was however pleased to pick up one of my favourite Old Testament theologies for a good price, especially as it is bound up so closely, believe it or not, with my own thesis. The book in question, the hard to find:

Th. C. Vriezen’s, An Outline of Old Testament Theology.

It’s an absolute treasure, and none other than Eichrodt spoke most highly of it. Here are a few excerpts:

“... the Old Testament is not a theology book ... Yet this does not mean that there are no theological main lines of thought ... If we wish to build up an Old Testament theology, the best plan would be to start by examining the fundamental structure of the knowledge of God as it finds expression in the many testimonies” (p. 153)

“All Old Testament teaching rests ... on the certainty of the communion between the Holy God and man, a belief founded on the intercourse between Yahweh and Israel experienced in the history of revelation’ (p. 176)

“the Old Testament always presupposes a positive relation of God to the world: there is no contrast but, fundamentally from God’s point of view, only a relationship of communion” (p. 202)