The new Journal of Theological Interpretation

The Marketing Director of the Book Sales Division at Eisenbrauns e-mailed me a few days ago with a copy of the initial volume of the Journal of Theological Interpretation. The first volume has articles by Richard B. Hays (‘Can Narrative Criticism Recover the Unity of Scripture?’), Murray Rae (‘Texts in Context: Scripture and the Divine Economy’), Michael A. Rynkiewich (‘Mission, Hermeneutics, and the Local Church’), R.W.L. Moberly (‘Christ in All the Scriptures? The Challenge of Reading the Old Testament as Christian Scripture’), and a review article by Michael J. Gorman (‘“A Seamless Garment”: Approach to Biblical Interpretation?’).

Joel Green introduces the sort of questions the journal sets out to address as follows (p. 3):

• What is the status of the theological tradition, including the tradition of biblical interpretation, in theological interpretation today?
• What is the role of history and historical criticism in theological
  interpretation?
• What is the status and role of the OT in the two-testament canonical
  Scriptures?
• What is the place of exegesis in theological method?
• What is the nature of the “unity” of Scripture?
• What is the role of the canon in theological interpretation?
• Does theological interpretation extract theological claims or principles
  from the Bible?

This is honestly one of the most exciting new journals I have ever seen, engaging just the sort of questions with which many of us struggle daily. Actually, this is an area that fascinates me especially, all the more so as my Doktorvater, Max Turner, is editing (together with Joel Green) the Two Horizons Commentary Series. In the first volume you will find stimulating, highly relevant and deeply interesting material, and much more is promised for the future. It is difficult for me to welcome the concept behind this journal more enthusiastically.