Holy People, Holy Land: A Theological Introduction to the Bible - Paperback

by Michael Dauphinais (Author), Matthew Levering (Author), Brant Pitre (Foreword by)

How should we understand the Bible's many intricate themes across such a breadth of history and writings? This new edition of a successful textbook offers a unified theological vision of the Old and New Testaments. With up-to-date attention to biblical scholarship, the authors present the theological meaning of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

God shares his perfect love with his creatures in covenantal relationships. For such love to be realized, the people must love God fully with all their hearts and minds--become a holy people--and experience the indwelling presence of God--live in a holy land. The authors trace these twin themes through Abraham's promised descendants and land, Moses's law and tabernacle, David's kingship and temple, and ultimately the Son of God's incarnation and sending of his Holy Spirit.

Marked by focused presentations of central books of the Bible, this book shows how the themes of holy people and holy land hold together the biblical story. Attuned to creedal theology, it is accessible to the beginner and valuable to more advanced readers. The second edition has been updated throughout and includes a new foreword by Brant Pitre.

This book gives readers the tools to better understand Scripture by showing God's consistent purpose, as revealed by Scripture, to re-create his children so they might dwell with him in a communion of holiness and love through Jesus Christ. It is of special interest to Catholic readers while speaking to all Christians.

Back Jacket

"An exegetically informative and theologically illuminating introduction to the Bible"

This updated edition offers an integrated theological vision of the Old and New Testaments that highlights the pattern of God's plan to dwell with his people in holiness and love.

"A compelling, theologically integrated reading of Scripture that is faithful to the hermeneutical vision of the Second Vatican Council and attentive to contemporary biblical scholarship. By presenting the Bible as a coherent witness to God's covenantal love, Dauphinais and Levering introduce Scripture as God's Word in human words. In the footsteps of the church fathers, they offer an accessible yet profound entry into theological exegesis and the coherence of the biblical canon."
--Katja Hess, Catholic University of America

"In 1988 Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger famously argued that it would take at least the work of an entire generation to overcome the split between ecclesial-theological and historical exegeses of the Bible. A generation later, we must admit that it will take longer than that! This new edition of Dauphinais and Levering's theological introduction to the Bible is an important contribution to this task. While attending to the work of historical scholars, it invites readers to explore the message of all the Scriptures."
--Nathan Eubank, University of Notre Dame

"This book provides a much-needed focus on Scripture's theological meaning as a basis for instruction in Christian doctrine. It will nourish one's Christian faith in the biblical story and perspective on reality in response to today's dominant secularistic, ideological, and relativistic worldviews. It will also whet readers' appetites to go to the Bible for further nourishment."
--William Kurz, SJ+, Marquette University

"An exegetically informative and theologically illuminating introduction to the Bible--one that will give a new generation of students 'access' to Scripture by teaching them to read it in light of both reason and faith, exegesis and theology, and human and divine dimensions of the written Word of God."
--Brant Pitre, Augustine Institute Graduate School (from the foreword)

Author Biography

Michael Dauphinais (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is Fr. Matthew L. Lamb Professor of Catholic Theology at Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida.

Matthew Levering (PhD, Boston College) is the James N. Jr. and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology at Mundelein Seminary, University of Saint Mary of the Lake, in Mundelein, Illinois, and the author of numerous books.