Review by Choice Review
Interest in early Christian methods of scriptural interpretation is growing, partly as a reaction against the current dominance of "historical-critical methods" in biblical studies. Prominent among the early interpreters was the second-century figure Origen, who believed that Scripture held "allegorical meanings" hidden to readers who were not spiritually advanced and that these meanings were not discernible from the Scripture's "plain sense." Sixteenth-century Protestant reformers often criticized allegorical readings because they believed God's intended meaning for Scripture lay in its plain sense. In this volume by Martens (Saint Louis Univ.), the focus on Origen's views about the interpreters' role in exegesis advances discussions of early Christian interpretation. Martens argues that, although Origen employed certain exegetical methods, he viewed scriptural study as a way of life and believed that one's understanding progressed as one advanced spiritually and sought God's guidance for proper understanding. In addition, Martens shows that Origen often criticized interpreters who did not follow the church's emerging sense of what was considered "orthodox" Christianity. This clearly written and carefully argued book is an important one for advanced students of early Christianity. Helpfully, it includes important terms in their original Greek for specialists to follow. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and researchers/faculty. A. W. Klink Duke University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
