The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology (OEBT) is a new encyclopedic treatment of major theological issues and themes in the Bible that surpasses all similar reference works in scope and significance. Leading scholars provide extensive overviews of key topics, offering analyses of the trajectory and reception history of theological issues as well as critical assessment of Near Eastern and Greco-Roman antecedents for Old and New Testament perspectives. While many entries address the Bible's historical context, including traditional theological perspectives on creation, sin, covenant, grace, and forgiveness, others are more rooted in modern issues, featuring biblical perspectives on contemporary concerns such as wealth and poverty, gender/race discrimination, and market economics.

The two-volume OEBT contains 168 entries ranging in length from 2,000 to 8,000 words. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry affords students and scholars a comprehensive topical and methodological summary of the topic that serves as both a go-to reference and a starting point for original research. The OEBT's distinctive approach and range of entries make it a unique resource that fills a void in biblical scholarship.

Samuel E. Balentine is Professor of Old Testament at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA. In addition to articles, essays, edited collections, and reviews, his publications includeThe Hidden God, Prayer in the Hebrew Bible, The Torah's Vision of Worship, Leviticus, andJob. He has served on the Editorial Board of The New Interpreter's Bible, and is currently General Editor (OT) for theSmyth and Helwys Bible Commentary, Editor of the Smyth and Helwys Theological Issues series, and Editor ofInterpretation. He is presently at work on two volumes, Job (Personalities of the Old Testament, University of South Carolina Press) andLamentations (NICOT, Eerdmans).