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In Where is God in the Megilloth? Brittany N. Melton constructs a dialogue among Ruth, Esther, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs centred on this question, in an effort to settle the debate about whether God is present or absent in these books. Their juxtaposition in the Hebrew Bible highlights their shared theme of apparent divine absence, but, paradoxically, traces of God’s presence are unearthed as well.
By examining various aspects of this theme, including the literary absence of God, divine abandonment, God-talk, allusive language, God’s providence, and divine silence, it becomes clear that the ambiguity of divine presence and absence in the Megilloth presents a significant challenge to current conceptualizations of divine presence and absence in the Hebrew Bible.
By examining various aspects of this theme, including the literary absence of God, divine abandonment, God-talk, allusive language, God’s providence, and divine silence, it becomes clear that the ambiguity of divine presence and absence in the Megilloth presents a significant challenge to current conceptualizations of divine presence and absence in the Hebrew Bible.
Price: $144.00
Pages: 224
Publisher: Brill
Imprint: Brill
Series: Oudtestamentische Studiën, Old Testament Studies
Publication Date:
01 June 2018
ISBN: 9789004368705
Format: Hardcover
Melton’s book represents an important and timely contribution to our understanding of the Megilloth.... I enthusiastically recommend this book; it offers a very balanced presentation of the problem of divine absence in the Megilloth with a creative and thought-provoking solution of embracing ambiguity and expanding the reader’s understanding of presence.
Garret Gelvin, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2019
Melton has produced a thoughtful and thought-provokign study that is well written, cogently argued, and widely documented.
Stefan C. Reif, Biblica, 2019
Garret Gelvin, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2019
Melton has produced a thoughtful and thought-provokign study that is well written, cogently argued, and widely documented.
Stefan C. Reif, Biblica, 2019
Brittany N. Melton, Ph.D. (2017), University of Cambridge, is Assistant Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida. She has published several book chapters, including “‘Oh, that I knew where I might find him’: Aspects of Divine Absence in Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes” in Exploring Old Testament Wisdom (Apollos, 2016).