Pillars in the History of Biblical Interpretation: Prevailing Methods Before 1980: Vol 1

This two-volume set is part of a growing body of literature concerned with the history of biblical interpretation. The ample introduction first sets key players into the story of the development of the major strands of biblical interpretation since the Enlightenment, identifying how different theoretical and methodological approaches are related to each other and describing the academic environment in which they emerged and developed. Volume 1 contains fourteen essays on twenty-two interpreters who were principally active before 1980, and volume 2 has nineteen essays on twenty-seven of those who were active primarily after this date. Each chapter provides a brief biography of one or more scholars, as well as a detailed description of their major contributions to the field. This is followed by an (often new) application of the scholar's theory. By focusing on the individual scholars and their work, the book recognizes that interpretive approaches arise out of certain circumstances, and that scholars are influenced by, and have influences upon, both other interpreters and the times in which they live. This set is ideal for any class on the history of biblical interpretation and for those who want a greater understanding of how the current field of biblical studies developed.

Stanley E. Porter is president, dean, and professor of New Testament, as well as holder of the Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview, at McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Besides research and writing in Greek language and linguistics, he is a keen advocate for deeper intellectual and artistic life within the Christian church. In particular, he is interested in how literature can help to enlighten and elevate Christian faith. His latest book is Hermeneutics, Linguistics, and the Bible: The Importance of Context (2024).


Sean A. Adams is Lecturer in New Testament and Ancient Culture at The University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. He has written widely on the relationship between the New Testament and Greek literature and is the author of The Genre of Acts and Collected Biography and Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremiah.