Biblical Philosophy
A Hebraic Approach to the Old and New Testaments

Biblical literature is as philosophically savvy as any ancient intellectual tradition, using story, law, and poetry to reason with us.

Dru Johnson (Author)

9781108831307, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 April 2021

325 pages
15 x 23 x 2.5 cm, 0.68 kg

In Biblical Philosophy, Dru Johnson examines how the texts of Christian Scripture argue philosophically with ancient and modern readers alike. He demonstrates how biblical literature bears the distinct markers of a philosophical style in its use of literary and philosophical strategies to reason about the nature of reality and our place within it. Johnson questions traditional definitions of philosophy and compares the Hebraic style of philosophy with the intellectual projects of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Hellenism. Identifying the genetic features of the Hebraic philosophical style, Johnson traces its development from its hybridization in Hellenistic Judaism to its retrieval by the New Testament authors. He also shows how the Gospels and letters of Paul exhibit the same genetic markers, modes of argument, particular argument forms, and philosophical convictions that define the Hebraic style, while they engaged with Hellenistic rhetoric. His volume offers a model for thinking about philosophical styles in comparative philosophical discussions.

Part I. Philosophical Styles: 1. What counts as philosophy
2. Philosophy before the Greeks: the Ancient Near Eastern intellectual context
Part II. Hebraic Philosophy: The Hebraic Philosophical Style: 3. The Hebraic philosophical style
4. Mapping philosophy in story, law, and poetry
Part III. Persistence in Hellenistic Judaism: 5. The philosophical styles of Hellenistic Judaism
6. Hebraic philosophical style in the Gospels
7. Paul in stoic garments
Part IV: Prototypes of Hebraic Philosophical Argument: 8. Hebraic and scientific epistemology
9. Biblical truth and human logic
10. Pictures of justification.

Subject Areas: New Testaments [HRCF2], Old Testaments [HRCF1], History of religion [HRAX], Philosophy of religion [HRAB], Philosophy [HP]