The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Abstract

This book provides a general overview and a succinct analysis of the primary ways in which the Old Testament has been received, interpreted, and conveyed within Eastern Orthodox tradition. The work fills a vacuum in scholarly literature dealing with the history of interpretation by showing how Eastern Orthodoxy used the Old Testament throughout its history. The book divides into two parts: Formation and Reception. Under Formation issues such as unity and diversity of the Christian Bible, text, canon, and Tradition are dealt with. The second part, Reception, focuses on the Eastern Orthodox modes of interpretation: discursive and intuitive. Among the discursive modes, the patristic exegesis is chosen as a case study. The intuitive modes representing the so-called liturgical exegesis are subdivided into aural (e.g., hymns, psalmody, lectionaries) and visual (e.g., portable icons, frescoes, mosaics). A special emphasis is placed on the hallmarks of Eastern Orthodox reception and interpretation of the Old Testament, such as: the centrality of Scripture within Tradition, a blend of flexibility and strictness at all levels of the faith community, integrative function and holistic use of the sacred text, a tensed unity of discursive and intuitive modes of interpretation, and a dynamic synergy between formative and informative goals in the use of Scripture.