Introducing Biblical Theology

How do the different books of the Christian bible contribute to telling the story of God's salvation in Jesus Christ? How can the diverse and sometimes confusing range of perspectives in the bible join together in one picture? Sigurd Grindheim shows students how this picture can be seen as that of the Triune God, the God who interacts. God makes human beings who enjoy a peaceful relationship with him. This relationship is broken because of sin, but God continues to reach out to human beings through covenants. Human failure to be faithful shows that God needs to intervene in a more direct way. In his son Jesus Christ, he comes to earth and brings reconciliation. Grindheim draws on insights from scholarship and tradition to answer the major questions and presents them in a highly accessible form, using examples, revision questions and charts. This book is written specifically for students at the start of courses in the Bible, Theology and Ministry, and for those searching for a deeper understanding of the theology of the Christian bible.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1. The God Who Interacts 2. Obedient and Rebellious Subjects: Angels and Demons 3. Made for Fellowship: Human Beings As Created 4. Breaking the Relationship: Human Sin 5. God Makes It Personal: God's Interaction with His People in the Old Testament 6. Mending the Relationship with God: Restitution for Sin in the the Old Testament 7. A New Ruler and a New Order: The Old Testament Messianic Hope 8. God Came to Us: The New Testament Picture of Jesus 9. What Human Beings Could Not Do: The Work of God in Christ 10. Enjoying Favor with God: Salvation in the New Testament 11. The Most Intimate Fellowship: The Gift of the Holy Spirit 12. A Life Transformed: The New Life of the Believer 13. God's New Community: The Church 14. The Covenant Rituals of the New Community: Baptism and the Lord's Supper 15. Perfect Union: The Last Things

About the Author :
Sigurd Grindheim teaches New Testament at Fjellhaug International University College, Norway.

Review :
Preachers who wish to place specific biblical passages into context of the Bible's progressively revealed story or draw together the different voices of the Bible on a particular theme will find plenty of material here. [T]hose not familiar with the distinctions between the four major types of theology need a simple, easy to follow volume which presents to us the major loci of theological topics in a language even the untrained can understand. Sigurd Grindheim has provided that text for us in his volume Introducing Biblical Theology … To find an introductory work with this level of clarity would be a near impossible challenge in today’s market. Very readable ... Those who want to introduce themselves to the Bible from a theological perspective will find here a very good resource. For those readers of the Bible who want a synthesis of its theological teaching but find most of the existing books on the subject to be too demanding this volume may well be just what they need: an introductory topical survey written in a simple and succinct form and covering all the major doctrines in both testaments. This book fills a gap in the market and will be especially useful for those for whom English is not their first language. Wonderfully simple, and yet insightful at numerous points, Grindheim's work provides a remarkably useful introduction to Biblical theology. The concise presentation of the material, the relevant questions, and competent answers that he presents commend his work highly. Students and pastors do not need another tome through which they must wade in order to gain an overview of Scripture. They need a compact handbook that directs them to the right questions and thus opens up further study. That is exactly what Grindheim has provided us. Grindheim’s offering is unique: in less than 250 pages of crystal clear prose, he lays out the theology of the Bible in a way that does justice both to the story-line of Scripture and to the creeds of Christian tradition. Where other scholars get bogged down examining the individual bricks and straw that make up the various books of the Bible, Grindheim soars over the whole canonical pyramid, discovering in the process the crucial pattern in the Scriptural mosaic: one God, one promise, one plan of salvation, one Savior, one people, one peace. Introducing Biblical Theology is a wonderful map for beginning students who can’t see the theological forest for the biblical trees. Grindheim’s short introduction to Biblical Theology introduces students of the Bible to some of the Bible’s unifying themes and shows them how to read the Bible as a whole. The reader will benefit from his examples of synthesis of biblical data, as well as his insights into the interpretation of challenging biblical passages. Grindheim provides students of the Bible with the type of entry point into its teaching that every Christian needs. At a number of points, he shows that the Old Testament provides the vital foundation for understanding the teachings of the New Testament. Sigurd Grindheim’s book integrates the theology of the OT and NT, producing a “whole Bible” introduction to biblical theology. It presents a seamless understanding of what the Bible proclaims, not just what others say about the Bible. It nonetheless reflects the finest scholarship, as shown in the “Further Reading” section for each chapter. He effectively translates his scholarship into a reader-friendly style which is clear and succinct. If you want to better understand the Bible’s message regarding God, human life, judgment, and salvation, Grindheim’s work will more than exceed expectations. Grounded in a solid knowledge of the biblical text as well as a thorough awareness of contemporary scholarship discussions, this book is yet able to provide a clear and powerful introduction to the story of God's dealings with humanity. For those who are prepared to encounter the central message of the biblical text, it will serve as a succinct and reliable guide. This synthetic primer on biblical theology is a wonderful idea, and well executed. The book is both readable and reliable, carefully introducing only the most necessary academic debates yet involving at least plausible positions on the rest. Here is accessible evangelical scholarship at its best! This introduction to theology is a fine integration of biblical and systematic theology. Dr. Grindheim connects the dots from Old to New Testament and from biblical to systematic theology. He has favored the reader with a choice of topics and an approach that puts theology at a level that enquiring readers can greatly benefit from.