Uncover How Scripture And The Natural World Are Deeply Intertwined
Every page of the Old Testament breathes with the life of God’s creation. From rainbows and desert winds to the roaring of a lion and green hills after rain, nature is woven through the biblical story and helps make it memorable. The natural world of the Bible holds memories of faith, failure, promise, and renewal.
In Landscapes of Memory, Emma Austin blends biblical scholarship, memory studies, and insights from her own journeys through the lands of the Bible to show how the natural world is a key to remembering and engaging the Old Testament in a sensory way. You are invited to walk the same paths, breathe the same air, and feel the same seasons that shape the words of the Old Testament.
Austin calls these connections among memory, nature, and text mnemonature. She demonstrates that the biblical landscape is not mere background, but a dynamic element in the story of faith, serving also to nurture spiritual formation.
What you'll find in Landscapes of Memory:
- Scholarly depth that integrates Old Testament biblical studies, archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern comparative literature, memory studies, spiritual formation, and personal experience.
- Austin's new approach to how biblical authors reference nature; the memorable characteristics of natural features; and the impact on the reader’s understanding of the text, termed mnemonature.
- An invitation to come alive to the immersive world of Scripture, seeing how the natural world of the Bible invites you to engage with the biblical text in transformative ways.
This book is an enriching companion for scholars and students of the Old Testament, pastors, and anyone drawn to the relationship of Scripture, memory, and the natural world. With Landscapes of Memory, discover how nature can fill you with awe and direct your attention to the God who made it.
Table of Contents:
List of Figures
Foreword by Paul H. Wright
1. Introducing Mnemonature
2. Stars and Rainbows
3. In Abram's Well-Worn Shoes
4. When God Closes the Heavens
5. Living Through Uncreation with Jeremiah
6. Life Is Winter, Death Is Summer
7. Not a Tame Lion
8. This Is My Father's World
Conclusion: Notice, Reflect, Consider, Remember
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Scripture Index
About the Author :
Emma M. Austin (PhD, Alphacrucis University College) is a lecturer in Old Testament studies and Biblical Hebrew at Alphacrucis University College in Queensland, Australia, where she is also the program director for the Master of Theology degree.
Review :
"Emma Austin's Landscapes of Memory is an invitation to read and reread the text of Scripture in a way that engages with its visual and physical dimensions. Her intimate style makes you feel like you're on your first tour of Israel with the Bible in hand, engaging this unique landscape on which so much of Scripture unfolds. Prepare for a fresh approach to reading the Bible in its context."
"While sensory and geographical models have previously been applied to the biblical narrative, the unique aspect of Emma Austin's volume is her ability to combine them with memory studies, creating an effective argument for applying the sensory and reflective steps of mnemonature to the interpretation of the text. She utilizes a comfortable, very personal narrative that encourages the reader to explore the text, not just as a written story but as a lived experience. In this way, the world of the Bible comes alive with associations to the covenant promise, natural phenomena, and very real personal experiences as the reader and characters travel through the land together."
"Embodied experiences form some of our most enduring memories. Combining embodied memories of the land of the Bible with scholarly insights into the Old Testament, Emma Austin's Landscapes of Memory is a master class in embodied, sensory engagement with biblical texts. With her introduction of mnemonature, Austin brilliantly brings texts to life in memorable ways while perennially turning our attention Godward. You won't regret joining this vivid tour across the Old Testament!"
