Brevard Childs (1923-2007)

The biblical scholar Brevard Childs has died (23rd June). He was at the centre of the biblical theology movement and argued for a canonical approach to reading scripture. He was a giant of Old Testament studies. He was until his retirement in 1999 Sterling Professor of Divinity at Yale University. He studied under Karl Barth and received his doctorate from Basel. He was a major dialogue partner for both Walter Brueggemann (see his Theology of the Old Testament) and Francis Watson (see his Text, Church and World and Text and Truth) amongst others.

He was he author of  string of important studies in the 1970s and 80s: Biblical Theology in Crisis (1970) Exodus: A Critical, Theological Commentary (1974), Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (1979), The New Testament as Canon (1984), Old Testament Theology in Canonical Context (1985), Biblical Theology in the Old and New Testaments (1992).

Watson writes in Text and Truth (1997):
'His rediscovery of the hermeneutical significance of the canon is his most important contribution to a renewed "biblical theology" (211)

'It is the great merit of Brevard Childs' work that he has pursued the question of authentically Christian Old Testament interpretation with a single-mindedness and tenacity unprecedented in modern Old Testament scholarship ....' (218)

Comments

[Daniel Driver]

It's a small point, maybe, but though Childs knew Barth and attended lectures, he didn't identify with him in his work until much later. His doctorate was guided by Eichrodt at first, and then W. Baumgartner.

[Collin Cornell]

For an accessible intro to Brevard Childs' approach, see here:

http://kaleidobible.blogspot.com/2013/03/intro-to-brevard-childs.html