Between Hearing and Silence

A Study in Old Testament Theology

John Kessler

• Publisher: Baylor University Press
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781481314190
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblische Studien

When the Old Testament refers to silence, either the silence of persons or of God, that silence conveys a diversity of meanings. It may indicate a breakdown in the divine-human relationship, or the beginning of the renewal of that relationship. It can be associated with sacred space or the realm of death. At times, God's silence seems painful and incomprehensible, an indication of God's indifference or neglect. At other times it speaks of the great security that the people of God may have in the Lord's unfailing care.

Between Hearing and Silence: A Study in Old Testament Theology invites students and scholars alike to explore the various ways in which the concept of silence is expressed in the Old Testament and the many meanings it conveys. John Kessler surveys the diverse facets of the Old Testament's understanding of silence to help readers discover the richness of this often-overlooked biblical theme. Each chapter examines various biblical texts relating to a different aspect of silence and uncovers the distinctive understanding of silence those texts present; at the same time, this thematic investigation opens up new perspectives on the broader contours of Old Testament theology in all its stunning complexity.

These portraits of silence, both divine and human, will introduce readers to a novel way of understanding the relational dynamics within the divine-human relationship. As the biblical texts move between silence and sound, readers will discover the crises of faith experienced by the people of God in their journey, even as these hardships hold within them great hope for Israel's future. Most significantly in the Old Testament, silence emerges as a sacred medium of communication between the Lord and the people of God, modeling even for the contemporary life of faith a posture of hopeful openness to the often mysterious ways of the divine.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Endorsements, Half Title Page, Copyright, Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• 1. Understanding Silence: Foundational Issues
• 2. Silence as Alienation: When Relationships Break Down
• 3. Silence as Catastrophe: When Everything Falls Apart
• 4. Silence as Repentance and Renewal: Dwelling in the Space between Loss and Restoration
• 5. Silence as Security: God Our Rock
• 6. The Two Silences: The Silence of the Grave and the Silence of the Sacred
• 7. How Long O Lord?: God’s Silence and Human Suffering
• 8. Finding God between Sound and Silence
• Epilogue
• Playlist for Silence
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Author Index
• Subject Index
• Scripture Index