God in Translation: The Theological Gifts of Exploring Biblical Languages

Hebrew scholar and pastor Doreen M. McFarlane probes beneath the surface of familiar Bible passages, exploring how the original Hebrew allows us to recognize deeper truths about the nature of God and our relationships with God and each other. Far from the vengeful God of wrath often superimposed on the Hebrew Bible, the God we learn about in God in Translation has surprising things to say about vital, often-controversial subjects ranging from hierarchy, disagreement, and repentance to love, wholeness, and embodiment.McFarlane guides readers through thirteen such topics, for which she poses thorny questions, offers original lexical analysis, presents a scenario demonstrating the real-world impact of her biblical detective work, and then closes with insightful commentary. She offers cogent observations on popular translations, guiding readers toward useful resources and offering advice for further lexical study. In this theologically grounded, yet accessibly written work, educators, ministry leaders, and interested laypeople will find an invaluable text for course adoption, small-group study, and individual reading. Read more