Toward a Canon-Conscious Reading of the Bible: Exploring the History and Hermeneutics of the Canon (Ntm)

Review\n"This is a magisterial discussion of how [the "canonical approach"] works and a persuasive account of why one might believe in it. It carries forward the torch lit by Brevard Childs with great learning and skill, and it must definitely be read by all who are concerned with either the historical or the hermeneutical question of the canon." -John Barton, Review of Biblical Literature\n"Spellman has provided an excellent discussion of how the Christian canon may function within the field of biblical interpretation. The structure of his book was very well thought-out. . . Distinguishing "mere contextuality" from "meant contextuality" will be an important step forward for those who are interested in the possibility of biblical contextuality." -Casey Croy, SBJT\n"Toward a Canon-Conscious Reading of the Bible is both accessible enough for the thinking layperson and nonspecialist and robust enough (through copious and detailed footnotes) for the student and scholar of canonical issues. This monograph presents a masterful interdisciplinary study that draws together scholarly insights from canon studies, historical studies, and literary studies to address both the historical issue of how the canon came to be and the hermeneutical question of what this means for readers of the canon." -Jennifer Guo, Exegetical Tools\n"Toward a Canon-Conscious Reading is a needed addition to the field of canonical studies." -Matthew Y. Emerson, Fides et Humilitas\nTwo distinct questions about the canon of the Bible can be raised: (1) How did the biblical canon come to be?, and (2) What effect does that canon have on its readers? The former is a historical question about the formation of the biblical canon; the latter is a hermeneutical question about the function of the biblical canon. Though these questions have often been pursued in virtual isolation from one another, Spellman argues that there are considerable gains from observing the interconnections between the two lines of inquiry.
On the historical question of the origin of the canon, Spellman asks, Is the shape of this collection an accident of history or a result of intelligent design? He concludes that canon-consciousness played an important role in the formation of the canon, even impinging on the work of the biblical authors themselves. On the hermeneutical question, the communities of readers of the Bible may also be shown to have been directed by their own canon-consciousness, using it as a guide in their interpretative task.
In this interdisciplinary work, Spellman marshals historical, theological and hermeneutical resources in order to paint a picture of how the concept of canon can enrich reading communities of today.