Genesis

Praise for the Series "Written with pastors in mind, this series is an excellent resource for discerning the intention of the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures and for preaching the love of God." -Andrew Sung Park, Professor of Theology and Ethics, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio "With this series, the theological is deliberately brought to the fore, both at the level of the texts and at the level of critics." -Fernando F. Segovia, Oberlin Graduate Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, The Divinity School, Vanderbilt University The volumes in Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible from Westminster John Knox Press offer a fresh and invigorating approach to all the books of the Bible. Building on a wide range of sources from biblical studies, the history of theology, the church's liturgical and musical traditions, contemporary culture, and the Christian tradition, noted scholars focus less on traditional historical and literary angles in favor of a theologically focused commentary that considers the contemporary relevance of the texts. This series is an invaluable resource for those who want to probe beyond the backgrounds and words of biblical texts to their deep theological and ethical meanings for the church today. This volume in the Belief series offers a new and interesting theological interpretation of Genesis through the themes of liberation and the concerns of the poor and marginalized. The stories within Genesis are viewed as testimonies of peoples' encounters with God and raise the issues of injustice, oppression, sexual abuse, disenfranchisement, and powerlessness-all key issues for Christian faith and life today. Miguel A. De La Torre wrestles with texts, remembering Jacob's wrestling with God at Peniel (Gen. 32:24-32), and finds "there are consequences when we truly wrestle with the biblical text, struggling to see the face of God." He provides theological and ethical insights that enable Genesis to speak powerfully today concerning God and the divine call for love, mercy, and justice.