Ian Christopher Levy - Introducing Medieval Biblical Interpretation: The Senses of Scripture in Premodern Exegesis

Introducing Medieval Biblical Interpretation wrestles patiently with the problem of explaining the methods that medieval Christian exegetes brought to their reading of the Scriptures. Simultaneously a work of rigorous intellectual history and a handbook for recovering a lost way of reading, this book offers close readings of selected interpretive examples from across both the monastic and scholastic tradition, paying special attention to the interpretation of the letters of Paul. Those new to the tradition will find a book packed with insight into the way medieval exegetes read according to both the letter and the spirit. Scholars of medieval exegesis will find a concise introduction to a complex and still underused repertoire of well-chosen texts.

Rachel Fulton Brown , author of Mary and the Art of Prayer: The Hours of the Virgin in Medieval Christian Life and Thought

Levy takes the reader through the fascinating world of eight centuries of medieval exegesis. His masterful selection of texts and authors allows the story to be told by the original voices. Paraphrasing important parts of medieval commentaries, Levy navigates us securely through a wealth of texts, figures, and information. He shows exegetical methods, explains hermeneutical concepts, and grants access to the workshops of medieval exegetes. The book is a welcome guide not only for students but also for any advanced reader with an interest in biblical exegesis. Last but not least, it supports the new awareness in contemporary exegesis of tradition, intertextuality, and the manifold dynamics of biblical texts.

Thomas Prgl , University of Vienna

With crisp writing and clear organization, Levy walks readers through the ancient and medieval centuries of biblical interpretation. He lets the medieval voices speak for themselves through ample selections from primary source material, which makes this volume especially suited for classroom use. Pointing out that biblical scholars married faith and reasonthough not always in balanceLevy displays how the Bible has been interpreted and reinterpreted in different cultural, intellectual, and chronological contexts. It is the proverbial one book youd place in someones hand.

Christopher M. Bellitto , Kean University

Levy writes of the Venerable Bede, Bede admits that while it is true that many before him have commented on [the book of Genesis], such works might prove too difficult for most readers and complete editions too expensive. He would summarize them, therefore, taking what could be most useful to non-experts. What Bede did for eighth-century readers Levy has done for twenty-first-century readerstaken a vast amount of information that is often available only to the specialist and made it easily and enjoyably accessible to nonexperts. For those unfamiliar with medieval biblical interpretation, this volume is a readable yet rich introduction to the topic. It lays out the broad trajectory of medieval biblical interpretation and demonstrates its relevance for the Christian church today.

Greg Peters , Torrey Honors Institute, Biola University

With discriminating erudition as deep as it is wide and unfailing clarity of exposition, Levy covers the sweep of Western Christian biblical exegesis from the church fathers to the fifteenth century. As he shows, whether as monks, pastors, or masters in the schools, medieval exegetes had more in common than has sometimes been imagined. To one degree or another, they all drew on multilevel and intertextual exegesis as well as on the secular learning at their command. And while they all accepted the divine inspiration of the text and the authority of earlier commentators, they also took seriously their right and duty to draw selectively on scriptural texts and traditions along with their personal insights in applying the Bible to their own situational, devotional, pedagogical, and polemical agendas. Levys book provides a rich banquet for both specialist and nonspecialist readers interested in the history of biblical exegesis and offers food for thought for scholars currently engaged in biblical study.

Marcia L. Colish , Oberlin College; visiting fellow in history, Yale University