The Old Testament in the Life of God's People : Essays in Honor of Elmer A. Martens

This book celebrates the contributions to Old Testament theology of Elmer A. Martens, President and Professor of Old Testament at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California (both positions now Emeritus). It includes 3 essays written by Martens himself, as well as 15 others written by his former students, colleagues, friends, and even one of his professors! The essays are clustered around three topics—Christians’ use of the Old Testament, aligning God’s people with God’s call for justice, and addressing the issue of land in the life of God’s people—each of which reflects an area of special interest to Martens. A biographical sketch, a list of the honoree’s varied publications, and indexes are included. Martens has had a productive career as teacher, author, and preacher—a career spanning almost six decades and five continents. After 40 years of seminary teaching, Elmer is known to many as professor. He taught his signature class, Old Testament theology, from 1968 to 2004 at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, shaping an entire generation of preachers and Bible teachers. His Old Testament theology textbook, __God’s Design__, now in its third edition, continues to be used at the seminary as well as in translation in numerous other schools around the world. Elmer A. Martens: a biographical sketch -- Phyllis Martens -- Abbreviations -- Publications by Elmer A. Martens -- Embracing the law: a biblical theological perspective / Elmer A. Martens -- God's design and postmodernism: recent approaches to Old Testament theology / Paul R. House -- Educating to become wise: intercultural theological education / Marlene Enns -- To know or not to know: Hosea's use of ydo/dot / Douglas Carew -- The problem of preaching the Old Testament / Franklyn L. Jost -- On truth-telling and biblical theology / Rolf P. Knierim -- Yahweh, justice, and religious pluralism in the Old Testament / Elmer A. Martens -- Creation and peace: creator and creature in Genesis 1-11 / Ben C. Ollenburger -- Jethro in the structure of the book of Exodus / Waldemar Janzen -- The case of the Venus Flytrap: the argument of the book of Job / Pierre Gilbert -- Church of justice / Alfred Neufeld -- Righteousness in Romans: the political subtext of Paul's letter / John E. Toews -- O land, land, land: reading the earth story in both Testaments / Elmer A. Martens -- Israel and its land in biblical perspective / Walter C. Kaiser Jr -- God's design and the church / Timothy J. Geddert -- Biblical perspectives on biodiversity: a conversation with E.O. Wilson / Theodore Hiebert -- All creatures great and small: recovering a deuteronomic theology of animals / Daniel I. Block -- The word made bitter: at the table with Joshua, Buber, and Bakhtin / Gordon H. Matties Elmer A. Martens: a biographical sketch Phyllis Martens Abbreviations Publications by Elmer A. Martens Embracing the law: a biblical theological perspective / Elmer A. Martens God's design and postmodernism: recent approaches to Old Testament theology / Paul R. House Educating to become wise: intercultural theological education / Marlene Enns To know or not to know: Hosea's use of ydo/dot / Douglas Carew The problem of preaching the Old Testament / Franklyn L. Jost On truth-telling and biblical theology / Rolf P. Knierim Yahweh, justice, and religious pluralism in the Old Testament / Elmer A. Martens Creation and peace: creator and creature in Genesis 1-11 / Ben C. Ollenburger Jethro in the structure of the book of Exodus / Waldemar Janzen The case of the Venus Flytrap: the argument of the book of Job / Pierre Gilbert Church of justice / Alfred Neufeld Righteousness in Romans: the political subtext of Paul's letter / John E. Toews O land, land, land: reading the earth story in both Testaments / Elmer A. Martens Israel and its land in biblical perspective / Walter C. Kaiser Jr God's design and the church / Timothy J. Geddert Biblical perspectives on biodiversity: a conversation with E. O. Wilson / Theodore Hiebert All creatures great and small: recovering a deuteronomic theology of animals / Daniel I. Block The word made bitter: at the table with Joshua, Buber, and Bakhtin / Gordon H. Matties.

This book celebrates the contributions to Old Testament theology of Elmer A. Martens, President and Professor of Old Testament at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California (both positions now Emeritus). It includes 3 essays written by Martens himself, as well as 15 others written by his former students, colleagues, friends, and even one of his professors! The essays are clustered around three topics—Christians’ use of the Old Testament, aligning God’s people with God’s call for justice, and addressing the issue of land in the life of God’s people—each of which reflects an area of special interest to Martens. A biographical sketch, a list of the honoree’s varied publications, and indexes are included.

Martens has had a productive career as teacher, author, and preacher—a career spanning almost six decades and five continents. After 40 years of seminary teaching, Elmer is known to many as professor. He taught his signature class, Old Testament theology, from 1968 to 2004 at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, shaping an entire generation of preachers and Bible teachers. His Old Testament theology textbook, God’s Design, now in its third edition, continues to be used at the seminary as well as in translation in numerous other schools around the world.