A wholly new way to read the Bible
BOOK REVIEW
“Holy Imagination: A Literary and Theological Introduction to the Whole Bible” by Judy Fentress-Williams Nonfiction, March 2021
By Fred Fenton
LW contributor
Have you often felt not only inspired but also perplexed while reading the Bible? Help is here: Judy Fentress-Williams, professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, has written the fascinating book “Holy Imagination: A Literary and Theological Introduction to the Whole Bible” (Abingdon Press).
In just 383 pages, the author introduces each book of the Bible, identifies its genre, and shows how the reader can imaginatively enter into dialogue with writers two millennia or more removed from us today.
Relying on generally accepted conclusions of modern biblical studies, Fentress-Williams helps us to go below the surface of the biblical narratives and discover their deeper meaning. Biblical writing, she claims, “invites, rather demands, the imagination.” Readers are encouraged to use their imagination to read ancient texts in a fresh, new way.
“Holy Imagination” is a readable, engaging introduction (or re- introduction) to the Bible and its enduring message.
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