Old Testament Is Dying – A Diagnosis and Recommended Treatment

Brent A. Strawn (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is professor of Old Testament at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina. He previously taught at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He has authored or coedited numerous volumes, including The World around the Old Testament.

• ContentsTestimoniaPart 1: The Old Testament as a Dying Language1. The Old Testament Is DyingA (Non)Telling VignetteThe Diagnosis, in Brief, with a CaveatThe Old Testament Is (Like) a LanguagePlan of the Book and Two Additional Caveats2. Initial TestingThe U.S. Religious Knowledge SurveyThe "Best"(?) SermonsThe Psalms in Mainline HymnodyThe Revised Common Lectionary (and the Psalms)Conclusion3. On Language Growth and Change, Contact and DeathLanguage Change and Language ContactPidgins and Creoles, Pidginization and CreolizationLanguage DeathConclusionPart 2: Signs of Morbidity4. The New AtheismDawkins and the New Atheists on the Old TestamentAnswering DawkinsPidgin versus Pidgin5. Marcionites Old and NewThe Old MarcionTertullian contra MarcionVon Harnack pro Marcion, or the New Marcion(ism)Contra von Harnack, or the Deadly Ramifications6. New Plastic Gospels: The "Happiologists"The Bible and Your Best Everything Right Now!Assessing Osteen "and Company"Conclusion to Part 2Part 3: Path to Recovery7. Recommended TreatmentOn Saving Dying LanguagesResurrecting HebrewLearning First, New, and Very Old LanguagesBilingualism and Code-SwitchingIt Could Happen to You (Us)8. Saving the Old TestamentEvidence of Further DeclineDeuteronomy as a Model of/for Second-Language Acquisition (SLA)9. Ways Forward and NotThe Most Basic (and Obvious) Recommendation: Regular UseThe Need for Adequate Linguistic TrainingIntentionality in Language Practice and Language LearningOn Creating BilingualsOn "Bothness"The Challenge of Future ChangeMusic, Memory, Poetry, . . . and Children (Again)ConclusionAppendix 1: Newton SeriesAppendix 2: Butler SeriesAppendix 3: Cox SeriesAppendix 4: Size of TestamentsAppendix 5: Sermon Data from Walter BrueggemannAppendix 6: Old Testament Texts Used by Walter BrueggemannIndexes