The Old Testament is Dying...

I am starting to wade through one of Brent Strawn's most recent works, The Old Testament is Dying. I say "one" of his most recent works because this guy must have a team of robots...or monkeys...that help him pump out publications. He also just put out The World Around the Old Testament (with Bill Arnold), and it seems like every time I turn around he is publishing some article or editing some volume.

Nevertheless, I digress.

Strawn is a Professor of Old Testament at Chandler School of Theology (Emory University), a flagship school of theology in the southeast and a darling of the United Methodist Church. He also serves the Church through speaking and what-not. Consequently, when he puts out such a provocative title, I am bound to notice....and take his word under consideration.

So, off the cuff, is the Old Testament dying? To open, Strawn shares a story that solidified his conclusion. While speaking to a group of "saints" at a local church somewhere around Atlanta, he was astonished that his audience did not know that the famous words Jesus uttered on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" (quick, can you recite it in Aramaic...or Hebrew?!), were actually a quotation from the Old Testament. I can't say that I am surprised by this. I grew up in the church, even the United Methodist Church, and the level of biblical illiteracy is more striking by the day. Moreover, I don't see it changing if the status quo remains.

I teach a range of students at a number of institutions devoted to theological education. Every semester it seems that there is an increase of comments such as these.

"I don't really know too much about the Old Testament, but at least I am excited to learn!"

"I really like the psalms because they seem to give me just the right word whenever I need to hear it. But I don't like the historical books. They seem so....historical."

Or think of it this way. When is the last time that you heard a sermon preached that utilized an Old Testament passage as its primary text?

I do remember one time that my father decided to preach a series of sermons on the book of Genesis. One week led to a month, and a month led to multiple months. About a year later, he was still preaching from Genesis, although he would take a break periodically to address special Sundays. This likely was my dad's least popular sermon series. But never mind that it's the foundation of Scripture. Never mind that the cosmic problem that still plagues humanity--that thing called Sin--is introduced there with dramatic detail. Never mind that the cosmic solution to that problem is also introduced in Genesis. And never mind that in articulating that cosmic solution the doorway to Christ is opened. Never mind all of that. "Just give me Jesus...and maybe some Paul..."

So, yeah. I think that the Old Testament is dying. But is it dead? Gosh...I hope not!! Yet more importantly, I still believe that it's possible to reverse the trend. However, bucking trends are never easy. It takes commitment, patience, and a "bull by the horns" mentality.

So, pastors preach from the Old Testament! If you don't know how to handle it, find some guidance! Whether it's a professor near by, a book to guide you, or more formal education, it doesn't matter really. Remember, it's Scripture. And when I say preach from it, don't just use it as a "footnote," merely to support some point. Develop sermon series from an event recollected, a book found therein, or a theme rooted there. Professors, let's make it exciting and fun! Let the Old Testament personalities shine through our boring lectures and assignments. Let's show our students that its content is just as potent today as it was when it was written millennia ago. Above all, let's not back down from what makes it so difficult to handle.

I'm sure that Strawn will have other things to say. However, I do know, based on the sub-title alone, he too believes that there is a treatment to this death spiral.