Who Needs the Old Testament?

Who needs the Old Testament?It might be a literary classic, but what relevance does it have today?How much of it can we believe anyway?Katharine Dell invites you to rediscover the appeal of the Old Testament for the twenty-first century. In doing so she deftly refutes hard-line attacks by writers such as Richard Dawkins; she firmly critiques the atheistic agenda of those scholars who seek to undermine the Old Testament's historical grounding; and she helpfully reassures those within the church who express doubts about its usefulness as a resource for Christian life and thought.Written by a world expert, this book will help many, both inside and outside the church, to gain a more informed appreciation of the different kinds of literature contained in the Old Testament, and a more nuanced understanding of the developing vision of God to which they witness.CONTENTSPreface IntroductionPART ONE: Breaking the New Atheist SpellChapter 1: From Dawkins to Marcion: countering scepticism and atheism. Chapter 2: The character and scope of the Old Testament: Countering a bad press.Chapter 3: Meeting Dawkins head-on: texts in Genesis.Chapter 4: Homing in on Hitchens: Exodus, Numbers and legal texts.Chapter 5: Countering Dawkins: Texts in the histories.PART TWO: Engaging with the Old TestamentChapter 6: The Writings: a neglected corner of the Old Testament.Chapter 7: The Prophets: a more convincing source of morality?Chapter 8: Back to the Pentateuch and Historical books: the power of story.Chapter 9: Questioning the history of Israel: scepticism within the Academy.Chapter 10: A Christian Perspective on the Old Testament.