18 Book Reviews Jeannine K. Brown. Scripure as Communication: Invoducing Biblical Hermeneutics Grand Rapids, ML: Baker Academic, 2007. Pp. 315. Pape, UsS21.99, ISBN 0-8010- 2788-8 Brown offers a hermeneutical primer set in twelve chapters divided evenly into two seotons, Section 1, Theoretical Perspectives on Scripture 3s Communication,” isan ex- tended discussion in support of er model. ter an introductory chapter, she continues in chapter 2 with an outline of her “communication mode of hermeneutics.” For resources, she draws from speech-act theory, relevance theory, .D. Hitsc’s theory of wuthoral tention, native theory, and, separately, narrative theology, She i admittedly selective: “Although the mode! I suggest isan eclectic one .. it limits its eclecticism to theories that are coherent with the notion of texts as communicative acts" (31). For ths reason she dismisses deconstruction, asin it “texts ae less than stable, and they have lite «0 do with an authors intentional communicative act" (31) She concludes with an outline ‘of her mode! in three movements: (1) “the reader's engngement with the textually pro- {ected world,” (2) “the reader's movement toward the textual world with a particular focus on background-contextul assumptions,” and (3) bringing “the conceptual tools of implied author and reader and point of view to the task of discerning the normative stance ofthe text” (49-50), Chapters 3 through 6 develop a series of argument in sup= or of her approach. Chapter 3 isa historical overview of the nineteenth and twentieth entuies, in which she sees.a gradual separation of the roles of authors ext, and readers in detemnining meaning. This account provides negative relief for her communication ‘mode, which seeks to preserve the interaction among the thee, Chapters 4 and are ss Gained aryurents in defence of her definition of meaning. Chapier 6 is a careful nuanced and qualified discussion ofthe role ofthe reader in interpreting the Bible. Section 2 is entiled “Practical Guidance for Interpreting Sciptire as Commnica- tion.” In tur, she discusses genre (chap. 7), linguistics (chep. 8), social and cultural background ofthe biblical authors (chap. 9), literary context (chap. 10), and contextual zation (chaps, [Land 12), This book is exemplary in several respects. Ie is writen in a postive and energetic ‘one. Brown is not preoccupied with eriiquina or undermining approaches that difer from hers, preferring to focus instead on discussing the issues and benefits of her approach and illuminating the postive connections between it and those of othes. She also i very perceptive in describing and discussing the issues that arise at each point. Another strength is er regular and sustained engagement with biblical passages. She never lose track of its practical impor or her audience, ‘This text has two potential weaknesses from a theological standpoint. One of them the Actilles heel of many contemporary proposals for reading Seriptre —is tht the canon of Seriptre cannot be accounted foe within the horizon of the human author's ‘communicative inteation. Even so, she assumes thatthe exemplary nature of biblical texts is 2 by-product of some quality they possess or enact by virtue of their location within the canon. Further, from within the standpoint and limits of human suthoraleom- ‘monicative intention, there cannot be developed any justification for intavcanonical readings, where tex within the canon create bath new iimits and newly expanded hort- 2ons of meanings tha, ssn, are not within the scope ofthe original authoralcommini- ative intentions of the human authors. Prom this there can emerge only a naturalistic we ‘count of canon in which it is viewed as purely @ product of the decision ofa reading ‘community bused on its terary intr-textual fitingness. There is thing, from thi at compels anything uniquely salutary about this et of texts in comparison to any ater re- ligiou or “classic” texs. There is also no viahle rationale for closed or fixed canon ‘The only alterative that provides them is to develop a fller account of divine agency «asthe theological horizon governing and directing the canonical process.Book Reviews 129 ‘She also suggests that the inearnational quality of Scripture undersrites the idea that “the Bible shows itself tobe both culturally located and deeply relevant to all cultures’ (30), This reviewer is ambivalent: On one hand itis decply significant and strc a poste ‘ive sign tata biblical scholar entertains interpretation of Scripture by way of overt theo- logical categories. On the othe, the use of incarnation by itscf to frame ths discussion raises more questions and creates more theological opacity thin it answers or elucidates, being “culturally located” and “deeply relevant to al eulttes” isthe tlos of the in ‘amational analogy then al that is obtained by this approwch isthe “classi” status of the Bible alongside any literary, philosophical, or artistic work. Further, “incarational”™ hermeneutics cannot aecount forthe redemptive character ofthe ontology of Seiptre: sin and atonement are not within its purview. Finally, the problems with ¢ppealng 0 ‘the incamational analogy and stating her “conviction... thatthe Bible is fully divine ‘nd fully human” are immense. Does the Bible have a divine nature inthe seme way ‘hat Jesus did? Is the Bible the “God-texx"? I am reminded of Karl Barth's persia! concern for the atribution of qualities that, propery speaking, belong only to God and otto creatures, and how, for evangelical views of Serptre, thie results in 8 “paper ope.” "Nevertheless, this author ably fuser singular intent, As an intaductory textbook, writen from a postconservative Evangelical perspective, takes its reader ona tour of important selective features of the fled of biblical hermencutis. In this i alempis 69 wal the fine line between surveying the landscape and advocating one path, Readers ‘will experience ambivalence with her results inversely proportionate to the degree that {hey share her theoretical and theological astumpiions. Regardless, iti the best current introduction to biblical hermeneutics written from an Evangelical famework. Its tee- ‘ommended fr those looking to read, o¢ implement ina classroom, a textbook fom this Perspective that is both kind and friendly tothe hermeneutical novice and interacts with ‘many of the contemporary streams in biblical and philosophical hermeneutics, Mark Alan Bovald Redeemer University College Ancaster, ON David B. Buell. Deconstructing Theodicy: Why Job Has Nothing to Say tothe Puzle of ‘Sufering. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos, 2008. Pp. 144. Paper, vsS1999. ISBN 9781- ‘S873-202-4 ‘This deceptively bref book by eminent theologianphilosopher David B. Burell of Note Dame University pursues jis multsieeted agenda toward several inteneated targets ‘The author characterizes this agenda asa theological reflection focusing on “the fruit fulness ofthis key scriptural work [Job] forthe prosecution of philosophical theology today” (9) ‘While keeping the whole canonical ook in view, Burl (in chaps. 2-4) concentrates ‘on the dialogues between Jab and his “feends,” the subsequent speeches of Job, and the culminating divine appearance. He employs “strategic quotations to identify tematic pattems in Uhe work isei™ (10) to dsl a remarkably coherent flow of argumentation ‘through these much-debated texts. OF central importance for Burell i “the diference in speech acts between the pro= ‘agonist [Job] and his interlocutor, for that very diference seems to herald the book's significance for inguirrs in philosophical theology” (10). Here, the frends” reasoning in thin-person speech about God is contrasted with Job's increasing turn to God, his (Creator, in second-person address—“not asa judge who must adjudicate bythe rales."