Book Review: Holding Forth the Word of Life: Essays in Honor of Tim Meadowcroft

This edited book in the Australian College of Theology’s Monograph Series honours Dr Tim Meadowcroft, one of NZ’s finest Old Testament scholars who worked at Laidlaw College (formally The Bible College of New Zealand) during his academic career. Tim graduated with a Master of Theology and PhD from the University of Edinburgh and subsequently came back to NZ to research and teach. His formative life was spent as a missionary kid in Pakistan and in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains at the Murree Christian School and he subsequently went on to teach high school and train as an Anglican Priest. These areas of his life are, in some way, represented by the authors chosen for this volume and the content within their chapters. While the editors acknowledged there are lacunae: there are no Māori, Pasifika, PNG, or Pakistani voices, there are varied and important dialogues in this volume which show something of the scope of Tim’s academic and personal influence.

On a personal note, I first encountered Tim when my husband and I went to study at BCNZ in the early 2000’s and we have valued personally from his pastoral concern and his fine mind during our study. Tim’s dry wit and his unflappable nature are captured by many in their recollections in this book and for those who know Tim personally, the snapshots into his life ring true.

The book has three sections within it: (1) Old and New Testament conversations; (2) women, gender, sexuality, and the wider NZ context; and (3) language, linguistics, and social vocation. David Crawley begins the volume with a Foreword that outlines Tim’s life and publications, and the editors introduce the volume and each of the chapters. Rather, this short review cannot possibly address all of the essays in this book but aims to comment on the broad categories and some highlights and conversations within.

The first section has nine chapters and is heavily weighted by Old Testament scholars. With the exception of Csilla Saysell’s fine conversation on sin offerings, they are all written especially for this volume. John Goldingay, Tim’s PhD doctoral examiner, opens with a thought-provoking essay on reading Daniel in the setting of Jeremiah and how we might use Danielian ideas to respond in the world today. His voice has a tinge of the polemic but also aged wisdom and hindsight, ending with a light-hearted “nice to chat” moment. His tone captures Tim’s light-hearted approach to life.

James Harding’s study on Job is really stimulating and captures Tim’s pastoral nature. He considers that Job’s human suffering moves him to protest God, a meaningful and fertile place for the wounded soul. A canonical approach wants to leap toward the resurrection, but Harding wisely insists that lament is a fertile soil for the wounded human soul before God. Further, the ambiguity of hope and defiance creates potency for the human lived experience of darkness and faith held in God.

Tim Bulkeley’s consideration of the Book of Ruth as a Festschrift brings his own master storyteller voice to the fore. In the light of Bulkeley’s untimely death, his voice in this volume is to be treasured. Richard Neville’s examines the Creator role of the “Word” in John 1 as a “theological affirmation of the first order” where the “personal participation in the creation of everything serves as a key identifier and distinguishing mark of the one true God” (59).

Chris Marshall’s ever-present challenge to peace making is explored through the character of the Samaritan in the well-known Lukan parable. Recent dialogues however, between Samaritan scholars and some Biblical scholars, is revising how NT scholars have misunderstood the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans which was not simply one of hatred. While this does not undermine Marshall’s call for paths of peacemaking, it might provide nuance to his stylised approach to a complex relationship. As we know history told by one ethnicity tends toward “othering” and Judeo-Christian history is no exception.

There are excellent chapters by Paul Trebilco, Mark Keown, and Philip Church that round out a highly readable Bible section, but this review, unfortunately, has no space to explore them here.

The second section of women, gender, and sexuality is a highlight of this book and explores material important to Tim and his academic career. Tim always encouraged and championed women students and was doctoral supervisor to many. Miriam Bier Hinksman was one such student. In this book she examines the disembodied womb and disappearing mother of Hosea whilst showing the limitations and potentiality of metaphor. Karen Nelson, another student, has a robust consideration of the women of חסד whom Ben Sira fails to mention.

The co-authored chapter by Caroline Blyth and Emily Colgan addresses gender violence and its many guises which are born from cisheteropatriarchial discourse within Christianity. They discuss the need for safe spaces to talk about and challenge gender violence, and the ongoing scholarship to address texts of terror with sensitivity for victims, and insight for perpetrators. Further, they challenge the guild to take their place in addressing gender violence as NZ statistics show how pressing this need is for the health of our community and its members. Tim’s desire to address gender, patriarchy, and the needs of the LGBT conversation are ably held high by this chapter as is Peter Carrell’s chapter which follows.

A final note on this section must mention Derek Tovey’s conversation on Jesus’ honour with the Māori concept of mana which brings together the NZ indigenous context with the ancient text and cultural mores with great success. Finally, Mark Brett’s theology and social vison “Whakawhiti Kōrero” from his prior conference paper ends this challenging section.

The final section deals with language, linguistics, and hermeneutics. There are chapters from Allan Bell, John de Jong, Donald Moffat, Stephen Pattemore, Stanley Porter, Martin Sutherland, and Yael Klangwisan and Lisa Spriggins. The quality of the writing as well as the significance of the authors shows the high regard in which Tim is held. Martin Sutherland’s mimetic model of hermeneutics is a standout essay which argues through a cyclical model by Schleiermacher, engages Pascal’s geometric epistemology, and via a conversation with Thiselton. The potency of mimetic theory for a hermeneutical model is it allows for past tradition, an eschatological trajectory, and a lived present; “remembering, anticipating, and presenting” (311).

This is a valuable resource which honours Tim well but is full of essays which enrich the academy and church. I wish Tim well in his retirement from full-time academia.

Sarah Harris is a lecturer in New Testament at Carey Baptist College, Auckland.