Nahum Ward-Lev

(Note: this is an edited/shorter version of a published review that I wrote for Encounter in 2019)

Nahum Ward-Lev argues that the main theological thrust of the Hebrew Bible is particularly relevant for the most urgent issues today. His book is an outgrowth of his involvement in a multi-faith learning community that has been reading the Bible in dialogue with the works of those he calls "modern prophets" including Paulo Freire, Martin Buber, Gustavo Gutierrez, Beverly Wildung-Harrison, Martin Luther King, Jr., and bell hooks. With such guidance, he shows that the Bible can lead us toward a path of liberation, a chance for everyone to flourish.

The book has two parts. Part one looks at biblical texts and part two looks at the wisdom and work of people who are confronting injustice today. In both sections, Ward-Lev critiques systems of oppression that exacerbate inequality and he honors the vision of a more radically equitable society built upon themes such as the ongoing journey for liberation, the mysterious and dynamic relationship of people with God, and the central need for a love ethic that can draw people together. He also has an appendix with practical guides aimed at enhancing the impact of the book.

My assessment of the book is mixed. Although I have much more to share about the negative, I do think the good outweighs the bad. On the good side, his optimistic, justice-oriented approach gives modern people resources from the Bible and work going on today. He also has fun and interesting biblical exegesis that might include new insights for many people.

One of my critiques is that Ward-Lev's lens of looking at the Hebrew Bible as liberating compels him to treat the major themes of different sections in ways that overlook what other experts have argued are central themes. If I just focus on Deuteronomy, one example is that Ward-Lev describes a journey of liberation for the Israelites extended to all people (18) and inclusive of others along the way (28), but he doesn't note that the exact opposite is a central idea to the election of ancient Israel: God chooses them to exterminate an indigenous people and usurp their land (Deut 20). He also treats God's covenant in Deuteronomy as diametrically opposed to imperial hierarchies (31-38, 107), but tons of scholarship has been written on how God's covenant in Deuteronomy is actually modeled on imperial suzerain-vassal treaties. I can understand that Ward-Lev would want to highlight inclusiveness and liberation and not these ugly themes. (I feel the same desire.) But not acknowledging these and other issues makes his argument less persuasive than it could be if he addressed these topics directly and used counterarguments to show why one should read differently.

My other critique has to do with the scholarship he references. Overall, his bibliography is diverse in terms of race and gender. But that's not true when it comes to biblical scholarship. As far as I could tell, all of the biblical scholars that Ward-Lev cites are White and/or Jewish, and almost all of them (85%) are male. I know that people of color and women are underrepresented in terms of PhDs in Hebrew Bible, but Ward-Lev is not trying to write a book that is representative of the field of biblical studies. He is writing a book about liberation. Women and non-gender binary people and Black people and Indigenous people and Latinx people and Asian people (and I could go on) care a lot about liberation. Those of us who have a PhD in biblical studies tend to publish books and articles about biblical interpretation that can lead to a more equitable and inclusive society. I believe that heeding the scholarship of more women and people of color invested in ideological criticism of the Hebrew Bible might have yielded a more convincing and nuanced means for embracing the liberating vision that Ward-Lev values, while also treating the more oppressive biblical ideologies with a hermeneutic of suspicion.

All that being said, I think the book is valuable because of Ward-Lev's passion for justice and the fact that the book is practical. He does listen to women and people of color who are doing the work of justice today, and that matters a lot. So, I'd recommend the book for its potentially positive impact on readers.… (meer)