Japanese Biblical Studies

Philosophical Interpretations of the Old Testament, by Seizo Sekine (University of Tokyo), was recently published in de Gruyter’s Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) series. The book was translated by J. Randall Short (Tokyo Christian University), in collaboration with Judy Wakabayashi (Kent State University).

Philosophical Interpretations of the Old Testament is based mostly on 旧約聖書と哲学―現代の問いのなかの一神教 (Kyūyaku Seisho to Tetsugaku: Gendai no Toi no Naka no Isshinkyō; The Old Testament and Philosophy: Monotheism in the Context of Contemporary Challenges), published by Iwanami Shoten in 2008. The English volume also includes a chapter on Old Testament Studies in Japan, which is based on a paper that the author presented to the Society for Old Testament Study in Japan in 2009.

Here are the aims and scope of the book, followed by the table of contents. Continue Reading…

Jean Ska’s Our Fathers Have Told Us: Introduction to the Analysis of Hebrew Narratives (Subsidia Biblica, 13) has appeared in Japanese translation from The Board of Publications, The United Church of Christ in Japan. The Japanese title is 聖書の物語論的読み方―新たな解釈へのアプローチ (Seisho no monogatari-ron-teki yomikata: Arata na kaishaku e no apurōchi; A Narratological Reading of the Bible: An Approach to New Interpretations).

The translators are Tsutomu Sakuma (Professor of Old Testament, Sophia University) and Yoshiaki Ishihara (graduate of Sophia University’s Faculty of Theology).

Here is a look at the contents of the English edition. Continue Reading…

The Biblical Exegesis Study Group (Seisho Shakugi Kenkyūkai = 聖書釈義研究会), an evangelical scholarly society based in Tokyo, has launched a new website at www.exegetica.jp.

The Biblical Exegesis Study Group website lists the contents of all issues of Exegetica: Studies in Biblical Exegesis,* the group’s Japanese-language journal of Old and New Testament exegesis. The site also provides English abstracts for most of the articles in all but the first two volumes (there are currently 23 volumes).

*The Japanese title of the journal is『EXEGETICA: 聖書釈義研究』(Exegetica: Seisho Shakugi Kenkyū).

Inquiries concerning current and past issues of Exegetica should be directed to:

Biblical Exegesis Study Group
c/o David Toshio Tsumura
2–9–3 Hanenishi
Hamura City, Tokyo 205–0017
Japan

The Society for Old Testament Study in Japan （日本旧約学会） published its 9th issue of Old Testament Studies (Kyūyaku-gaku Kenkyū) last month. This year’s issue includes 2 articles and 4 symposium addresses. All of the articles and talks are in Japanese, but, following the common practice in Japan, the journal includes an English table of contents.

Kyūyaku-gaku Kenkyū 9 (2012)

English Table of Contents of Old Testament Studies 9

Articles

Yuko Takahashi, “Josiah’s Reform and its Relationship to Psalms 72 and 80” (pages 1–14)

Randall Short, “Was David a Monotheist According to the Books of Samuel?” (pages 15–35) Continue Reading…