Brevard Childs 1923-2007

Brevard Childs died on Saturday at the age of 83. I was introduced to the work of Childs while doing theological training in Iowa from 1988-1992. Funny, I never read him while at Asbury -- although perhaps some professors use his work.

Childs is known for his canonical approach to scripture. He read the scripture in its final canonical form in a manner that enabled him to bypass the dissective results of higher criticism and synthesize the theology that emerged from the biblical text(s). He was at Yale after all.

His books are erudite and accessible. I regularly use my Old Testament Theology in a Canonical Context while prepping for sermons. Buy his books -- I am sure many if not most of the current younger scholars look to him as a formative influence.

R.I.P.