‘The Epic of Eden: a Christian Entry into the Old Testament’ by Sandra L. Richter

‘The Epic of Eden: a Christian Entry into the Old Testament’, by Sandra L. Richter.  Published by  IVP Academic, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois.  First published in 2008.  ISBN 978-0-8308-2577-6. 263 pages.

This book is quite simply, brilliant.  Dr Richter guides the reader clearly, lucidly, and with insight through the Old Testament story.  This is the book that I recommend to anyone who needs someone to take them by the hand and lead them through the often unfamiliar culture, geography, history and characters of the Old Testament. There’s much here to enrich the understanding of beginner and seasoned Bible student alike.

The author unlocks ancient Biblical culture for us, and guides us through to the beating heart of the Old Testament – the ideas of redemption and covenant.   She unfolds the Bible story through Noah, Abraham, Moses and the Tabernacle, David and the monarchy and the promise of the new covenant and Jesus’s coming.  And we see the Old Testament story in the context of the whole Biblical drama – from the Garden of Eden to New Jerusalem.

View the publisher’s description page HERE.  And you can download the ten audio files of her series of lectures on the Epic of Eden, plus the series outlines, HERE (audio recordings of sessions 1 through 10 are successively numbered 169, 168, 166, 165, 163, 162, 159, 157, 155 and 152). 

Dr Sandra L. Richter is currently Professor of Old Testament at Wesley Biblical Seminary.  She regularly speaks and lectures in church, para-church, and university settings.