From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth

Munther Isaac’s From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth represents a new and significant work in biblical theology . . . This work is not only a significant contribution to biblical scholarship, its contemporary relevance makes it a must buy for students of the Bible and theology alike.

Dr Thomas Harvey
Academic Dean, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies

This is an extraordinary book. It does not fall into the trap of playing Christian universality against Israel’s particularity in view of the “Holy Land.” It sees the unity of the Bible as a whole in regaining the universal scope of God’s particular covenant with Israel to establish justice on earth. . .

Dr Ulrich Duchrow
Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Heidelberg

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
1. A Biblical Theology of the Land
3. Chapter 1
1. The Theology of the Land in the Garden of Eden
1. Introduction
2. 1. Eden as a Sanctuary
3. 2. Torah and Covenant in Eden
4. 3. Eden as a Kingdom
5. 4. Eden and Biblical Theology
6. 5. Conclusion: The Theology of Land in Eden
4. Chapter 2
1. The Land of Holiness
1. Introduction
2. 1. Holy God, Holy People, Holy Land
3. 2. Sanctuaries
4. 3. Conclusions
5. Chapter 3
1. The Covenanted Land
1. Introduction
2. 1. Covenants in the Old Testament: Two Main Types
3. 2. Land and Covenant
4. 3. Land as a Mandate
5. 4. Stipulations of Keeping the Covenant – Ethics in the Land
6. 5. Conclusions
6. Chapter 4
1. Kingship, Vicegerency and Universal Dominion
1. Introduction
2. 1. Abraham as a Royal Figure
3. 2. The Royal Status of Israel
4. 3. The Theology of Kingship in Israel
5. 4. The Failure of the Monarchy
6. 5. Universal Dominion
7. 6. Conclusion
7. Chapter 5
1. The Land in the New History
1. Introduction
2. 1. From Crisis to New History
3. 2. Eschatological Holiness in the Land’s New History
4. 3. New Covenant in the Land’s New History
5. 4. The Royal Vicegerent in the Land’s New History
6. 5. Conclusion
8. Chapter 6
1. The Theology of the Land in the Old Testament
1. Introduction
2. 1. The Land as Eden Regained
3. 2. The Land and Old Testament Biblical Theology
4. 3. The Land and Old Testament Theology – Concluding Remarks
2. First Century Jewish Theology of the Land
9. Chapter 7
1. The Jesus-Event and the Land
1. Introduction
2. 1. The Study of the Land in the NT
3. 2. The Jesus-Event as a Hermeneutical Key
4. 3. The Jesus-Event Aftershocks
5. 4. Conclusion
10. Chapter 8
1. Jesus and Holy Space
1. Introduction
2. 1. Background: The Temple in the Time of Jesus
3. 2. The Embodiment of God’s Presence, and the Nullification of Holy Place
4. 3. The Church as Holy Space
5. 4. Universal Holiness
6. 5. The Demand for Ethical Holiness
7. 6. Conclusion – The Arrival of the Eschatological Temple
11. Chapter 9
1. Jesus and the Covenanted Land
1. Introduction
2. 1. Background: Covenanted Nomism
3. 2. Israel and the Land Redefined
4. 3. The Covenanted People Redefined
5. 4. The Inheritance as a Mandate
6. 5. The Nullification of the Old Covenant
7. 6. Conclusion – The Church as the Eschatological Covenant Community
12. Chapter 10
1. Jesus and the Kingdom of God on Earth
1. Introduction
2. 1. Background: Expectation of Restoration in Jesus’ Time
3. 2. The Jesus-Event and the Reign of God on Earth
4. 3. The Kingdom and the Viceregency of Jesus in the Epistles
5. 4. The Mission of the Church and Universal Dominion
6. 5. A Future Israelite Kingdom?
7. 6. Conclusions – The Land and the Kingdom
13. Chapter 11
1. The Land as Eden Restored
1. Introduction
2. 1. Echoes of Eden in the Jesus-Event
3. 2. Eden in the NT
4. 3. The NT and the Restoration of Creation
5. 4. Conclusion: A Better Place
14. Chapter 12
1. Conclusions: Towards a Missional Theology of the Land
1. Introduction
2. 1. The Land and Biblical Theology: A Paradigm
3. 2. A Christ-Centered Theology of the Land
4. 3. From Land to Lands: A Missional Theology of the Land
15. Epilogue
1. 1. The Promised Land Today
2. 2. Religion, Christian Theology, and the Palestinian Israeli Conflict
3. 3. A Palestinian Christian Response: Towards a Shared Land Theology
16. Bibliography