Why?... How Long? Studies on Voice(s) of Lamentation Rooted in Biblical Hebrew Poetry

This volume is born out of two years of academic presentations on laments in the Biblical Hebrew Poetry Section at the Society of Biblical Literature (2006-2007). The topics of these papers are gathered around the theme of "voice." The two parts to this volume: 1) provide fresh readings of familiar texts as they are read through the lens of lamentation, and 2) deepen our understanding of Israel and God as lamenter and lamentee. In the second section the focus on topics such as Israel's "unbelieving faith" (i.e., strong accusations against the God on whom they have complete reliance and trust), the unrighteous lamenter, and God's acceptance and rejection of the people's

Carol J. Dempsey, OP, is Professor of Theology (Biblical Studies/Old Testament) at the University of Portland, USA.

LeAnn Snow Flesher is an ordained minister with the American Baptist Churches, USA, and Professor of Old Testament and Academic Dean at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, USA.

Mark J. Boda is Professor of Old Testament at McMaster Divinity College, Canada.

Table of ContentsPreface LeAnn Snow Flesher and Carol J. DempseyAbbreviationsList of ContributorsPart IHearing Voices of Lamentation in New Ways: New Readings of Familiar TextsHear this Word that I Take up over You in Lamentation (Amos 5:1): Lamentation theme in the Book of AmosJason Radine, University of Michigan-Ann ArborA Poet's Cry of the Heart in the midst of Tragic Vision Carol J. Dempsey, University of Portland, ORA Critique against the Lord?: Reading Psalm 80 in the Context of Vindication Hee Suk Kim, Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolA Study of the References to BaT'-'ammi in Jer 8:18-23: A Gendered Lamentation Ahida E. Pilarski, Saint Anselm CollegePrayers of Lamentation in the proto- and Apocalyptic Literature of the Hebrew Bible LeAnn Snow Flesher, American Baptist Seminary of the West/Graduate Theological UnionPart IIHearing Traditional Theological and Prosodic Interpretations in New Ways:New Levels of Comprehension"Uttering Patient Rather than Worthless Words:" Divine Patience and Impatience with Lament in the Prophetic Corpus Mark J. Boda, McMaster UniversityMy God . . . Why?: Criticizing the Actions and Inactions of God in the Psalms Andrew Davies, Mattersey HallCan the Unrighteous Lament? Lament Speech and the Process of Reconciliation Elna K. Solvang, Concordia College, Moorhead, MNThe Lament Psalm as a Model for Theology William H. Bellinger, Baylor UniversityHow She Sits Alone: The Poetic Beauty of Grief in Lamentations Victoria Hoffer, Yale UniversityAfterwordBibliographyIndex of ReferencesIndex of AuthorsIndex of Subjects