Theology's longest tradition is as a course of study that leads to wisdom. With the growth of the academy, however, theology fell into a fixation with the objective results of science. In this illuminating study, Daniel Treier retrieves the older, deeper understanding of theology and connects wisdom in theological education to the theological interpretation of scripture, giving rise to a renewed understanding of the role of virtue in each. Dialoguing with a number of prominent proponents of theological interpretation of scripture, Treier builds on a biblical theology of wisdom that involves the daily lives of all God's people. Ultimately, Treier connects educational discussions of theology and hermeneutical discussions through a trinitarian understanding of wisdom. As a result, the increasingly diverse forms and social locations of theology can be integrated into the mainstream of theological reflection. Filled with interdisciplinary wisdom, "Virtue and the Voice of God" is a timely recovery of the essential conversation between theological education, virtue, and scriptural interpretation.
Daniel J Treier is Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College, Illinois, USA. A contributor to the recent Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, he has also co-edited two books with Mark Husbands.
Ellen T. Charry -- Princeton Theological Seminary "This book is an excellent addition to the retrieval of theology as wisdom that shifts interest from propositions to people while continuing to belong in the modern university. It breaks new ground with a critical analysis of divine communicative action that enables Christians to speak publicly of the paideia of God by interpreting scripture and doctrine practically. Here is a fine young theologian on the move." David Lyle Jeffrey -- Baylor University "That theology as an intellectual discipline has been in protracted crisis few doubt; that it is insufficiently connected to the life of the wider church in the West is a scandal to some and, it must be admitted, a source of gratification to others. But in order to return theology to its primary task of providing the means of a vital pedagogy concerning the knowledge of God, we need a review of the map to see where we went wrong, then a coherent proposal for finding our way back. Daniel Treier provides in this closely reasoned work both a reliable map and an intriguing proposal. Every student of theology, formal or informal, will be enriched by his work." Kevin Vanhoozer -- Trinity Evangelical Divinity School "Virtue and the Voice of God invites exegetes, pastors, theologians, and educators to come and reason together about how to read the Bible in ways that foster wisdom and godliness. Treier practices the virtues he preaches: he listens attentively to diverse voices that weigh in on the nature of theology, theological education, and the interpretation of Scripture, then patiently weaves their valid insights together, repairing the fabric of theology in the process. The result is a template for a theological coat of many disciplinary colors, an important and much-needed pattern for sound doctrine."
