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"Destined to become a classic"
"Think of being able to walk through the web of themes that make up the whole Bible and have them make sense as a coherent whole.
God's Relational Presence is a great step in that direction. It introduces you to all the sections of Scripture and to the synthetic discussions of what links them all together. I enthusiastically recommend this book."
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Darrell L. Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary
"Duvall and Hays make a clear and convincing case that the relational presence of God is indeed the central theme of biblical theology. The book is full of those 'Well, of course!' and 'Why didn't I think of that?' moments. With such a simple yet profound thesis, so well-written and comprehensively executed, this volume is destined to become a classic."
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Mark L. Strauss, Bethel Seminary
"Duvall and Hays make a compelling argument that the relational presence of God is the 'cohesive center' that ties all the major biblical-theological themes together in the great redemptive story. This resource will well serve faithful teachers of the Word of God."
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Daniel L. Akin, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
"What a wonderful gift to the church! This is great teamwork by an Old Testament and a New Testament scholar. I had a hard time putting this book down. Exegetically sound and comprehensive in research, this book becomes essential reading for biblical theology!"
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Stephen G. Dempster, Crandall University
"Our Bible is actually a library of over sixty books. Christians have even disagreed over the exact number and names of these various books. So, other than a leather binding, why do we think this collection of books is really one book? Duvall and Hays make the case that these books are one book because they are one story, the story of the Creator showing up in the midst of his creation, of God pursuing a relationship with his people."
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E. Randolph Richards, Palm Beach Atlantic University
"From creation to new creation, God's relational presence stands as a cohesive center for the whole Bible. With care and clarity, Duvall and Hays trace this through the canon, demonstrating both its prevalence and its relevance for understanding how the Bible fits together. This will be essential reading for all courses on biblical theology."
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David G. Firth, Trinity College Bristol and University of the Free State
About the author
J. Scott Duvall (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament and J. C. and Mae Fuller Chair of Biblical Studies at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author or coauthor of many articles and books, including
The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook and
Revelation in the Teach the Text Commentary Series.
Summary
Two leading biblical scholars explain that relational presence is central to the grand narrative of the Bible, showing that the thread running from Genesis to Revelation is God's desire to be with his people.
