A Survey of Old Testament Introduction

Rating:
Summary: Passionate scholarship
Review: An Old Testament PhD student recommended Archer as a good, general, upper college level introduction for me. I go to liberal arts school where all the students kiss the ground that Wellhausen walked on. For them to even think of refuting The Documentary Hypothesis is to blaspheme Christ. Therefore, I trembled for joy when I bought Archer. Having been indoctrinated by the critical theories I was overjoyed when I saw someone apply sensible scholarship to a holy love for God.

Archer's set up is odd, to be honest with you. Unlike Dillard & Longman (Bibliography/Genre/Authorship/Background/theology/Approach to New Testament)Archer approaches the individual books quite differently. He is more into archeology breakthroughs, names of certain kings, "problem texts". My one flaw with the book is that he did not develop theological themes enough.
However, the First and last sections of the book are well worth the price. Archer aims his cannons and unbelieving critical theories and blows them out of the water. First he estavlishes the presuppositions of criticl scholars. If you do not believe that God is able to reveal Himself (or exists, for that matter) then naturally you will doubt the supernatural inspriation of the sacred text. In this section the most exciting part is the refutation of the Documentary Hypothesis. In the last part he examines the work of three prominent Old Testament scholars--Von Rad, Childs, and Noth. He is fair--analyzing them by their presuppositions--and then states his.
I would highly recommend this book but also read it alongside another good introduction.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best introduction to the Old Testament but
Review: Gleason Leonard Archer's Introduction to the OT is well done and will satisfy the Scholar and the informed lay person showing depth of research but already good readability. This work is definitively evangelical and conservative. I personally prefer it to K. A Harrison's which I find too liberal on some topic to my taste. The organization of the book facilitates research work as well as casual reading. However I did not give 5 starts to this book because for a conservative Archer dismissed too easily the 24-hours day view of Genesis 1(see page 201-203) and surprisingly did not spend much time arguing for his day-age view. It was disappointed to see Archer too eager to conform his exegesis of Genesis 1 to available scientific data in general and geology in particular. Consequently, Archer fails to recognize that creation will never fit the "materialistic view" of science and that his exegesis of Genesis 1 is more influenced by "reader-response" and "science" than it is a result of inductive Bible study. Anyways aside of this "lapse" in judgment Archer's work is a must have and is the best OT Introduction I have seen so far!

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding O.T. Survey Book
Review: Years ago a friend of mine recommended that I purchase Dr. Archer's A Survey of Old Testament introduction. I have not regreted the day I purchased it. This book is quite unique simply because Dr. Archer does not succumb to the critical, liberal views that are so rampant in todays "Christian"literature. This book is for the serious student who desires to know his O.T. divorced from the clutches of wolves in sheeps clothing.