Modern Genre Theory: An Introduction for Biblical Studies
Zondervan Academic
Published July 2024
Audible
Genre theory has experienced a renaissance in the last thirty years, but biblical studies has been left in the dark ages of rigid taxonomies and stubborn essentialism. The Bible deserves better. This book offers students in biblical studies an accessible but comprehensive introduction to modern genre theory, providing access to literary tools for understanding how writers and readers use genre to make meaning. In one convenient package, this book first describes the current state of biblical genre theory, what form criticism is, and why it needs to die. It then presents a better alternative based on. the best developments in secular literary theory, linguistics, and rhetorical studies.
Drawing on modern genre theory, I propose a working definition of genre for biblical studies as relatively stable conventions that writers and readers use to make meaning in certain contexts but not others. He identifies twelve tenets of modern genre theory that follow from seeing genres in their historical and social context.
The Bible, with its gloriously rich diversity of ancient genres, demands this kind of flexible and historically aware approach to genre. I then offer eight case studies in biblical exegesis to show how a better understanding of genre leads to a better understanding of the Bible. Different conceptions of narrative, poetry, gospel, epistle, wisdom and apocalyptic texts lead to vastly different readings. Our disagreements about what the Bible means often boil down to different assumptions about what the biblical text is. From the creation accounts of Genesis to the visions of Revelation, it is important to get a handle on genre.
Kind endorsements
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“Andrew Judd’s exposition of contemporary genre theory is at once a lucid summary of the state of the art and an illuminating intervention in the field of biblical studies.”
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"It would be easy to simply enjoy this book, for its accessibility and wit – finely groomed as it is to cajole a biblical studies audience towards a modern appreciation of genre. But this would belie the gravity of its scholarship and the wide-ranging readership it more than deserves. I can’t think of a better introduction to genre for students and researchers embarking on text-based research.
This witty accessible introduction to genre is a delight to read. Although addressed to scholars in biblical studies, it richly deserves a wider readership – who can draw on its scholarship and appreciate its pedagogic finesse. I can’t think of a better guide to modern approaches to genre."
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“Reading this book is like being in the room with the best kind of teacher: learned but not stuffy, someone who know the scholarly territory and its pitfalls and has a sure instinct for the right kind of question to ask of a biblical text. Andrew Judd’s book should be heavily used; it makes biblical studies as interesting, fun, and intellectually freeing as it should be.”
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“This is a lively, engaging, and sometimes provocative review of modern genre theory and its relevance for biblical studies.”
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“In this remarkable and eye-opening book, Andrew Judd is both learned and accessible, scholarly and popular. Any and every student of the Bible should read it, as they will understand the whole Bible better as a result.”
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“How human language works, particularly in its written form, is a concern that Bible readers cannot ignore. The analysis of the various genres of biblical literature is part and parcel of reading and understanding the Bible. Andrew Judd has done us a great service by identifying the issues that face us in dealing with biblical texts. Writing in engagingly accessible prose, he unravels some of the major genres and carefully lays out the ways and means that ordinary Christians can use to distinguish the various ways biblical texts convey God’s word to us in our own time.”
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“The question of genre is a recurring and nagging problem of textual interpretation. Andrew Judd addresses the major issues head on and provides a summary of the major theories, as well as an explication of major examples. One of the bonuses of the book is a clear introduction to some important recent theorizing about genre from a linguistic standpoint that appreciates situational context. This book should prove insightful and helpful for those desiring a timely introduction to the important field of genre studies.”
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“A robust genre theory has been woefully neglected in biblical studies. So argues Andrew Judd in Modern Genre Theory. I agree and heartily commend his book to all scholars and students of the Bible. But don’t be misdirected by its title. While the book does indeed address genre theory, it introduces theory in so captivating a way that you’ll hardly recognize the genre. Judd deftly weaves theory—drawn from linguistic and rhetorical domains—with a multitude of illustrations, analogies, and practical applications to biblical genres. Judd’s witty register, often humorous examples, and clear prose make this an enjoyable, as well as an essential, read for biblical hermeneutics.”
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“Forget what you think you know about biblical studies and genre! Dr. Andrew Judd shows us that genre theory is way more complicated than people think and yet he explains concisely and clearly how genres work, how they apply in biblical studies, and why we really need to know about literary genres if we want to understand Genesis 1 or Revelation 22. An outstanding book and a must-read for anyone who wants to know how to understand the Bible in its diverse literary expressions.”
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“Like toddlers, we interpreters have been babbling about genre for some time, but Andrew Judd has given us a book that will help us mature. This will soon be the go-to book for students and scholars on genre theory and its import for biblical studies. Engaging, informative, and accessible—highly recommended!”
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"This book is as fun to read as it is precise. Too many still work from outdated theories on genre. Judd’s book helpfully moves the conversation forward by introducing the insights gained from modern genre theory. He does so in a way that is not reactive but measured; he not only speaks of theory but applies theory to specific texts. I have now found my new favorite book on genre and will encourage all who study the Bible to read it and learn from it."
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"Andrew Judd has written a profoundly helpful introduction on Modern Genre Theory that will be a resource to both scholars and those just beginning their engagement with scripture. With witty prose and scholarly rigour, Judd offers an insightful critique of how the field of biblical studies has disastrously misunderstood how genre works. The book offers a constructive way forward by pairing discussions on theory with engaging examples from biblical literature. Easily the best and most fun book on literary theory you will ever read."
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“Genre is at the heart of reading and reading is at the heart of knowing and understanding the Scriptures. If you don’t have a handle on genre, good luck with reading the Bible well. Andrew Judd’s Modern Genre Theory is therefore a gift to students, professors, and, well, anyone who wants to read the Bible well. With a mix of flair, humour, scholarship, and immense clarity, this book is the most helpful introduction to genre theory for readers of the Bible. It is a great exemplar of its genre!”
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“Modern Genre Theory is not a dry or stuffy book about genre. Andy Judd writes with such a delightfully friendly tone, making this very informative book not only filled with clarity and insight, but also wit and humor. I highly recommend this book, which you could expect from the genre of book endorsement, but I truly mean it because I derived so much enjoyment from learning more about genre!”
