Living the Mystery: Collected Essays

In this volume a selection of essays written over some twenty years is reprinted. An introduction has been added, showing that their common theme is the divine mystery in human life, which was moving towards self-revelation long before the time of Christ, and which was appropriated by the worshipping community in its response to faithfulness.

The first three essays are specifically on Old Testament Theology and illustrate the early development of Profressor Porteous' thought. Then follow two essays on the ethical views of the prophets and two studies, 'Royal Wisdom' and 'Jerusalem-Zion', of important concepts which underwent interesting transformation during the history of Israel and the emergence of Christianity. The continuity and actualisation of Israel's faith is the subject of the next two essays, and 'The Care of the Poor in the Old Testament' is reprinted from a volume of essays presented to Karl Barth on his eightieth birthday.

Finally, 'The Relevance of the Old Testament as the Rule of Life' seeks to relate present-day Christian living to the life of faith exhibited in the Old Testament, while the concluding lecture 'Theology in Church and Universtiy', deals with a contemporary problem in a way consistent with the general theme of the book.