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ABSTRACT

Reading the Old Testament as Christian Scripture:

A Critical Assessment of The Canonical Approach of Christopher R. Seitz
by
Gregory E.T. Papazian
The Graduate Theological Studies Program, Conrad Grebel University College
2007

This study offers a critical assessment of Christopher Seitz’ canonical approach to reading the Old
Testament as Christian Scripture. Seitz’ canonical approach is interpreted as a focus on the theological
significance of the final form of the Old Testament, and the textual relationship between its plain sense
and that of the New Testament. Together these primary elements define Seitz’ approach the Old
Testament as Christian Scripture.

Chapter One explores the canonical approach through the themes of history and revelation in Seitz’ work.
This chapter focuses particularly on his critique of historical-critical approaches to the Old Testament,
Seitz’ reading of the Exodus narrative, and the implications of this reading for Seitz’ understanding of
God’s self-disclosure in light of Israel’s election.

Chapter Two explores the canonical approach through the themes of canon and unity in Seitz’ work.
Building on Seitz’ account of the Old Testament’s revelatory character, this chapter focuses particularly
on comprehending the unity of the canonical book of Isaiah as an illustration of the canonical approach to
the Old Testament overall.

Chapter Three explores the canonical approach through the themes of scripture and community in Seitz’
work. This chapter focuses particularly on his account of the Old Testament as Christian Scripture with
the New Testament, scripture in the early church, and the role of creeds and the rule of faith in the
church’s reading of Christian scripture today.

The interpretive categories of W. Randolph Tate function as an analytical tool in this study, exploring the
themes above through the world behind-the-text (historical focus), the world within-the-text
(literary/textual focus), and the world in-front-of-the-text (reader focus).