Joshua and Judges as (Difficult) Christian Scripture: Hermeneutical Reflections

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Paul Béré: “Joshua in Christian Hermeneutics: Wrestling with a Difficult Book”
29:30 David Beldman: “Reading Judges as Christian Scripture: Hermeneutics for a Troubling Book”
53:13 Q&A

The Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar continues its multiyear project exploring difficult texts as Christian Scripture. The focus for 2026 is Joshua and Judges, and there will be three online events focused on these books before the in-person event at IBR/SBL in Denver.

This first event focuses on hermeneutical considerations and features presentations from Fr. Paul Béré, SJ, and Dr Dave Beldman.

Paul Béré, S.J.: “Joshua in Christian Hermeneutics: Wrestling with a Difficult Book”

Paul Béré, S.J. is a Jesuit priest from Burkina Faso and a scholar of the Old Testament. He is Dean at the Pontifical Biblical Institute of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. His research focuses on the exegesis of the Hebrew Bible and hermeneutics, with particular attention to Aural Criticism, a methodological approach that explores how written texts function within oral contexts. He is the editor of the forthcoming conference volume The Bible and Its Worlds (Analecta Biblica series).

David Beldman: “Reading Judges as Christian Scripture: Hermeneutics for a Troubling Book”

David Beldman is an Old Testament scholar and theological educator. Until recently, he served as Academic Dean and Professor of Old Testament at Missional Training Centre in Phoenix, Arizona, and is a Scholar in Residence with the Surge Network. He earned his PhD in Old Testament Studies from the University of Bristol, where his research focused on the book of Judges. He is the author of several books and articles spanning academic and church contexts. His forthcoming book, Reading the Pentateuch as Christian Scripture (with Michael Rhodes), will be published by Baker Academic later this year.

Music is an edit of Come Back Down by Joseph Sacco (via Free Music Archive) and is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International License.