Review of:

Louis C. Jonker & Douglas G. Lawrie (eds.), Fishing for Jonah (anew): Various approaches to Biblical interpretation. Stellenbosch: Sun Press, 2005 (Study Guides in Religion and Theology; 7. Publications of the University of the Western Cape). i + 265 pp. ISBN: 1-919980-60-1. R 140.00.

In 1992, the South-African scholars Louis C. Jonker, and Douglas G. Lawrie (together with R.A. Arendse and E.M. Conradie) published Fishing for Jonah: Various approaches to Biblical interpretation(Bellville: University of the Western Cape). Now, thirteen years later, Jonker and Lawrie are editors of Fishing for Jonah (anew), which contains a number of new chapters and expanded versions of chapters compared to what appeared in the book from 1992. The reader should also be aware that various parts of the previous book, Fishing for Jonah (1992) have been further dealt with in Angling for interpretation (Conradie & Jonker, 2001), and others will be further dealt with in Hooked on hermeneutics (Conradie & Smit, in preparation).

Fishing for Jonah (anew) presents and evaluates a wide range of approaches or "methods" in biblical interpretation, making use of the book of Jonah for illustrations. Altogether, seven scholars contribute in the book. Throughout the eight chapters of the book, the reader is guided all along the history of biblical exegetical approaches. The editors of Fishing for Jonah (anew) have categorised the various methodological approaches in biblical studies in the following way: Methods focusing on the production of texts (chapter 4), others focusing on the texts themselves (chapter 5), others focusing on the reception of texts (chapter 6), and others focusing on unconscious psychic and ideological factors (chapter 7). A few practical exercises are included at the end of the book, before an extended bibliography is provided.

In every chapter, several approaches belonging to each category are presented. To each presentation, the approach is exemplified on the book of Jonah, and is then given a critical evaluation. This procedure is followed throughout the book, by all contributors. The various approaches presented and evaluated illustrate in what way each method can contribute to biblical interpretation. By letting each approach show its strengths and weaknesses, this book does not force the reader to choose one approach to the exclusion of others. The last chapter of the book discusses where this situation of methodological plurality leaves the modern interpreter, and indicates a multidimensional interpretation as a promising road to follow. It is argued that such an approach helps the interpreter to avoid exclusivistic claims on the one hand, and the attempt to construct a scheme that pretends to cover the whole field, on the other hand (p. 236). The editors of Fishing for Jonah (anew) are aware that the list of various exegetical approaches dealt with in this book is incomplete. However, the comprehensive presentation and evaluation of each methodological approach discussed, makes Fishing for Jonah (anew) important for anyone (student or scholar) who wants to be conscious about the complex process of interpretation, and to reflect critically upon her/his own methodological stance(s).

Reviewed 2006-05-19 by Marta Høyland Lavik, School of Mission and Theology, Misjonsveien 34, N-4024 Stavanger, Norway. E-mail: marta.hoyland.lavik@mhs.no