FIRE BY NIGHT: FINDING GOD IN THE PAGES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

April 9, 2018

Page after page, in stories and poems and prophecies, the Hebrew Scripture introduces us to a God who is unwieldy and uncontrollable, common and extraordinary, and who brings both life and death. The same passages that confuse and horrify and baffle us can, if we are paying attention, lure us closer toward God.

This is a bold exploration of Scripture by a persistent and learned reader. Florer-Bixler does not give up on what the Bible actually says, even when it frustrates her. Her essays are full of deep pastoral wisdom and exegetical insight, framed in sentences that are often surprising and beautiful. She is teaching us to read the Old Testament for our lives.

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Dr. Ellen F. Davis

Professor of Bible and Practical Theology
Duke Divinity School

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Fire by Night encapsulates Melissa Florer-Bixler’s delight of scripture, ancient literature, and God. By interweaving assiduous exegesis and personal storytelling, Florer-Bixler invites the reader into relationship with the text, with the voices and experiences of scholars and neighbors, with herself, and most importantly, with God. I found myself challenged as a theologian, inspired as a pastor, and in tears as a person of faith trying to make sense of it all. What makes Fire by Night such an important book is that it speaks to today’s issues without being prescriptive, but by beckoning each of us to take the risk of simply being God’s beloved.  

Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames

Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel, Princeton University

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Read this book for revelations of God, visions of God refracted through people and stories from the Old Testament and Melissa Florer-Bixler's life. These pages are full of grace and wonder--images of God's love for us and the world.

Pastor Isaac Villegas

Chapel Hill Mennonite Fellowship

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