Recent developments in Old Testament literary criticism

Abstract

The object of this paper is to trace out the main developments in Old Testament studies comparing the positions now held by Catholic scholars with those held by scholars of the last generation. But fray years is too vast a period to be covered in the short space of a paper. So I limit myself to the last ten years. The period may seem to be rather short; moreover, biblical studies and publications were seriously hampered during the dreadful years of the war, and out of this reduced literary output some have not been accessible to me. Yet, in spite of all these limitations I hope to be able to show you the progress that has been achieved, and the way in which Catholic interpreters have responded to the direction" given by Pope Pius XII in the Encyclical Divino afflante Spiritu.