| Brevard Childs | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 September, 1923[1] Columbia, South Carolina |
| Died | June 23, 2007[1] New Haven, Connecticut[2] |
| Notable ideas | Canonical criticism |
| Spouse | Ann Childs |
| Influences | Karl Barth[2] Hermann Gunkel[3] |
Brevard Springs Childs (September 2, 1923 - June 23, 2007) was Professor of Old Testament at Yale University from 1958 until 1999 (and Sterling Professor after 1992), and one of the most influential biblical scholars of the 20th century.
Childs is particularly noted for pioneering canonical criticism, a way of interpreting the Bible that focuses on the text of the biblical canon itself as a finished product. In fact, Childs disliked the term, believing his work to represent an entirely new departure, replacing the entire historical-critical method.[4] Childs set out his canonical approach in his Biblical Theology in Crisis (1970) and applied it in Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (1979). This latter book has been described as "one of the most discussed books of the 1980s".[5]
Christopher Seitz argues that
Professor Childs single-handedly effected major and sustained changes in the conceptual framework of modern biblical studies through appeal to the canonical presentation of biblical books and the theological implications of attending to their final form.[6]
Seitz has also noted that "there is a small cottage industry in evaluating the contribution of Brevard Childs."[7]