Isaiah, the Resounding Images

Isaiah has fascinated readers for thousands of years but it can also be a frustratingly confusing book for group study. This series of studies focuses on the powerful imagery found in Isaiah, gathering twelve particular themes into guided study sessions. This is an appropriate approach to the poetry and songs of Isaiah and creates a series which would be very valuable for group study. The themes are especially rich for the advent through lent period of the Christian year. Marcus J. Borg has called for more historical-metaphorical studies of the Bible in his "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time." MacKeown goes one step further in her studies to consider not only the historical background of Isaiah but also the historical growth of metaphors used through the development of the entire Bible. This gives not only a strong sense of context, but also provides a detailed way to consider the Bible as a unified whole. In an age which seems to belittle imagery as 'only metaphor' as opposed to fact, MacKeown explores the rich way that metaphor can 'grow' ideas in our imaginations to use what is known to reach for the unknowable. She has attached her deep respect for this language tool to her explorations of the Bible to utilize thinking skills beyond the usual analysis for her studies. Comparison, associative thinking and synthesis are stronger approaches for the consideration of Isaiah and they have been used to good advantage here. Most importantly, MacKeown appreciates the way these metaphors can grow into our very lives and continue the synthesis in each and every reader.