The Ten Commandments: The Reciprocity of Faithfulness.

The Ten Commandments: The Reciprocity of Faithfulness. Edited by William P. Brown. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2004. 349 pages. Paper. $34.95.

The Ten Commandments have become a lightning rod in U.S. society and surely deserve better coverage than Court TV or cable sound bites can offer. This collection provides a rich blend of historical study, contemporary reflection, and research on the commandments.

The book is divided into three sections. Following a thoughtful introduction by Brown and a first chapter by Patrick Miller, the first section treats the "history of interpretation" and includes short historical essays by figures including Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin as well as by contemporary theologians such as George Lindbeck. The second section includes three reflections on the Decalogue in relationship to contemporary society, treating the law "as gift," examining the relationship between biblical law and the origins of democracy, and asking whether the Ten Commandments should be mounted in the public realm (No, says ethicist Nancy Duff). The final section is perhaps the most valuable, because it treats the commandments one by one. Again, there are some selections that have been published previously, including a chapter by Heschel as well as essays by the likes of Walter Brueggemann, John Barton, and Gary Simpson. This section in particular lends itself to educational or sermon series. An appendix addresses the different numberings of the commandments.

This book nicely blends the needs for biblical study, historical and confessional catechesis, and social reflection. The commandments remain strikingly simple and yet maintain a rich depth. We cannot forget them even if we will often disagree on how best to remember them.

Jonathan A. Seitz

Princeton Theological Seminary/Taiwan Theological College & Seminary