The Glory of YHWH and Nature References in the Book of Isaiah

Description

Though explicit statements on Yhwh as Creator concentrate in the second part of the book of Isaiah, references to nature and extensive use of nature metaphors are characteristic of the book as a whole. In the temple vision of Isaiah 6, the seraphs proclaim that the fullness of the earth is the glory of the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:3b), thereby modifying a probably well-known liturgical formula. In my view, this fullness should be understood as concretely as possible, as referring to mountains, rivers, trees, and living beings, humans and animals alike. By relating this fullness to the glory of Yhwh, leaving no room for other deities, the seraphs claim nature alongside history as the domain of Yhwh. Taking their proclamation as a lead, this paper explores in what sense references to nature in the book of Isaiah indicate an implicit creation theology and how this might or might not contribute to understanding the book of Isaiah as a theological unity.

Period	6 Aug 2024
Event title	Colloquium Biblique Lovaniense: In Search of the Unity of the Book of Isaiah
Event type	Conference
Location	Leuven, BelgiumShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International