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What do ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ really mean in the Bible? Biblical purity categories are often misconstrued either in hygienic terms or as a straightforward synonym for sin.
Geoffrey Harper’s stimulating study adopts a canonical approach to explore the causes, objects, implications and remedies for ritual and moral uncleanness throughout the Scriptures in order to construct a biblical theology of cleansing and defilement.
Careful consideration of the biblical texts suggests the language of ‘unclean’ is most frequently used to demarcate a state of being of people or objects rendered unfit or ‘out of place’ (and requiring separation or removal) with respect to God’s presence.
Harper teases out the implications for Christian theology and mission. This will help you gain a more rounded appreciation of what Christ has achieved for his people. You will also be better equipped to explain the gospel in a winsome way to those whose felt needs often orbit around issues of ritual and/or moral defilement.
Lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew at Sydney Missionary and Bible College, Australia. Author of ‘I Will Walk Among You’ (Eisenbrauns), co-editor of Finding Lost Words: The Church’s Right to Lament (Wipf & Stock).
