Clothed in the Word

Explore the Enscripturation of Christian Identity Across History

Every time we read the Bible, it invites us to find ourselves within its pages. When we do so, we do more than interpret Scripture—Scripture interprets us. And it interprets us by naming us as we stand before the crucified and risen Lord.

In Clothed in the Word, David Ney combines historical analysis and biblical hermeneutics to explore the ways in which Christians throughout church history have found themselves embodied or "enscripturated" in the stories of the Bible.

Through meticulous examination of pivotal biblical figures, this scholarly work reveals how people of faith across centuries have applied scriptural names and identities to themselves and their communities. Extending beyond individual identification, this practice creates a participatory experience that encompasses entire faith communities and speaks to their standing before God and in Christ.

As the text of Scripture and the reader interact with one another, many Christians throughout history have identified with the experiences of biblical figures, clothing themselves with their names and roles as a way of understanding and living out their faith.

Clothed in the Word explores numerous examples like these from throughout Christian history:

In the New Testament, John the Baptist is identified with Elijah the prophet. In ancient Christianity, believers often portrayed themselves as Paul the athlete who endured to the end, as they, too, persevered under trial. In the Middle Ages, Hildegard of Bingen saw herself as the Blessed Virgin Mary, not merely identifying with her but literally living out her life as a consecrated virgin. During the Reformation, several figures viewed themselves as Abel, appealing to God on behalf of their enemies, whom they identified as Cain. In recent years, Harriet Tubman famously understood herself to be a Moses figure commissioned by God to lead her people to a Promised Land.

Perfect for church history courses, seminary education, and advanced undergraduate religious studies, this work offers professors, students, and interested lay readers perceptive insights on how Scripture continues to shape Christian identity across time and culture.

Through this study of how the saints of history have enscripturated the saints of Scripture, Ney invites us to interpret our own lives in light of the stories of Scripture, thus clothing ourselves in the garments of the Word and discovering anew that the Bible is the Book of Life.