THE FAITH OF THE OUTSIDER: Exclusion and Inclusion in the Biblical Story

By most appearances, the Bible tells the story of insiders. Both the Old Testament and New Testament recount the tales of a group of specially favored people elected by God to receive providential blessings if they will follow God's teachings. Yet as Spina points out in what is unfortunately a pedantic and unconvincing book, the Bible also includes the stories of outsiders who teach this community of insiders about faith in God. Not all of the outsiders he discusses are foreigners, for Esau, Tamar (by marriage) and Achan are insiders whose acts bestow outsider status upon them, but whose stories teach insiders valuable lessons about God's work in the world. Ruth, Rahab (the Canaanite prostitute who helped Joshua conquer Jericho) and the woman at the well in the Gospel of John are true outsiders—that is, not Israelites—who provide lessons in faith. For example, Rahab offers a model of trust in God that can teach insiders about God's all-embracing love. Despite the book's excellent premise, Spina's superficial reflections offer few interesting insights, and he fails to provide any clear arguments about why and how the outsiders have an impact on the insiders. (Mar.)