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How does the Old Testament view humans as creators? Elaine T. James, MDiv ’07, ThM ’08, PhD ’13, explores this fundamental question in her upcoming book, The Bible and the Arts of Making: Materials, Ecology and Aesthetics in the Hebrew Bible, set to be published by Oxford University Press this November.
Her latest contribution to her growing scholarship in Hebrew Bible literature, James uses six studies from the Old Testament to examine how humans used the physical world around them to create items for aesthetic reasons and the ecological implications of those actions. Her inquiry into these ancient texts stems from modern concerns.
“We’re living in a time of ecological crisis. That crisis is only starting to unfold. And it is a crisis that humans have made,” said James. “While we have many theologies of creation that focus on God making the world, the Anthropocene forces us to ask what humans are making of the world.”
In her research, James uncovered both pessimistic and optimistic views of human making, from the construction of the Tower of Babel, to the creation of the tabernacle, to reflections on aspects of daily life: making music, food, textiles, and more. Many texts give a lot of attention to physical materials used in creative practices and to the actual process of creating.
“In the Hebrew Bible, acts of making are ecological and material and aesthetic,” James said. “Those three dimensions weave through all of these stories and poems. These texts help us think not just about finished objects, but about what it means to be makers, and how central making is to meaningful human experience.”
While we have many theologies of creation that focus on God making the world, the Anthropocene forces us to ask what humans are making of the world.
For James, there are lessons to be learned from the ancient world.
“Today, as people are watching their physical work disappear, and traditional ways of engaging with the world are being eaten up by artificial intelligence, among other things, I think people are really hungry for a renewed encounter with the material world,” she said. “The biblical traditions remind us that our lives don’t have to look the way that they do. And they might help us to imagine ecologically vital pathways for navigating our current ecological crisis.”
James, the recently promoted William Henry Green Professor of Old Testament Literature, is the author of the books An Invitation to Biblical Poetry and Landscapes of the Song of Songs: Poetry and Place. In addition, she is co-editor of Reading the Song of Songs in a #MeToo Era and Biblical Poetry and the Art of Close Reading, as well as numerous articles and essays. She has taught several new classes since joining the faculty in 2019, including “Landscape and Ecology in the Old Testament” and a PhD seminar on ancient love poetry.
Her love for Hebrew Bible literature stems from a course on biblical poetry with then professor, now colleague, F. W. “Chip” Dobbs-Allsopp, MDiv ’87. James taught high school English before pursuing her MDiv at the Seminary, feeling that she had a call toward some type of ministry, but unsure what that path looked like for her specifically.
“When I came to Princeton Seminary as a student, I had this really strong sense that it was a special place. It takes very seriously both academic inquiry at the highest level and service to the church. For me, that’s always been a really magical mix,” she said. “I found my way into Hebrew Bible through my love of literature and through my time at seminary. I had faculty who helped me see a path that I had not necessarily imagined for myself.”
As a Princeton Seminary graduate and current faculty member, James personally understands and values the role faculty play in students’ discernment processes and formation.
“A lot of students come to Princeton Seminary thinking they might do some kind of ministry or some kind of academic study — and figuring out where that takes you is not a simple task,” she said. “There are so many wonderful pathways that are worthy and meaningful. Helping people think creatively about how their gifts can be used is an honor and a privilege.”
