Simundson, Daniel J. 1933-

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Simundson, Daniel J. 1933-

PERSONAL:

Born February 14, 1933. Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1955; Lutheran School of Theology, B.D., 1959; Harvard University, Ph.D., 1971; studied at Cambridge University, 1978-79.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Luther Seminary, 2481 Como Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer, educator. Salem Lutheran Church, Mendon, IL, pastor, 1959-61; Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, MO, hospital chaplain, 1961-67; Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, teaching fellow, 1970-71; Appalachian State University, NC, assistant professor, 1971-72; Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, professor of Old Testament, 1981-2003, professor emeritus, 2003—, dean of students, 1974-75, dean academic affairs, 1976-78, 1988-1993, 1995-96.

WRITINGS:

Faith under Fire: Biblical Interpretations of Suffering, Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN), 1980, published as Faith under Fire: How the Bible Speaks to Us in Times of Suffering, HarperSanFrancisco (San Francisco, CA), 1991.

Where Is God in My Suffering? Biblical Responses to Seven Searching Questions, Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN), 1983.

The Message of Job: A Theological Commentary, Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.

Where Is God in My Praying? Biblical Responses to Eight Searching Questions, Augsburg (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Abingdon Press (Nashville, TN), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS:

Writer and educator Daniel J. Simundson was born February 14, 1933. He studied at Stanford University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1955, then continued his education, first at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Illinois, and then at Harvard University, where he completed his doctorate. He also spent time studying in England at the University of Cambridge. Over the course of his career, Simundson served as a pastor and chaplain, eventually taking an academic post at the Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he served as an Old Testament professor until his retirement in 2003. In addition to his academic endeavors, Simundson has written a number of books on religion and the Old Testament, including Faith under Fire: Biblical Interpretations of Suffering, Where Is God in My Suffering? Biblical Responses to Seven Searching Questions, The Message of Job: A Theological Commentary, Where Is God in My Praying? Biblical Responses to Eight Searching Questions, and Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah.

In his book Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Simundson sets out to offer readers a clear and easily understood interpretation of the first six minor prophets of the Old Testament for his contribution to the "Abingdon Old Testament" series. He analyzes each of the prophets and their teachings with a critical eye, addressing them in terms of their significance on both a moral and ethical scale and one that focuses solely on their theological significance. In addition, he keeps modern thought and teachings in mind, applying them to the analysis as well. Because the book is part of a series, Simundson holds to the established structure of the book's predecessors, dividing the work into six main sections, one for each minor prophet whom he has included, and further dividing the chapters in half, with the first portion serving as an introduction and an overview of any issues, and the second portion consisting of the actual commentary. James R. Linville, in a review for the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, felt that "the volume is marked by a lack of depth in its frequent comments on theodicy and other complex theological issues, most of which contain little or no reference to the main contributors to modern thought on the subjects." However, Joseph Too Shao, writing for the Evangelical Review of Theology, pointed out that "the commentary fulfills the aim of the series in giving a fresh understanding of the text."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

America, December 6, 1986, Daniel J. Harrington, review of The Message of Job: A Theological Commentary, p. 366.

Biblical Quarterly, April, 2006, James R. Linville, review of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, pp. 318-319.

Catholic Biblical Quarterly, January 1, 1989, Eugene Hensell, review of The Message of Job, p. 121; April 1, 2006, James R. Linville, review of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, p. 318.

Christian Century, July 2, 1980, John B. Bell, review of Faith under Fire: How the Bible Speaks to Us in Times of Suffering, p. 713.

Currents in Theology and Mission, June 1, 2005, review of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, p. 219.

Evangelical Review of Theology, April, 2007, Joseph Too Shao, review of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, pp. 187-188.

Interpretation, January 1, 2006, Paul L. Redditt, review of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, p. 98.

Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, June, 2006, J.E. Tollington, review of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, p. 85.

National Catholic Reporter, August 2, 1991, William C. Graham, review of Faith under Fire, p. 16.