Background to Vol. 2 of Old Testament Origins
October 14, 2025
Volume 2 of Craig Bartholomew’s ambitious four-volume project, Old Testament Origins and the Question of God, focuses on Moses and OT law. One of the fruits of this research is a wealth of ideas about the Ten Commandments and the deep challenge that these foundational laws provide for modern society. KLC is producing a popular-level book looking at the ways in which a deep apprehension of the implications of these commandments would shape a better society today.
Primary Discipline(s): Theology, Biblical Studies
Base Community: Staff
Leader: Craig Bartholomew
Primary Author(s): Craig Bartholomew
Collaborators: tba
Acknowledgements: tba
Partner Organisations: tba
Funding: Application phase
Problem: Religions are often significant contributors to the social and ethical fabric of societies, and for Jewish and Christian societies, the Ten Commandments have played a central role in providing this cohesion. With the ever-shrinking public role for religion in modernity, the Ten Commandments are simultaneously widely known and little understood. Even Christians may have little more than a basic familiarity with the commandments, and many are confused about the role of Old Testament texts in the New Testament church.
The Ethos of the Good Neighborhood aims to explain the ongoing importance of this key Old Testament text to modern Christianity and to show concrete ways in which such an ethical backbone could bring life and cohesion to our fractured societies today.
Process: The shape and content of this project will emerge both in conversation with the findings of Craig Bartholomew’s work for Moses and the Victory of God, and in consultation with church leaders for whom such a book might be essential. We are still in the early stages of these discussions and of securing funding.
Aims and Outcomes: We believe that a well-presented, popular-level book on the Ten Commandments could be impactful upon the church and society in some of the following ways:
Next Meeting: Consultation with church leaders, 23 October
Projected Completion: tba
Quick Notes: tba
Craig explains the background to the Old Testament Origins series and how this project came about.
Our projects focused on Moses and the Ten Commandments are meeting with an international group of pastors and Christian workers to explore resource development that meets real needs.
If you have something to contribute to the following questions, email your thoughts to tota@kirbylaingcentre.co.uk.
When the team has a need for help or an area in which collaboration could be beneficial, their requests will be listed here.
Your contributions are greatly appreciated and are integral to our vision of collaborative, interdisciplinary research. We endeavor to acknowledge all the efforts of our collaborators and to give due credit, but note that we can’t guarantee that any contribution will be used in the final product.
On 23 October (3pm UK), we gathering an international group of church leaders and other stakeholders who can help us to set the course for the parallel resources that we develop alongside Craig’s work on Exodus, Moses and the Ten Commandments.
If you feel that you have something to contribute to a discussion about how Exodus can disciple the church and would like to attend, please contact admin@kirbylaingcentre.co.uk.
When the team produces research components and additional resources that may be of public interest, these will be made available here.
