Beth LaNeel Tanner

My call is to empower individuals and communities to engage the biblical texts in a critical, creative, and contextual ways in order to enhance personal faith and public action.

Bio

Beth LaNeel Tanner is the Norman and Mary Professor of Old Testament Interpretation. She graduated from Purdue University, Eden Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. She has worked at the Cranbury Presbyterian Church in Cranbury, NJ; Presbyterian Church on the Hill, Ocean, NJ; and Bensalem Presbyterian Church, Bensalem, PA. She was ordained by the New Brunswick Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. in October of 1997 and served the Larison’s Corner Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ from 1997-1999. In 1998, Beth Tanner was appointed as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Old Testament and Assistant Professor of Old Testament in 1999. She became Full Professor in 2012. Since moving to New Brunswick, she has served as the Parish Associate at Bound Brook Presbyterian Church, Bound Book, NJ. Beth is currently serving on the Committee of Ministry of the New Brunswick Presbytery. Beth is married to Daniel Weaver, Professor of Finance at the Rutgers Business School. They have two children, Allison and Nicholas Weaver and live in Somerset, NJ.

As a scholar, Dr. Tanner specializes in Hebrew poetry, especially the psalms of lament. She has authored three books, New Proclamation Year B 2012 Advent through Holy Week, The Psalms for Today, and The Psalms Through the Lens of Intertextuality. Her commentary on the Psalms, co-authored with Rolf Jacobson and Nancy deClassié-Walford in the NICOT series, was published in 2015. Her current book projects include Ancient Israel and Judah: Historical and Social Context for Westminster John Knox Press and Psalms Book 1: A New Commentary from a Feminist Perspective (working title for a new series) for Liturgical Press.

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Education:

B.S., Purdue University
M.Div., Eden Theological Seminary
Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary

Books:
The Psalms for Today. (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2008)
The Psalms Through the Lens of Intertextuality. (Peter Lang, 2001).
New Interpreter’s Bible One Volume Commentary Click here for info
New Proclamation Year B 2012 Advent through Holy Week. (Fortress Press, 2011), co-authored.

forthcoming: Psalms Book 1: Wisdom Commentary Series. Liturgical Press, 2017.

forthcoming: Ancient Israel and Judah: Historical and Social Context. Westminster John Knox, 2016

The Book of Psalms. A Commentary in the New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Authored with Rolf Jacobson and Nancy deClassie-Walford. Eerdman’s Publishing, 2015.

New Proclamation Year B 2012 Advent through Holy Week. (Fortress Press, 2011), co-authored.

The Psalms for Today. (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2008).

The Psalms through the Lens of Intertextuality. (Peter Lang, 2001).

Articles:

“To Do Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk with your God,” three studies prepared for The Thoughtful Christian. Westminster/John Knox Press, March 2008. Bible Studies in Preparation for the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

“Preaching the Penitential Psalms,” Word and World 27:1 (2007)

“My Sister Sarah: Reading the Bible Through Euro-North American Eyes” Engaging the Bible in a Gendered World: An Introduction to Feminist Biblical Interpretation. (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2006).

“King Yahweh as the Good Shepherd: Taking Another Look at the Image of God in Psalm 23,” David and Zion: Biblical Studies in Honor of J.J.M. Roberts. Edited by B. Batto and K. Roberts. (Eisenbraun’s, 2004)

“How Long, O Lord! Will Your People Suffer in Silence Forever?” Psalms and Practice: Worship, Virtue, and Authority. Edited by Stephen B. Reid. (Liturgical Press: 2001).

“From Text to Sermon: Deuteronomy 10:12-22,” Interpretation vol. 55:1, January 2001

“Hearing the Cries of the Unspoken: An Intertextual-Feminist Reading of Psalm 109” Athalya Brenner, ed. A Feminist Companion to the Bible: Wisdom and Psalms. (Sheffield Press: 1998)

“Psalm 85:8-13” and “Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8” Lectionary Texts for Working Preacher.org. 2012

“Worship, Old Testament,” for Biblical Studies Oxford Bibliographies an on-line publication of Oxford University, August 2012.

“Rethinking the Enterprise: What Must Be Considered in Formulating a Theology of the Psalms,” in Soundings in the Theology of the Psalms: Perspectives in Contemporary Scholarship. R. Jacobson, ed. (Fortress Press, 2011).

“Exodus 34,” “Isaiah 6:1-9 [9-13],” “Joel 2:1-2, 12-17” Lectionary Texts Year A for Working Preacher.org . 2011

“Hosea,” in The New Interpreter’s Bible One Volume Commentary, B. Gaventa and D. Peterson eds. (Abingdon Press, 2010).

“Genesis 1:1-15,” “Deuteronomy 18:15-20,” 1 Samuel 3:1-10,” Jonah 3:1-5, 10″ Lectionary Texts Year C for Working Preacher.org. 2010

“The Next Step: Making Feminist Concerns Part of the Academic Structure,” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 25:2 (Fall 2009), 12-17.
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16,” “Isaiah 9:2-7”, “Isaiah 52:7-10,” in Feasting on the Word.
D. Bartlett and B. Taylor, eds (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008).

“Wait, Waiting on the Lord,” for The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Abingdon Press, 2009)

“Psalm 52,” “Psalm 66,” “Psalm 72,” and “Psalm 89” in The Psalms for Preaching and Worship . ( Eerdman’s Press, 2009).

“Study Notes on The Letter of Jeremiah” in the Westminster Discipleship Bible. (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2008).

“Psalm 85:8-13″ and “Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8″ Lectionary Texts B for Working Preacher.org. 2013

“Worship, Old Testament,” for Biblical Studies Oxford Bibliographies an on-line publication of Oxford University, August 2012.

“Rethinking the Enterprise: What Must Be Considered in Formulating a Theology of the Psalms,” in Soundings in the Theology of the Psalms: Perspectives in Contemporary Scholarship. R. Jacobson, ed. (Fortress Press, 2011).

“Exodus 34,” “Isaiah 6:1-9 [9-13],” “Joel 2:1-2, 12-17″ Lectionary Texts Year A for Working Preacher.org.

“Hosea,” in The New Interpreter’s Bible One Volume Commentary, B. Gaventa and D. Peterson eds. (Abingdon Press, 2010).

“Genesis 1:1-15,” “Deuteronomy 18:15-20,” 1 Samuel 3:1-10,” Jonah 3:1-5, 10″ Lectionary Texts Year C for Working Preacher.org.

“The Next Step: Making Feminist Concerns Part of the Academic Structure,” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 25:2 (Fall 2009), 12-17.

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16,” “Isaiah 9:2-7”, “Isaiah 52:7-10,” in Feasting on the Word. D. Bartlettand B. Taylor, eds (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008).

“Wait, Waiting on the Lord,” for The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (Abingdon Press, 2009)

“Psalm 52,” “Psalm 66,” “Psalm 72,” and “Psalm 89” in The Psalms for Preaching and Worship. (Eerdman’s Press, 2009).

“Study Notes on The Letter of Jeremiah” in the Westminster Discipleship Bible. (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2008).

“To Do Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk with your God,” three studies prepared for The Thoughtful Christian. Westminster/John Knox Press, March 2008. Bible Studies in Preparation for the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

“Preaching the Penitential Psalms,” Word and World 27:1 (2007)

“My Sister Sarah: Reading the Bible through Euro-North American Eyes” Engaging the Bible in a Gendered World: An Introduction to Feminist Biblical Interpretation. (Westminster/John Knox Press, 2006).

“King Yahweh as the Good Shepherd: Taking another Look at the Image of God in Psalm 23,” David and Zion: Biblical Studies in Honor of J.J.M. Roberts. Edited by B. Batto and K. Roberts. (Eisenbraun’s, 2004)

“How Long, O Lord! Will Your People Suffer in Silence Forever?” Psalms and Practice: Worship, Virtue, and Authority. Edited by Stephen B. Reid. (Liturgical Press: 2001).

“From Text to Sermon: Deuteronomy 10:12-22,” Interpretation vol. 55:1, January 2001

“Hearing the Cries of the Unspoken: An Intertextual-Feminist Reading of Psalm 109” Athalya Brenner, ed. A Feminist Companion to the Bible: Wisdom and Psalms. (Sheffield Press: 1998)