By thoroughly investigating every aspect of theology to be found in the
Old Testament, Father McKenzie offers a total theological statement of
this timeless record. The theology of the Old Testament, he writes, has
to be the study of the reality of Yahweh. The Old Testament is the sole
literary witness to that reality as the record of the experience of
Israel. Seven categories outline the book: cult, revelation, history,
nature, wisdom, political and social institutions, and the future of
Israel. Together, these categories provide a pathway to God that is far
more complete than that which can be experienced by any individual. For
McKenzie, the Hebrew scriptures are to be understood as the independent
record of the early Israelite community's experience with God, rather
than as a prelude to or forecast of the New Testament.