"A fresh way to support the church's witness to a new missional era"Challenging the prevailing paradigm for biblical theology of mission, this book offers a new model that centers on God's purpose to draw near to humanity in fellowship."Cornell upsets--rightly, in my view--the heretofore dominant approach to biblical theology of mission that has centered on repair, which has some real merits but also unavoidable and rather profound demerits. He dismantles the repair approach definitively, offering us something far better in its place: a paradigm centered on communion with a superior understanding of the entire (geometric!) Bible as support."--Brent A. Strawn, Duke University"Cornell eloquently and prudently warns us of the dangers of theologies of mission that exclusively focus on the dramatic-narrative nature of the canonical framework of scripture. He rightly highlights and insists that God's ultimate desire is restored in intimate communion with his people. A welcome contribution to the ongoing discipline of missional hermeneutics."--Christopher J. H. Wright, international ambassador, Langham Partnership"With great clarity Cornell moves the reader beyond a focus on the diachronic narrative of God's mission of repairing the world and toward a multilayered interpretation of scripture and a mission of communion."--Kirsteen Kim, Center for Missiological Research, Fuller Theological Seminary"In this well-written and well-argued book, Cornell returns to a classic question of medieval theology: Is there a good to the Incarnation greater than that of repairing the damage of original sin? In the Song of Songs and the story of the building of the Tabernacle Cornell finds his answer: the desire of God to draw the human person near to himself."--Gary A. Anderson, University of Notre Dame"Cornell has written a wonderful piece of critical and constructive theology that can positively transform how we understand what the Bible is all about. An impressively learned and original work."--Kendall Soulen, Emory University"In this daring and creative book, Cornell calls into question the standard reading of the biblical narrative in missional theology. His bold proposal offers a fresh way to support the church's witness to a new missional era. Theologians, missiologists, and practitioners should sit with Cornell's argument."--Edwin Chr. van Driel, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary