'Hidden in Plain Sight' explores the potential contours of reading biblical narrative. The Old Testament book of Esther is used to advance a prospective shape for this reading method, and proposes a profile for curriculum design. The author shows that the text of Scripture itself advances a reading method. Esther is an underestimated heroine in her story world. Her character is informed by the silent actions of Vashti and by the intentionality of Mordecai. She is confronted by a writing that offers her few options, and each of these options is deconstructed and focussed in community dialogue. At a pivotal stage in the narrative, she acts in solidarity with those under a death threat, emerging as an agent of life. Esther s actions and speeches are traced as one entry into a story world, proposing a means for students of Scripture to gain appreciable reading skills via sensitivity to the general components of Old Testament narrative. This reading informs a study method enabling direct engagement with a text, and appreciation for the art of literary crafting. The approach is suitable for Christian education and for biblical study settings at the academic level, as well as well as use in discussion groups. Robert P. Debelak, Jr, is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Lee University, Tennessee, USA."
