Challenging the Notion of »Spiritual Metamorphosis«: Conceptions of Divine Presence and Anthropomorphic Language in Jeremiah

This paper illustrates the complexity and great challenges provoked by a theological study of the book of Jeremiah by discussing a cluster of topics concerning anthromorphism and divine presence, two major issues in Jeremiah. Two questions lead the discussion: Can Jeremiah be evaluated as the prophet who promoted a »spiritual metamorphosis« in the Judean (Israelite) religion of his (or the book's) times, as suggested by Moshe Weinfeld? How might a descriptive Hebrew Bible theology portray this prophet's (and his book's) contribution to Israelite religion of the sixth century B.C.E.?