A few highlights from this week's Review of Biblical Literature:
Young S. Chae
Jesus as the Eschatological Davidic Shepherd: Studies in the Old Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and in the Gospel of Matthew
Reviewed by Daniel M. Gurtner
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
Interpreting the Historical Books: An Exegetical Handbook
Reviewed by Brian D. Russell
Craig Cooper, ed.
Politics of Orality: (Orality and Literacy in Ancient Greece, Vol. 6)
Reviewed by Jonathan A. Draper
J. Todd Hibbard
Intertextuality in Isaiah 24-27: The Reuse and Evocation of Earlier Texts and Traditions
Reviewed by Jeffery M. Leonard
Steven W. Holloway, ed.
Orientalism, Assyriology and the Bible
Reviewed by Patricia Dutcher-Walls
George H. van Kooten, ed.
The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity
Reviewed by Sabrina Inowlocki
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Jesus and Paul: Parallel Lives
Reviewed by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J.
Grant R. Osborne
The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
Reviewed by Oda Wischmeyer
Megan Hale Williams
The Monk and the Book: Jerome and the Making of Christian Scholarship
Reviewed by Jonathan Yates
Thursday, January 17, 2008
BAR Highlights: 1/17/07
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
In the Land of the Exodus
A magazine article describes Egypt’s tiny Jewish community.
Is It King David’s Palace?
An archaeologist guides a journalist through the Jerusalem site whose excavator has identified it as the Biblical hero’s palace.
HolyPass
A new card makes access to Jerusalem’s ancient sites more affordable and convenient.
Virtual Eternal City
With the help a new million dollar program, visitors to Rome can now explore 4.45 million acres of virtual terrain—complete with city bustle and friendly ancient bystanders—from the comfort of a local museum.
The Old is New
Researchers have published their reports on recent excavations at Ramat Rahel, the site of the only Judean royal palace unearthed to date.
A Step Forward
Iraqi archaeologists delivered 1,000 recently discovered artifacts to the National Museum, which has been closed since 2003, when invading US forces failed to protect the museum from rampant looting.
The Other Half
Finds near glamorous tombs of Pharaohs shed light on the everyday lives of ancient Egyptian laborers, including evidence of a labor strike.
Surprises Afoot
A US airman discovered ancient pottery fragments on the grounds of a military base near Kirkuk, in northern Iraq.
In the Land of the Exodus
A magazine article describes Egypt’s tiny Jewish community.
Is It King David’s Palace?
An archaeologist guides a journalist through the Jerusalem site whose excavator has identified it as the Biblical hero’s palace.
HolyPass
A new card makes access to Jerusalem’s ancient sites more affordable and convenient.
Virtual Eternal City
With the help a new million dollar program, visitors to Rome can now explore 4.45 million acres of virtual terrain—complete with city bustle and friendly ancient bystanders—from the comfort of a local museum.
The Old is New
Researchers have published their reports on recent excavations at Ramat Rahel, the site of the only Judean royal palace unearthed to date.
A Step Forward
Iraqi archaeologists delivered 1,000 recently discovered artifacts to the National Museum, which has been closed since 2003, when invading US forces failed to protect the museum from rampant looting.
The Other Half
Finds near glamorous tombs of Pharaohs shed light on the everyday lives of ancient Egyptian laborers, including evidence of a labor strike.
Surprises Afoot
A US airman discovered ancient pottery fragments on the grounds of a military base near Kirkuk, in northern Iraq.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Still Searching for the Original Text
In an intriguing post entitled "The Composition of the Original Text," Dan Wallace addresses "a relatively new movement afoot in text-critical circles... the idea that the wording of the originals (also known as autographs) of the New Testament documents is not only not possible to recover, even the notion of an original is not true to history." He names Bart Ehrman and David Parker as prominent proponents of this theory; I would add Eldon Epp to the list as well, on the basis of his article in last summer's issue of Harvard Theological Review (about which I blogged here). In particular, Wallace critiques Parker's comparison of the New Testament text to the work of Shakespeare or Mozart, each of whom altered his own original creations and therefore made it impossible to speak of an "original." He counters, "In Shakespeare’s and Mozart’s case, the author continued to exercise control over the document. That is not the case with NT books." He adds that all of the New Testament texts were sent elsewhere, thus severing the author's control over them; the early church's interest in the words of the apostles would have led to a desire for accuracy; and that unlike the work of Shakespeare and Mozart, "authority," not "aesthetics," guided the transmission of the New Testament texts.
I am perfectly willing to discard any extended comparison between the New Testament and later artistic works (although I can see how such a comparison might be formed, particularly if earlier theories such as the editing of Acts by Luke were invoked), but a few of Wallace's other observations give me pause. While I certainly do not possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the theories of gospel transmission, I was unaware that the scholarly majority had determined that all of these works, in addition to the epistles, had been immediately dispatched to other locales after their composition. The Gospel of John, in particular, may have been composed and originally used by a single community. Furthermore, under certain conditions texts may be altered in the name of authority as readily as they might be changed for aesthetic purposes. To quote but one example, the infamous "Johannine Comma" (ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ὁ Πατήρ, ὁ Λόγος, καὶ τὸ Ἄγιον Πνεῦμα. καὶ οὗτοι οἱ τρεῖς ἕν εἰσι. καὶ τρεῖς εἰσιν οἱ μαρτυροῦντες ἐν τῇ γῇ; 1 John 5:7-8) seems to have been added in order to provide additional scriptural authority for the doctrine of the Trinity.
I would also second Epp's recent argument that an obsessive search for an "original" text often causes the critic to discard or ignore variants which have been branded as "spurious" or "unoriginal," despite the fact that their presence in the manuscript tradition indicates that they formed a part of Scripture for at least some early Christian communities (and were therefore "original" in their eyes). Many of these variants, even some which appear on only a few scraps of papyrus or parchment, still have a great deal to teach us about the individuals who copied, transmitted, and worshipped with them. And that means they're important, too.
I am perfectly willing to discard any extended comparison between the New Testament and later artistic works (although I can see how such a comparison might be formed, particularly if earlier theories such as the editing of Acts by Luke were invoked), but a few of Wallace's other observations give me pause. While I certainly do not possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the theories of gospel transmission, I was unaware that the scholarly majority had determined that all of these works, in addition to the epistles, had been immediately dispatched to other locales after their composition. The Gospel of John, in particular, may have been composed and originally used by a single community. Furthermore, under certain conditions texts may be altered in the name of authority as readily as they might be changed for aesthetic purposes. To quote but one example, the infamous "Johannine Comma" (ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ὁ Πατήρ, ὁ Λόγος, καὶ τὸ Ἄγιον Πνεῦμα. καὶ οὗτοι οἱ τρεῖς ἕν εἰσι. καὶ τρεῖς εἰσιν οἱ μαρτυροῦντες ἐν τῇ γῇ; 1 John 5:7-8) seems to have been added in order to provide additional scriptural authority for the doctrine of the Trinity.
I would also second Epp's recent argument that an obsessive search for an "original" text often causes the critic to discard or ignore variants which have been branded as "spurious" or "unoriginal," despite the fact that their presence in the manuscript tradition indicates that they formed a part of Scripture for at least some early Christian communities (and were therefore "original" in their eyes). Many of these variants, even some which appear on only a few scraps of papyrus or parchment, still have a great deal to teach us about the individuals who copied, transmitted, and worshipped with them. And that means they're important, too.
Musings on Mark: 1/16/08
In what will hopefully become a weekly tradition, here are a few particularly juicy tidbits from Prof. Adela Collins' introductory comments in yesterday's inaugural meeting of Greek Exegesis of Mark:
*One of the most provocative questions concerning Mark is the question of genre. A number of major theories have been advanced: 1) that it belongs to a unique, independent, inherently Christian "gospel" genre, a theory which was particularly popular in the 1960s and 1970s; 2) that it should be classified as Greco-Roman "biography" (Gk. βιος), a theory which has been revived in recent years by Charles Talbert and Richard Burridge; 3) that it is an attempt to accurately depict the history of Jesus of Nazareth and his first followers, a theory which was wildly popular in the early modern period but was sharply curtailed by the criticisms of Karl Ludwig Schmidt and William Wrede. In her recently completed commentary, Collins describes Mark as an "eschatological historical monograph," borrowing the term "monograph" from Hans Conzelmann's earlier commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. She applies the adjective "eschatological" in light of its pervasive apocalyptic elements, which are not present in Greco-Roman texts. She does, however, note that Mark possesses some affinities with βιος, particularly its didactic and historical sub-genres.
*Although many scholars have assumed that Mark and the other canonical gospels circulated anonymously until the second century, Collins accepts the arguments of Martin Hengel, who argues that this was not the case. As she notes, if the gospel had remained anonymous until this point, surely the early Christian communities would have selected a more notable figure (e.g., Peter) for pseudonymous attribution. Furthermore, under these conditions one would expect to see a variety of attributions, with some communities assigning the gospel to one major figure, other communities to another; no extant copies of Mark bear the name of another author.
*Two schools of thought have emerged concerning the date of Mark, with Jesus' comment concerning the Temple in Mark 13:2 ("Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down") serving as the key to both. Some have argued that this prediction indicates that the gospel was written after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE; Collins, on the other hand, argues for a date of composition during the Jewish War, possibly during the siege of the Jerusalem, but not after 70.
*The gospel's origin has been traditionally regarded as Rome, and a number of recent studies have also supported this theory, but Collins does not find the arguments convincing. Any major cosmopolitan area, including Jerusalem and Caesarea Maritima, is a possibility.
I hope that I haven't done any injustice to Prof. Collins' fine work through these brief comments. If you want to know more about any of these topics, don't ask me... pick up her commentary! ;-)
*One of the most provocative questions concerning Mark is the question of genre. A number of major theories have been advanced: 1) that it belongs to a unique, independent, inherently Christian "gospel" genre, a theory which was particularly popular in the 1960s and 1970s; 2) that it should be classified as Greco-Roman "biography" (Gk. βιος), a theory which has been revived in recent years by Charles Talbert and Richard Burridge; 3) that it is an attempt to accurately depict the history of Jesus of Nazareth and his first followers, a theory which was wildly popular in the early modern period but was sharply curtailed by the criticisms of Karl Ludwig Schmidt and William Wrede. In her recently completed commentary, Collins describes Mark as an "eschatological historical monograph," borrowing the term "monograph" from Hans Conzelmann's earlier commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. She applies the adjective "eschatological" in light of its pervasive apocalyptic elements, which are not present in Greco-Roman texts. She does, however, note that Mark possesses some affinities with βιος, particularly its didactic and historical sub-genres.
*Although many scholars have assumed that Mark and the other canonical gospels circulated anonymously until the second century, Collins accepts the arguments of Martin Hengel, who argues that this was not the case. As she notes, if the gospel had remained anonymous until this point, surely the early Christian communities would have selected a more notable figure (e.g., Peter) for pseudonymous attribution. Furthermore, under these conditions one would expect to see a variety of attributions, with some communities assigning the gospel to one major figure, other communities to another; no extant copies of Mark bear the name of another author.
*Two schools of thought have emerged concerning the date of Mark, with Jesus' comment concerning the Temple in Mark 13:2 ("Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down") serving as the key to both. Some have argued that this prediction indicates that the gospel was written after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE; Collins, on the other hand, argues for a date of composition during the Jewish War, possibly during the siege of the Jerusalem, but not after 70.
*The gospel's origin has been traditionally regarded as Rome, and a number of recent studies have also supported this theory, but Collins does not find the arguments convincing. Any major cosmopolitan area, including Jerusalem and Caesarea Maritima, is a possibility.
I hope that I haven't done any injustice to Prof. Collins' fine work through these brief comments. If you want to know more about any of these topics, don't ask me... pick up her commentary! ;-)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Latest Issues of Harvard Theological Review and Novum Testamentum Now Online
Thanks to Michael Pahl for pointing these out. Although full articles are available only to subscribing members and institutions (thank you, Yale University database!), abstracts may be viewed by all.
Harvard Theological Review 101.1 (January 2008)
Novum Testamentum 50.1 (January 2008)
Harvard Theological Review 101.1 (January 2008)
Novum Testamentum 50.1 (January 2008)
Latest from Tyndale Tech: Unicode
The latest e-mail in David Instone-Brewer's eminently helpful "Tyndale Tech" series concerns Unicode fonts. Although Unicode fonts are quickly becoming the standard in biblical studies, many scholars and students remain largely unaware of what they are, how to find them, and how to use them in their own work. Dr. Instone-Brewer answers these and other questions with a few key links:
Tyndale Unicode Kit
Tyndale Unicode Keyboards
The first of these is Tyndale's easy-to-use installation kit for Greek and Hebrew Unicode fonts and keyboards. Full instructions are provided, although, as Instone-Brewer notes, installation is simple and intuitive. The second is a graphic which allows the user to view the Greek and Hebrew keyboard layouts. You probably won't need to use these for long, but they may be helpful in your first few weeks of typing.
Also included are links to downloadable Unicode Bibles (HB with vowels; LXX with accents; MT/LXX parallel; NT with accents), and the free Diogenes software, which can be used to search databases such as the TLG if you have the disks, or as a stand-alone lexical reference if you do not.
Whether you're a relative newcomer to Unicode (as I am) or a seasoned veteran, all of these are well worth a look.
Tyndale Unicode Kit
Tyndale Unicode Keyboards
The first of these is Tyndale's easy-to-use installation kit for Greek and Hebrew Unicode fonts and keyboards. Full instructions are provided, although, as Instone-Brewer notes, installation is simple and intuitive. The second is a graphic which allows the user to view the Greek and Hebrew keyboard layouts. You probably won't need to use these for long, but they may be helpful in your first few weeks of typing.
Also included are links to downloadable Unicode Bibles (HB with vowels; LXX with accents; MT/LXX parallel; NT with accents), and the free Diogenes software, which can be used to search databases such as the TLG if you have the disks, or as a stand-alone lexical reference if you do not.
Whether you're a relative newcomer to Unicode (as I am) or a seasoned veteran, all of these are well worth a look.
OUP Sale at Dove
A number of excellent NT titles from Oxford University Press are currently on sale at Dove (through January 17):
Ashton, John
Understanding the Fourth Gospel
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $120.00 Dove Price: $95.99 Save $27.01
More Info & Ordering
Curtis, Adrian H W
Oxford Bible Atlas, 4th ed
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $35.00 Dove Price: $25.99 Save $9.01
More Info & Ordering
Dunderberg, Ismo
Beloved Disciple in Conflict?: Revisiting the Gospels of John and Thomas
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $99.00 Dove Price: $79.20 Save $19.80
More Info & Ordering
Ehrman, Bart D
Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $25.00 Dove Price: $19.99 Save $5.01
More Info & Ordering
Ehrman, Bart D
New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 4th ed
(Published 2007)
Paperback List: $57.95 Dove Price: $46.36 Save $11.59
More Info & Ordering
Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, 2 Volume Set
(Published 2006)
Paperback List: $80.00 Dove Price: $63.99 Save $16.01
More Info & Ordering
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $199.00 Dove Price: $158.99 Save $40.01
More Info & Ordering
Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1: The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
(Published 2006)
Paperback List: $45.00 Dove Price: $35.99 Save $9.01
More Info & Ordering
Hardcover List: $99.00 Dove Price: $79.20 Save $19.80
More Info & Ordering
Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, Volume 2: Trajectories through the New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers
(Published 2006)
Paperback List: $55.00 Dove Price: $43.99 Save $11.01
More Info & Ordering
Hardcover List: $120.00 Dove Price: $95.99 Save $24.01
More Info & Ordering
Hodge, Caroline Johnson
If Sons, Then Heirs: A Study of Kinship and Ethnicity in the Letters of Paul
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $45.00 Dove Price: $35.99 Save $9.01
More Info & Ordering
Hvidt, Niels Christian
Christian Prophecy: The Post-Biblical Tradition
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $74.00 Dove Price: $59.20 Save $14.80
More Info & Ordering
Meech, John L
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $55.00 Dove Price: $43.99 Save $11.01
More Info & Ordering
Porter, J R
Jesus Christ: The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith
(Published 2007)
Paperback List: $21.50 Dove Price: $15.99 Save $5.51
More Info & Ordering
Rogerson, John W Judith M Lieu (eds)
Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $199.00 Dove Price: $159.20 Save $39.80
More Info & Ordering
Tuckett, Christopher M (ed)
Gospel of Mary (Oxford Early Christian Gospel Texts)
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $120.00 Dove Price: $95.99 Save $24.01
More Info & Ordering
This volume, the first in a major new series which will provide authoritative texts of key non-canonical gospel writings, comprises a critical edition, with full translations, of all the extant manuscripts of the Gospel of Mary. In addition, an extended Introduction discusses the key issues involved in the interpretation of the text, as well as locating it in its proper historical context, while a Commentary explicates points of detail. The gospel has been important in many recent discussions of non-canonical gospels, of early Christian Gnosticism, and of discussions of the figure of Mary Magdalene. The present volume will provide a valuable resource for all future discussions of this important early Christian text.
Pietersma, Albert Benjamin G. Wright (eds)
New English Translation of the Septuagint
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $30.00 Dove Price: $23.99 Save $6.01
More Info & Ordering
Ashton, John
Understanding the Fourth Gospel
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $120.00 Dove Price: $95.99 Save $27.01
More Info & Ordering
Curtis, Adrian H W
Oxford Bible Atlas, 4th ed
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $35.00 Dove Price: $25.99 Save $9.01
More Info & Ordering
Dunderberg, Ismo
Beloved Disciple in Conflict?: Revisiting the Gospels of John and Thomas
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $99.00 Dove Price: $79.20 Save $19.80
More Info & Ordering
Ehrman, Bart D
Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $25.00 Dove Price: $19.99 Save $5.01
More Info & Ordering
Ehrman, Bart D
New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 4th ed
(Published 2007)
Paperback List: $57.95 Dove Price: $46.36 Save $11.59
More Info & Ordering
Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, 2 Volume Set
(Published 2006)
Paperback List: $80.00 Dove Price: $63.99 Save $16.01
More Info & Ordering
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $199.00 Dove Price: $158.99 Save $40.01
More Info & Ordering
Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1: The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
(Published 2006)
Paperback List: $45.00 Dove Price: $35.99 Save $9.01
More Info & Ordering
Hardcover List: $99.00 Dove Price: $79.20 Save $19.80
More Info & Ordering
Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, Volume 2: Trajectories through the New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers
(Published 2006)
Paperback List: $55.00 Dove Price: $43.99 Save $11.01
More Info & Ordering
Hardcover List: $120.00 Dove Price: $95.99 Save $24.01
More Info & Ordering
Hodge, Caroline Johnson
If Sons, Then Heirs: A Study of Kinship and Ethnicity in the Letters of Paul
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $45.00 Dove Price: $35.99 Save $9.01
More Info & Ordering
Hvidt, Niels Christian
Christian Prophecy: The Post-Biblical Tradition
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $74.00 Dove Price: $59.20 Save $14.80
More Info & Ordering
Meech, John L
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $55.00 Dove Price: $43.99 Save $11.01
More Info & Ordering
Porter, J R
Jesus Christ: The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith
(Published 2007)
Paperback List: $21.50 Dove Price: $15.99 Save $5.51
More Info & Ordering
Rogerson, John W Judith M Lieu (eds)
Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies
(Published 2006)
Hardcover List: $199.00 Dove Price: $159.20 Save $39.80
More Info & Ordering
Tuckett, Christopher M (ed)
Gospel of Mary (Oxford Early Christian Gospel Texts)
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $120.00 Dove Price: $95.99 Save $24.01
More Info & Ordering
This volume, the first in a major new series which will provide authoritative texts of key non-canonical gospel writings, comprises a critical edition, with full translations, of all the extant manuscripts of the Gospel of Mary. In addition, an extended Introduction discusses the key issues involved in the interpretation of the text, as well as locating it in its proper historical context, while a Commentary explicates points of detail. The gospel has been important in many recent discussions of non-canonical gospels, of early Christian Gnosticism, and of discussions of the figure of Mary Magdalene. The present volume will provide a valuable resource for all future discussions of this important early Christian text.
Pietersma, Albert Benjamin G. Wright (eds)
New English Translation of the Septuagint
(Published 2007)
Hardcover List: $30.00 Dove Price: $23.99 Save $6.01
More Info & Ordering
Monday, January 14, 2008
New Links... Check Them Out!
During the winter break, I encountered several new blogs (well, new to me) which have now been added to the blogroll, and also some excellent online resources which have been added to the "Helpful Links" section. Thanks to Nick Norelli for pointing me in the direction of these fine sites:
Greek New Testament
Online Commentary on the Greek Gospels
I also discovered Peter Coad's truly excellent Greek Bible Study, which allows the reader to view the KJV and NASB versions in parallel alongside both Tischendorf's New Testament and a graduated reader linked to William Mounce's introductory textbook Basics of Biblical Greek. The Greek texts are grammatically tagged; clicking on any word instantly displays its lexical information (as given in Thayer's standard lexicon). There is also a "verse-by-verse translation" feature. Highly recommended to Greek students of all experience and skill levels.
Finally, Prof. William Harmless' Bibliographies for Theology is another exemplary site, with entries arranged under the categories of New Testament, Early Christianity, Medieval Christianity, The Reformation, Spirituality & Mysticism, Sacraments, and Twentieth-Century Theology. Each of these categories is helpfully divided into a number of sub-categories. The perfect gateway to further reading and research, for both students and laypeople. Prof. Harmless' work on the bibliographies of the recently released English translation of Hubertus Drobner's The Fathers of the Church: A Comprehensive Introduction (soon to become the definitive introduction to patristic studies; you heard it here first) is another indication of his skill in this regard.
Enjoy!
Greek New Testament
Online Commentary on the Greek Gospels
I also discovered Peter Coad's truly excellent Greek Bible Study, which allows the reader to view the KJV and NASB versions in parallel alongside both Tischendorf's New Testament and a graduated reader linked to William Mounce's introductory textbook Basics of Biblical Greek. The Greek texts are grammatically tagged; clicking on any word instantly displays its lexical information (as given in Thayer's standard lexicon). There is also a "verse-by-verse translation" feature. Highly recommended to Greek students of all experience and skill levels.
Finally, Prof. William Harmless' Bibliographies for Theology is another exemplary site, with entries arranged under the categories of New Testament, Early Christianity, Medieval Christianity, The Reformation, Spirituality & Mysticism, Sacraments, and Twentieth-Century Theology. Each of these categories is helpfully divided into a number of sub-categories. The perfect gateway to further reading and research, for both students and laypeople. Prof. Harmless' work on the bibliographies of the recently released English translation of Hubertus Drobner's The Fathers of the Church: A Comprehensive Introduction (soon to become the definitive introduction to patristic studies; you heard it here first) is another indication of his skill in this regard.
Enjoy!
Another Semester Begins...
Yale's spring semester begins today. While I'm considering a few other courses, my schedule will most likely consist of the following:
REL 681: Greek Exegesis of the Gospel of Mark (A. Collins)
REL 691: History and Methods of New Testament Study (A. Collins)
REL 854: Theology and Cinema (M. Villano)
Looking forward to another stimulating and enriching semester!
REL 681: Greek Exegesis of the Gospel of Mark (A. Collins)
REL 691: History and Methods of New Testament Study (A. Collins)
REL 854: Theology and Cinema (M. Villano)
Looking forward to another stimulating and enriching semester!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
New: Dirt, Greed, & Sex
A recent announcement from Fortress:
Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today, Revised Edition
One of the most urgent tasks in contemporary discussions and controversies over sexuality, in churches and in wider society, is to put the biblical resources into their proper social and cultural contexts.
In Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today, Revised Edition, L. William Countryman accomplishes this task in an exemplary way, showing how biblical conceptions regarding proper sexual behavior arose from concerns for purity and from cultures in which women and children were often perceived as property. What biblical texts say about sex often arises from concerns about dirt and greed.
This new revised edition of the landmark 1988 text includes updated text and notes throughout, taking advantage of recent studies of sexual ethics and, where appropriate, criticizing them. A new chapter evaluates recent proposals for a normative "ethic of creation," and in a concluding chapter, Countryman offers his own positive statement of a New Testament ethic. The result is an invaluable resource for anyone who seeks to understand what the New Testament says about sex.
Order your copy today!
Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today, Revised EditionOne of the most urgent tasks in contemporary discussions and controversies over sexuality, in churches and in wider society, is to put the biblical resources into their proper social and cultural contexts.
In Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today, Revised Edition, L. William Countryman accomplishes this task in an exemplary way, showing how biblical conceptions regarding proper sexual behavior arose from concerns for purity and from cultures in which women and children were often perceived as property. What biblical texts say about sex often arises from concerns about dirt and greed.
This new revised edition of the landmark 1988 text includes updated text and notes throughout, taking advantage of recent studies of sexual ethics and, where appropriate, criticizing them. A new chapter evaluates recent proposals for a normative "ethic of creation," and in a concluding chapter, Countryman offers his own positive statement of a New Testament ethic. The result is an invaluable resource for anyone who seeks to understand what the New Testament says about sex.
Order your copy today!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
BAR Highlights: 1/10/07
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Tunnel Roadblock?
A group in Israel has asked that country’s Attorney General to order a halt in construction of a tunnel from the Western Wall to an ancient synagogue.
A Bang and a Whimper
A tsunami specialist uses a theoretical model and his own observations of the devastating results of the 2004 tsunami to piece together a theory regarding the end of Minoan society, the Bronze Age civilization crucial to the development of Western culture.
Mr. Mummy
A noted Egyptologist undertakes an actual mummification in order to learn about the ancient process and discusses, among other subjects, why it’s difficult to study Alzheimer’s disease in mummies.
Pass the Ketchup
Researchers investigating a cave near Haifa have been learning how its prehistoric inhabitants hunted, slaughtered and prepared animals 200,000 years ago.
Giza in Peril
Contaminated groundwater is rising and threatening the ancient monuments in the Giza plateau.
Tunnel Roadblock?
A group in Israel has asked that country’s Attorney General to order a halt in construction of a tunnel from the Western Wall to an ancient synagogue.
A Bang and a Whimper
A tsunami specialist uses a theoretical model and his own observations of the devastating results of the 2004 tsunami to piece together a theory regarding the end of Minoan society, the Bronze Age civilization crucial to the development of Western culture.
Mr. Mummy
A noted Egyptologist undertakes an actual mummification in order to learn about the ancient process and discusses, among other subjects, why it’s difficult to study Alzheimer’s disease in mummies.
Pass the Ketchup
Researchers investigating a cave near Haifa have been learning how its prehistoric inhabitants hunted, slaughtered and prepared animals 200,000 years ago.
Giza in Peril
Contaminated groundwater is rising and threatening the ancient monuments in the Giza plateau.
New: Mark (Hermeneia)
Another recent announcement from Fortress, this time featuring the one and only Prof. Adela Collins. The bookstore received its copies just before the SBL Annual Meeting... magisterial in both size and scope. This will undoubtedly remain the standard commentary on the Gospel of Mark for years to come.
Fortress Press Releases Hermeneia Volume on Mark
"Adela Collins' long-awaited commentary on the Gospel of Mark fulfills and even surpasses the highest expectations. It demonstrates the scholarly expertise and sound critical judgment we have come to expect from this expert on Jewish apocalyptic and Greco-Roman literary culture. This book will now be the definitive resource for historical-critical reading of the Gospel of Mark."
—Karen L. King, Harvard Divinity School
In the newly released Hermeneia Volume Mark: A Commentary, Professor Adela Yarbro Collins brings to bear on the text of the first Gospel the latest historical-critical perspectives, providing a full treatment of such controversial issues as the relationship of canonical Mark to the "Secret Gospel of Mark" and the text of the Gospel, including its longer endings.
She situates the Gospel, with its enigmatic portrait of the misunderstood Messiah, in the context of Jewish and Greco-Roman literature of the first century. Her comments draw on her profound knowledge of apocalyptic literature as well as on the traditions of popular biography in the Greco-Roman world to illuminate the overall literary form of the Gospel.
The commentary also introduces an impressive store of data on the language and style of Mark, illustrated from papyrological and epigraphical sources. Collins is in constructive dialogue with the wide range of scholarship on Mark that has been produced in the twentieth century. Her work will be foundational for Markan scholarship in the first half of the twenty-first century.
Adela Yarbro Collins is Buckingham Professor of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut. She has written numerous books on ancient Judaism and Christianity.
Order your copy today!
Fortress Press Releases Hermeneia Volume on Mark"Adela Collins' long-awaited commentary on the Gospel of Mark fulfills and even surpasses the highest expectations. It demonstrates the scholarly expertise and sound critical judgment we have come to expect from this expert on Jewish apocalyptic and Greco-Roman literary culture. This book will now be the definitive resource for historical-critical reading of the Gospel of Mark."
—Karen L. King, Harvard Divinity School
In the newly released Hermeneia Volume Mark: A Commentary, Professor Adela Yarbro Collins brings to bear on the text of the first Gospel the latest historical-critical perspectives, providing a full treatment of such controversial issues as the relationship of canonical Mark to the "Secret Gospel of Mark" and the text of the Gospel, including its longer endings.
She situates the Gospel, with its enigmatic portrait of the misunderstood Messiah, in the context of Jewish and Greco-Roman literature of the first century. Her comments draw on her profound knowledge of apocalyptic literature as well as on the traditions of popular biography in the Greco-Roman world to illuminate the overall literary form of the Gospel.
The commentary also introduces an impressive store of data on the language and style of Mark, illustrated from papyrological and epigraphical sources. Collins is in constructive dialogue with the wide range of scholarship on Mark that has been produced in the twentieth century. Her work will be foundational for Markan scholarship in the first half of the twenty-first century.
Adela Yarbro Collins is Buckingham Professor of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut. She has written numerous books on ancient Judaism and Christianity.
Order your copy today!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
New: Justin Martyr
A recent announcement from Fortress:
New Volume Reintroduces Justin Martyr
Justin—philosopher and Christian martyr, Samaritan, exegete, apologist, and witness to so many of the intellectual and cultural worlds of the later Roman Empire—surprises every generation of scholars anew with the riches he has to offer them. One of the most gifted leaders in the early church, Justin and his writings are one of our richest sources for understanding the developing beliefs, worship, and public perception of Christians in the second century.
The newly released volume Justin Martyr and His Worlds presents a well-rounded portrait of one of the second-century church's most remarkable figures.
Here are studies of Justin's relationship to Judaism, Hellenism, and the Roman state, to philosophers, emperors, and heretics, and to the scriptures and other writings of second-century Judaism and Christianity. A map and timeline of Justin's world, a list of his writings, and a full-color gallery of images complement the work of many leading scholars.
Contents
Introduction: By Sara Parvis and Paul Foster, Editors
Part One: Justin's Worlds
Justin and Judaism — Judith Lieu, King's College, London
Justin and Gnosticism — Christoph Markschies, Humboldt Universität, Berlin
Justin and the Apologetic Tradition — Sara Parvis, University of Edinburgh
Part Two: Justin's Writings and Thought
Jesus as the Name of God in the "Dialogue with Trypho" — Larry W. Hurtado, University of Edinburgh
The "Apologies": A Textual History — Paul Parvis, University of Edinburgh
A New Text of Justin's "Apologies" — Denis Minns, University of Oxford
Justin's Use of the Old Testament — Oskar Skarsaune, Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology in Oslo
The Gospel of Peter and the Writings of Justin — Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh
Justin, Suicide and Martyrdom — Graham Stanton, University of Cambridge
Part Three: Reading Justin Today
Justin Scholarship: Trends and Trajectories — Michael Slusser, Duquesne University
Justin and the Postcolonial Tradition — J. Rebecca Lyman, University of California at Berkeley
Editors
Paul Foster is Senior Lecture in New Testament Literature, Language, and Theology, and Sara Parvis is Lecturer in Patristics, at the University of Edinburgh School of Divinity.
Order your copy today!
New Volume Reintroduces Justin MartyrJustin—philosopher and Christian martyr, Samaritan, exegete, apologist, and witness to so many of the intellectual and cultural worlds of the later Roman Empire—surprises every generation of scholars anew with the riches he has to offer them. One of the most gifted leaders in the early church, Justin and his writings are one of our richest sources for understanding the developing beliefs, worship, and public perception of Christians in the second century.
The newly released volume Justin Martyr and His Worlds presents a well-rounded portrait of one of the second-century church's most remarkable figures.
Here are studies of Justin's relationship to Judaism, Hellenism, and the Roman state, to philosophers, emperors, and heretics, and to the scriptures and other writings of second-century Judaism and Christianity. A map and timeline of Justin's world, a list of his writings, and a full-color gallery of images complement the work of many leading scholars.
Contents
Introduction: By Sara Parvis and Paul Foster, Editors
Part One: Justin's Worlds
Justin and Judaism — Judith Lieu, King's College, London
Justin and Gnosticism — Christoph Markschies, Humboldt Universität, Berlin
Justin and the Apologetic Tradition — Sara Parvis, University of Edinburgh
Part Two: Justin's Writings and Thought
Jesus as the Name of God in the "Dialogue with Trypho" — Larry W. Hurtado, University of Edinburgh
The "Apologies": A Textual History — Paul Parvis, University of Edinburgh
A New Text of Justin's "Apologies" — Denis Minns, University of Oxford
Justin's Use of the Old Testament — Oskar Skarsaune, Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology in Oslo
The Gospel of Peter and the Writings of Justin — Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh
Justin, Suicide and Martyrdom — Graham Stanton, University of Cambridge
Part Three: Reading Justin Today
Justin Scholarship: Trends and Trajectories — Michael Slusser, Duquesne University
Justin and the Postcolonial Tradition — J. Rebecca Lyman, University of California at Berkeley
Editors
Paul Foster is Senior Lecture in New Testament Literature, Language, and Theology, and Sara Parvis is Lecturer in Patristics, at the University of Edinburgh School of Divinity.
Order your copy today!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
RBL Highlights: 1/8/07
A few highlights from this week's Review of Literature, including a review of Walter Brueggemann by our own Carolyn Sharp:
Russell C. D. Arnold
The Social Role of Liturgy in the Religion of the Qumran Community
Reviewed by Carol A. Newsom
John Sietze Bergsma
The Jubilee from Leviticus to Qumran: A History of Interpretation
Reviewed by Erhard Gerstenberger
Walter Brueggemann
The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah
Reviewed by Carolyn J. Sharp
Catharine Edwards and Greg Woolf, eds.
Rome the Cosmopolis
Reviewed by Jonathan L. Reed
Ulrich Luz; Helmut Koester, ed.; James Crouch, trans.
Matthew 1-7: A Commentary
Reviewed by David Sim
Reviewed by Charles L. Quarles
Ziadé, Raphaëlle
Les martyrs Maccabées: de l'histoire juive au culte chrétien: Les homélies de Grégoire de Nazianze et de Jean Chrysostome
Reviewed by Jan Willem van Henten
Russell C. D. Arnold
The Social Role of Liturgy in the Religion of the Qumran Community
Reviewed by Carol A. Newsom
John Sietze Bergsma
The Jubilee from Leviticus to Qumran: A History of Interpretation
Reviewed by Erhard Gerstenberger
Walter Brueggemann
The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah
Reviewed by Carolyn J. Sharp
Catharine Edwards and Greg Woolf, eds.
Rome the Cosmopolis
Reviewed by Jonathan L. Reed
Ulrich Luz; Helmut Koester, ed.; James Crouch, trans.
Matthew 1-7: A Commentary
Reviewed by David Sim
Reviewed by Charles L. Quarles
Ziadé, Raphaëlle
Les martyrs Maccabées: de l'histoire juive au culte chrétien: Les homélies de Grégoire de Nazianze et de Jean Chrysostome
Reviewed by Jan Willem van Henten
Saturday, January 5, 2008
A Semester's Worth of Work Reduced to Two Links... Sigh...
The usual insanity which accompanies the end of any semester, coupled with the preparation of a number of excruciatingly detailed doctoral applications (almost all of which are now complete, thank goodness), has severely curtailed my posting over the past few weeks. However, thanks to the virtually infinite capacity of the internet, I am able to share something other than mere publication announcements and RBL links: my recent term papers for Sibling Rivalries (Prof. Joel Kaminsky) and Exegesis of Hebrews (Prof. Harry Attridge). If any of you are dying to explore the complex historical and hermeneutical relationship between Jesus and his siblings or the contribution of the Arian/Nicene controversy to the canonization of Hebrews, then these are for you!
As I've mentioned before, your comments are welcome... as long as they're glowing. Otherwise, don't bother. ;-)
Sibling Rivalries-Final Paper
Exegesis of Hebrews-Final Paper
As I've mentioned before, your comments are welcome... as long as they're glowing. Otherwise, don't bother. ;-)
Sibling Rivalries-Final Paper
Exegesis of Hebrews-Final Paper
Friday, January 4, 2008
RBL Highlights: 1/4/07
A few highlights from the most recent Review of Biblical Literature. Although I usually omit reviews of foreign language publications, I've made an exception this week... Ruben Dupertuis, my friend and former professor, has provided an insightful and enjoyable review (well, as enjoyable as any book review can be) of Santiago Guijarro Oporto's Jesús y sus primeros discípulos. I'm tempted to pick up the book, but I'm not sure if my dreadfully rusty Spanish is up to the challenge!
Joseph Blenkinsopp
Opening the Sealed Book: Interpretations of the Book of Isaiah in Late Antiquity
Reviewed by Riemer Roukema
Greg Carey
Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso
A. Andrew Das
Solving the Romans Debate
Reviewed by David J. Downs
Larry W. Hurtado, ed.
The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.
Victor Matthews
Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
Reviewed by Aaron Koller
Santiago Guijarro Oporto
Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis
Guy Waters
The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak
Karen Strand Winslow
Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses' Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman
Joseph Blenkinsopp
Opening the Sealed Book: Interpretations of the Book of Isaiah in Late Antiquity
Reviewed by Riemer Roukema
Greg Carey
Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso
A. Andrew Das
Solving the Romans Debate
Reviewed by David J. Downs
Larry W. Hurtado, ed.
The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.
Victor Matthews
Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
Reviewed by Aaron Koller
Santiago Guijarro Oporto
Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis
Guy Waters
The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak
Karen Strand Winslow
Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses' Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman
New: The Messiah
A not-so-recent announcement from Fortress; this book has been available for a few months. But it's still well worth a look, as it features Yale University's most potent tag team... Profs. John and Adela Collins! Everything you've always wanted to know about early messianism in one handy volume.
Scholars Present Classic Contours of Jewish and Christian Hope
In The Messiah, leading scholars offer succinct and illuminating essays on currents of messianic thought in the formative centuries of Judaism and Christianity, providing precision in thinking about "messianic" images and tradition. Special features designed with the student in mind include a map, a glossary of terms, and a timeline of significant events.
Contents
Introduction Magnus Zetterholm
Part One: Formation
Pre-Christian Jewish Messianism: An Overview
John J. Collins, Yale University
The Messiah as Son of God in the Synoptic Gospels
Professor Adela Yarbro Collins, Yale University
Paul and the Missing Messiah
Magnus Zetterholm, Lund University
Part Two: Development
Elijah and the Messiah as Spokesman of Rabbinic Ideology
Karin Hedner-Zetterholm, Lund University
The Reception of Messianism and the Worship of Christ in the Post-Apostolic Church
Jan-Eric Steppa, Lund University
Magnus Zetterholm is Adjunct Associate Professor in Religious Studies at Linköping University, Sweden.
Scholars Present Classic Contours of Jewish and Christian Hope
In The Messiah, leading scholars offer succinct and illuminating essays on currents of messianic thought in the formative centuries of Judaism and Christianity, providing precision in thinking about "messianic" images and tradition. Special features designed with the student in mind include a map, a glossary of terms, and a timeline of significant events.
Contents
Introduction Magnus Zetterholm
Part One: Formation
Pre-Christian Jewish Messianism: An Overview
John J. Collins, Yale University
The Messiah as Son of God in the Synoptic Gospels
Professor Adela Yarbro Collins, Yale University
Paul and the Missing Messiah
Magnus Zetterholm, Lund University
Part Two: Development
Elijah and the Messiah as Spokesman of Rabbinic Ideology
Karin Hedner-Zetterholm, Lund University
The Reception of Messianism and the Worship of Christ in the Post-Apostolic Church
Jan-Eric Steppa, Lund University
Magnus Zetterholm is Adjunct Associate Professor in Religious Studies at Linköping University, Sweden.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
BAR Highlights: 1/3/08
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Hands Off the Pyramids
Egypt plans to copyright its ancient monuments and artifacts and charge royalties for reproducing them.
Church Restoration
An Iraqi antiquities official is determined to restore a 1,500-year-old church 40 miles southwest of Karbala.
Go West, Young Man
Recent discoveries in the Lybian desert indicate that the area was home to much more ancient Egyptian activity than previously realized.
A Nice Wreck
A well-preserved shipwreck off the Cyprus coast is expected to yield important evidence of trade in the Mediterranean world of the fourth century B.C.
It’s in the Bag
A bag of tools left by a hunter-gatherer in 12,000 B.C. provides a look into life in the Natufian culture of pre-historic Jordan.
Scrolls Go Digital
In a project that could take up to five years, a team at King’s College London will take high-resolution digital photos of the Dead Sea Scrolls and make them available on the internet.
Egyptian Glass
Cardiff University researchers have reconstructed a 14th-century B.C. oven for making glass, showing that glassmaking techniques in ancient Egypt were more advanced than previously recognized.
Hot Items
The recent record-setting sale of an ancient figurine points up the fact that antiquities are considered a strong investment.
Friends, Romans, Londoners
An exhibit features a hoard of late Roman artifacts discovered in the heart of London.
Hands Off the Pyramids
Egypt plans to copyright its ancient monuments and artifacts and charge royalties for reproducing them.
Church Restoration
An Iraqi antiquities official is determined to restore a 1,500-year-old church 40 miles southwest of Karbala.
Go West, Young Man
Recent discoveries in the Lybian desert indicate that the area was home to much more ancient Egyptian activity than previously realized.
A Nice Wreck
A well-preserved shipwreck off the Cyprus coast is expected to yield important evidence of trade in the Mediterranean world of the fourth century B.C.
It’s in the Bag
A bag of tools left by a hunter-gatherer in 12,000 B.C. provides a look into life in the Natufian culture of pre-historic Jordan.
Scrolls Go Digital
In a project that could take up to five years, a team at King’s College London will take high-resolution digital photos of the Dead Sea Scrolls and make them available on the internet.
Egyptian Glass
Cardiff University researchers have reconstructed a 14th-century B.C. oven for making glass, showing that glassmaking techniques in ancient Egypt were more advanced than previously recognized.
Hot Items
The recent record-setting sale of an ancient figurine points up the fact that antiquities are considered a strong investment.
Friends, Romans, Londoners
An exhibit features a hoard of late Roman artifacts discovered in the heart of London.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
ACLA 2008
A few days ago I received a formal notice that my proposal for the upcoming American Comparative Literature Association Annual Meeting (April 24-27, Long Beach, CA) has been approved. In case you're interested (and you should be!), here's the abstract:
The Boy Who Lived (and Died, and Rose Again): The Messianic Matrix of Harry Potter
With worldwide sales in excess of 400 million copies, the Harry Potter heptalogy has quickly become one of the most culturally and commercially significant literary series in the history of the printed word. These remarkable triumphs have not come without controversy. Conservative Christians have repeatedly denounced the series’ apparent espousal of witchcraft and the occult—reactions which undoubtedly contributed to its ranking atop the American Library Association’s “Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century.” However, a critically sensitive reading of the complete Harry Potter cycle reveals startling affinities between its cosmology and that of the New Testament, particularly regarding the often-intertwined elements of eschatology and messianism. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly apparent that both the characters and the world in which they live have entered a tenuous liminal state; Armageddon looms on the horizon. The character of Harry proceeds to emerge as “The Chosen One”—a heroic, salvific figure whose unique nature endows him alone with the ability to successfully resolve this climactic conflict, and thus bring about the transition from a liminal existence to an ideal one. This paper will explore these and other fascinating links between ancient Christian kerygma and modern secular fiction, and also address the significance of their existence in spite of vast chronological, epistemological, and sociocultural gaps.
The Boy Who Lived (and Died, and Rose Again): The Messianic Matrix of Harry Potter
With worldwide sales in excess of 400 million copies, the Harry Potter heptalogy has quickly become one of the most culturally and commercially significant literary series in the history of the printed word. These remarkable triumphs have not come without controversy. Conservative Christians have repeatedly denounced the series’ apparent espousal of witchcraft and the occult—reactions which undoubtedly contributed to its ranking atop the American Library Association’s “Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century.” However, a critically sensitive reading of the complete Harry Potter cycle reveals startling affinities between its cosmology and that of the New Testament, particularly regarding the often-intertwined elements of eschatology and messianism. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly apparent that both the characters and the world in which they live have entered a tenuous liminal state; Armageddon looms on the horizon. The character of Harry proceeds to emerge as “The Chosen One”—a heroic, salvific figure whose unique nature endows him alone with the ability to successfully resolve this climactic conflict, and thus bring about the transition from a liminal existence to an ideal one. This paper will explore these and other fascinating links between ancient Christian kerygma and modern secular fiction, and also address the significance of their existence in spite of vast chronological, epistemological, and sociocultural gaps.
RBL Highlights: 1/1/08
Better late than never... a few highlights from the most recent Review of Biblical Literature. PS... Happy New Year. ;-)
Paul N. Anderson
The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus: Modern Foundations Reconsidered
Reviewed by Edward W. Klink III
Richard Bauckham
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
David E. Garland and Diana R. Garland
Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships
Reviewed by Jason B. Hood
David Goodblatt
Elements of Ancient Jewish Nationalism
Reviewed by W. Dennis Tucker Jr.
Stephen M. Hildebrand
The Trinitarian Theology of Basil of Caesarea: A Synthesis of Greek Thought and Biblical Truth
Reviewed by Mark Weedman
Andrew Lincoln
Hebrews: A Guide
Reviewed by Martin Karrer
John L. Meech
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner
Eileen M. Schuller
The Dead Sea Scrolls: What Have We Learned?
Reviewed by Ian Werrett
Paul N. Anderson
The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus: Modern Foundations Reconsidered
Reviewed by Edward W. Klink III
Richard Bauckham
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
David E. Garland and Diana R. Garland
Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships
Reviewed by Jason B. Hood
David Goodblatt
Elements of Ancient Jewish Nationalism
Reviewed by W. Dennis Tucker Jr.
Stephen M. Hildebrand
The Trinitarian Theology of Basil of Caesarea: A Synthesis of Greek Thought and Biblical Truth
Reviewed by Mark Weedman
Andrew Lincoln
Hebrews: A Guide
Reviewed by Martin Karrer
John L. Meech
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner
Eileen M. Schuller
The Dead Sea Scrolls: What Have We Learned?
Reviewed by Ian Werrett
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