More on the "New Perspective"

Mark Goodacre has helpfully provided a link to Simon Gathercole's recent article on the "New Perspective on Paul," which appeared in the August issue of Christianity Today. I agree with his observation that Gathercole's appended bibliography unfairly neglects the works of E.P. Sanders and James Dunn (particularly Sanders) in favor of those of N.T. Wright. Furthermore, it seems to me that a number of the "Six Tendencies" which Gathercole presents as the New Perspective's shortcomings could be rebutted. But the article is still well worth a read.

The Many Faces of the "New Perspective"

On his blog Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight has composed an excellent series of posts which briefly and accessibly summarize the work of the three most influential pioneers of the "New Perspective on Paul" (E.P. Sanders, James Dunn, and N.T. Wright), and also offer a number of other helpful insights regarding the coherence of the movement, terminology, theology, etc. These were particularly interesting to me, as I spent a good deal of my summer with the various works of these men while preparing and facilitating a four-week study of Paul at my home church in Louisville, Kentucky. Although it's certainly a close call, I would reverse McKnight's rankings of the two most important recent developments in biblical studies (he places historical Jesus studies ahead of the New Perspective, a choice which may be related to the fact that he has written at least one magisterial book on the former subject!). In my mind, the radical reassessment of ancient Judaism which followed in the New Perspective's formidable wake, and the ways in which this reassessment can affect current Jewish-Christian relations, give it a slight edge. Dunn's reading of Paul, in which Judaism is no longer an inherently flawed system of works-righteousness but merely the recipients of a promise which Paul desires to expand, removes much of the traditional boundary between Pauline Christianity and Second Temple Judaism and brings them closer together--a bond which offers their modern descendants a legitimate foundation for dialogue and fellowship. That's pretty exciting to me.

If you have a few minutes, check these posts out!

(NOTE: Just after completing this post, I noticed that McKnight has now added a post which outlines some of the objections to the New Perspective. Keep checking for additional updates!)

BAR Highlights: 8/9/07

More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:

Massive Hadrian
A larger-than-life-sized statue of the emperor Hadrian has been uncovered at Sagalassos in south-central Turkey. The statue was found in part of a bath complex that was built during the emperor’s reign.

Largest Fortress from Pharaonic Egypt Uncovered
A massive fortress dating to the pharaonic period of ancient Egypt has been uncovered at Tell-Huba near the Suez Canal. Archaeologists found graves of soldiers, horses and remnants of a water-filled moat.

Beyond the Fertile Crescent
Archaeologists are showing that civilization emerged about 5,000 years ago not only along the Euphrates River, but also along an arc from the Russian steppes through Iran and into the Arabian Peninsula.

A Tour of the Jewish Quarter
A news site in Israel describes the sumptuous Herodian remains at the Wohl Archaeological Museum in Jerusalem. Also on the site is a brief video tour of the museum.

Faith and Scholarship...

In a post on his self-titled blog, Dr. Claude Mariottini responds to criticisms of his earlier claim that in terms of biblical hermeneutics, "believers" are inherently superior to "atheists." Mariottini correctly observes that atheism cannot pass the "outsider test": it cannot scientifically prove that God does not exist, anymore than Christianity (or any other religion, for that matter) can scientifically prove otherwise. This fact is recognized by more erudite atheist commentators such as Richard Dawkins, but often overlooked or ignored by others.

However, a number of other points are extremely problematic--at least in my view. First and foremost, how does one define the term "believer"? Are Jews included within this category? Mariottini does not explicitly address this question, as he is principally concerned with the battle between Christianity and atheism. He does state that the distinction between Christian exegetes and their atheist counterparts is that the former "read the Bible from a historical, sociological, linguistic perspective, but also from the perspective of faith and religion." Under those criteria, Jewish scholars would certainly qualify, at least as far as Hebrew Bible studies are concerned. But even if these are included, the fact remains that a number of Jewish scholars have turned their attentions to the world of the New Testament, with fruitful results. Samuel Sandmel and Amy-Jill Levine immediately come to mind. Should their efforts be discarded because, in Mariottini's words, they cannot "say 'Christ lives in me'" or "understand fully what it means to be saved by grace"? Having recently read and enjoyed Levine's The Misunderstood Jew, I would respond in the negative.

Furthermore, Mariottini's argument that faith provides intrinsic exegetical superiority is largely incompatible with the last century of mainstream biblical scholarship, which has encouraged a more critical, scientific approach. A number of significant developments have occurred as direct results of this shift, including the reevaluation of key texts in light of extrabiblical historical and archaeological findings and the advent of ecumenical research efforts. A return to faith-based scholarship would likely undermine these developments. While Mariottini may believe that atheists are at a disadvantage because "they approach the Bible with false assumptions" such as the belief that there is no God, the actual veracity of those assumptions remains beyond the scope of human epistemology. Neither the atheist nor the believer can produce evidence which irrefutably verifies his or her claims. In their own ways, they are both matters of faith... and members of both camps must recognize and respect this.

Ultimately, it seems that the validity of Mariottini's arguments rests with one's understanding of the relationship between faith and scholarship--specifically, whether the two must go hand in hand. Anyone who feels that the discipline is and should be dedicated to Christian apologetics will likely be attracted to his position. On the other hand, anyone who feels that it is a primarily critical enterprise--capable of being strengthened by faith, but not simply operating on its behalf--will likely dissent. Personally, I believe that it is quite possible to be a person of faith and a critical scholar, and to use the results of the latter to strengthen the former. Also, I feel that it is possible to learn a great deal from critical scholars who represent faith commitments other than my own. Both of these beliefs certainly reflect my experience at Yale. Nevertheless, I realize that others will hold different views. Shall we agree to disagree?

Hidden Images in Da Vinci's Last Supper?

Just when you thought it was safe to put away your copy of The Da Vinci Code:

New "Last Supper" theory crashes Web sites
A new theory that Leonardo's "Last Supper" might hide within it a depiction
of Christ blessing the bread and wine has triggered so much interest that
Web sites connected to the picture have crashed.

BAR Highlights: 8/5/07

More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:

Ancient Mariners
Researchers on the coast of Cyprus have discovered tools used by seamen as far back as 10,000 years ago.

Getty to Return 40 Objects to Italy
Facing an embargo from Italy, the Getty Museum has agreed to return 40 ancient objects that the nation claims were looted from within its borders. Among the objects is one of the Getty’s best-known holdings, a statue thought to represent the goddess Aphrodite.

Exploring Galilee Hideouts
A doctoral student is investigating caves near the Sea of Galilee that may have served as rebel hideouts in the Great Revolt against Rome (for a photo, click here).

Iraq to Renovate Prophet’s Tomb
The traditional site of the burial place of the Prophet Nahum and the synagogue of which it is a part, located about 25 miles north of Mosul, are slated to be renovated next year. Nahum is recognized as a prophet in the Jewish and Christian traditions and in Sunni and Shiite Islam.

Model Soldiers
Researchers say a virtual model of Qumran, the site near where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, shows that the settlement was originally built for warriors.

Egypt in the News
Several items from the land of the Pharaohs: Excavators have announced the discovery of the largest fort yet found from the pharaonic era and of underwater remains of the city at Alexandria from seven centuries before Alexander the Great established his city. And a British researcher suggests that a wooden toe on a mummy is the world’s oldest prosthetic device.

NT Markdowns From Dove

A few tempting NT markdowns from Dove... and if you order before August 18, every five titles that you order earns a sixth title free!

I feel compelled to add that I'm not receiving any kind of compensation for these plugs... I simply get occasional e-mail newsletters from Dove, and enjoy passing the savings on to you. ;-)
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Ashton, John
THE RELIGION OF PAUL THE APOSTLE
(Yale University Press, 2000)
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Attridge, Harold, and Gohei Hata (eds)
EUSEBIUS, CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM
(Wayne State University Prhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifess, 1992)
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Beker, J Christiaan
HEIRS OF PAUL: PAUL'S LEGACY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND IN THE CHURCH TODAY
(Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1997)
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Brown, Michael Joseph
THE LORD'S PRAYER THROUGH NORTH AFRICAN EYES: A WINDOW INTO EARLY CHRISTIANITY
(T & T Clark International, 2004)
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Chilton, Bruce, and Craig A Evans (eds)
AUTHENTICATING THE ACTIVITIES OF JESUS
(Brill, 2002)
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Chilton, Bruce, and Craig A Evans (eds)
AUTHENTICATING THE WORDS OF JESUS
(Brill, 2002)
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Cohen, Shaye J D
JOSEPHUS IN GALILEE AND ROME: HIS VITA AND DEVELOPMENT AS A HISTORIAN
(Brill, 2002)
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Davies, W D
CHRISTIAN ENGAGEMENTS WITH JUDAISM
(Trinity Press International, 1999)
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Fitzmyer SJ, Joseph A
TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL: NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
(Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1998)
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Freyne, Sean
GALILEE AND GOSPEL
(Brill, 2002)
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Garcia-Martinez, Florentino, and Eibert J C Tigchelaar
DEAD SEA SCROLLS STUDY EDITION, 2 VOLUMES
(Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1999)
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Horsley, Richard A
SOCIOLOGY AND THE JESUS MOVEMENT
(Continuum International Pub Inc, 1994)
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Magness, Jodi
ARCHAEOLOGY OF QUMRAN AND THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
(Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 2003)
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Sherwin-White, A N
ROMAN SOCIETY AND ROMAN LAW IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
(Oxford University Press, 2000)
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New: John H. Elliott on 1 Peter

A new publication announcement from Wipf and Stock Publishers:

Conflict, Community, and Honor: 1 Peter in Social-Scientific Perspective
by John H. Elliott

“The book is an excellent introduction to Prof. Elliott’s seminal work in applying social-scientific analysis of this New Testament writing, and will richly reward its careful reader.”
—Paul J. Achtemeier, author of 1 Peter (Hermeneia)

“This... reading reveals the letter in its own context, in such a way that we can appropriate its message and values into our own.”
—Carolyn Osiek, co-author of A Woman’s Place: House Churches in Earliest Christianity

“Here, as elsewhere, Elliott expertly joins the findings of social-scientific research with the insights of literary and theological analysis to clarify the ‘good news’ that is proclaimed in this often-overlooked New Testament writing.”
—Victor Paul Furnish, author of The Moral Teaching of Paul

John H. Elliott is Professor of New Testament Emeritus at the University of San Francisco. Among his numerous publications are The Elect and Holy, A Home for the Homeless, What Is Social-Scientific Criticism?, and 1 Peter (Anchor Bible).