Davies, Philip R
Memories of Ancient Israel: An Introduction to Biblical History-Ancient and Modern
(Westminster John Knox, 2008)
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Recent years have seen an explosion of writing on the history of Israel, prompted largely by definitive archaeological surveys and attempts to write a genuine archaeological history of ancient Israel and Judah. The scholarly world has also witnessed an intense confrontation between so-called minimalists and maximalists over the correct approach to the historicity of the Bible. Memories of Ancient Israel looks at the issues at stake in doing biblical historythe ideologies involved, the changing role of archaeology, and the influence of cultural contexts, both ancient and modern. Davies suggests a different way of defining the problem of reliability and historicity by employing the theory of cultural memory. In doing so, he provides a better explanation of how ancient societies constructed their past but also a penetrating insight into the ideological underpinnings of today's scholarly debates.
Gravett, Sandra L Karla G. Bohmbach, F.V. Greifenhagen, Donald C. Polaski
Introduction to The Hebrew Bible: A Thematic Approach
(Westminster John Knox, 2008)
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This pedagogically astute introduction to the Hebrew Bible is designed specifically for undergraduates. It begins with the most basic questions: from where and when did the Hebrew Bible originate, how was it written, and how did people read it? And in focusing on the fundamental question of the canon "Who are we,"it first gives much attention to the issues of identity, especially in contexts of family, gender, ethnicity, and class. Then it explores how the ancient Israelites organized themselves in terms of power and state, and finally delineates the larger questions of God and ideology within the canon. The result is a flow of topics that yields a textbook more in line with other studies of ancient literature and culture. Without ignoring the religious function of the Hebrew Bible, it instead presents religion as a part of every aspect of existence. Through art, photography, literature, and popular culture, this text vibrantly presents the concepts of the Hebrew Bible and offers a companion Web site for teachers, with tests and other pedagogical aids.
Horsley, Richard A (ed)
In The Shadow of Empire: Reclaiming The Bible as a History of Faithful Resistance
(Westminster John Knox, 2008)
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The Bible tells the stories of many empires. And many are still considered some of the largest of the ancient and classical world: the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and finally the Romans. In this provocative book, eight experts bring a critical analysis of these world empires in the background of the Old and New Testaments. As they explain, the Bible developed against the context of these empires, providing concrete meaning to the countercultural claims of Jews and Christians that their God was the true King, the real Emperor. Each chapter describes how to read the Bible as a reaction to empire and points to how to respond to the biblical message to resist imperial powers in every age.
Kessler, Rainer Linda M. Maloney (trans)
Social History of Ancient Israel: An Introduction
(Augsburg Fortress, 2008)
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Histories of ancient Israel have usually focused attention on major figures in powerful positions: kings, prophets, and patriarchs. Kessler asks about the larger social patterns that shaped the everyday life of ordinary people, from the emergence of Israel in the hills of Canaan, to the Jewish populations of Greek city-states in the Hellenistic age. The introductory section includes discussion of social history as discipline and as method, event history and the "long haul," the representation of social history, and the history of research. Two other sections explore the methods of the social history of Israel and the epochs of Israel's social history, including discussions of environment as living space, Israel's emergence as a kinship-based society, exile and its consequences, and more. Includes a time line, glossary of terms, maps and illustrations.
Lemche, Niels Peter
Old Testament between Theology and History: A Critical Survey
(Westminster John Knox, 2008)
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From its inception at the time of the Enlightenment until the mid-twentieth century, the historical-critical method constituted the dominant paradigm in Old Testament studies. In this magisterial overview, Niels Peter Lemche surveys the development of the historical-critical method and the way it changed the scholarly perception of the Old Testament. In part 1 he describes the rise and influence of historical-critical approaches, while in part 2 he traces their decline and fall. Then, in part 3, he discusses the identity of the authors of the Old Testament, based on the content of the literature they wrote, demonstrating that the collapse of history does not preclude critical study. Part 4 investigates the theological consequences of this collapse and surveys Old Testament and biblical theology in its various manifestations in the twentieth century. An appendix includes a history of Palestine from the Stone Age to modern times, constructed without recourse to the Old Testament.
Maier, Christl M
Daughter Zion, Mother Zion: Gender, Space, and the Sacred in Ancient Israel
(Augsburg Fortress, 2008)
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In this innovative and important work Christl M. Maier argues that the way Israelites in the exilic and post-exilic periods spoke of Jerusalem as gendered space ? a "female" city ? helps us trace reactions to the crisis of exile and the emergence of a new national-religious identity. Taking up the Zion tradition in Isaiah of Jerusalem, Jeremiah, Hosea, Ezekiel, and Lamentations, Maier explores motifs of Jerusalem as mother, daughter, bride, whore, and injured victim. Her interpretation of gendered metaphors also helps us understand contemporary political and religious constructions of gender and political power.
Martin, Dale B
Pedagogy of the Bible: An Analysis and Proposal
(Westminster John Knox, 2008)
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For generations, most seminary teaching of the Bible has focused on the historical-critical method. While this method has been the assumption in almost every seminary curriculum, the actual effects of this approach to Scripture have hardly been examined. From studying the biblical studies courses at ten different seminaries and divinity schools, Dale Martin learned what faculties were doing and what students were hearing. This book presents his discoveries, offering the best-ever inside look into the teaching of the Bible for ministry. Going beyond mere description, Martin argues for a new emphasis on interpreting Scripture within the context of church history and theology. Such a reading would be more theological, more integrated into the whole theological curriculum, and more theoretical (as it would focus on whats at stake in interpretation); however, Martin surprisingly argues, it would be more practical at the same time.
McCready, Wayne O
Common Judaism: Explorations in Second-Temple Judaism
(Augsburg Fortress, 2008)
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Two decades after the publication of E. P. Sanders's monumental Judaism: Practice and Belief inaugurated vigorous debates about the extent and significance of commonality and diversity in ancient Judaism, Common Judaism gathers a host of scholars to present the state of our understanding of what was common ground in Second-Temple Judaism. By examining the tensions between a "common Judaism" and local settings, partisan Judaism, and the influence of Hellenism, these essays set contemporary discussion on a secure footing. An important resource for scholars and students alike, the contributors include: Lee L. Levine, Susan Haber, Daniel Poxon, David Miller, Eliezer Segal, and many more. Including an introductory essay by E.P. Sanders, this should become a standard reference work in the fields of early Judaism and New Testament studies.
O'Brien, Julia M
Challenging Prophetic Metaphor: Theology and Ideology in the Prophets
(Westminster John Knox, 2008)
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The prophets of the Old Testament use a wide variety of metaphors to describe God and to portray how to understand people in relation to God. Some of these metaphors are familiar and soothing; others are unfamiliar and confusing. Still others portray God in ways that are difficult and uncomfortableGod as abusive husband, for instance, or as neglectful father. Julia OBrien searches the prophetic books for these metaphors, looking for ways that the different images intersect and build off each other. When confronted with disturbing metaphors, she deals with them unflinchingly, providing a sharp critique and evaluation of the interpretations of these metaphors for God. Giving particular attention to the possible uses of these metaphors in the church todayfor good or illOBrien listens to the fullness of the prophetic messages and points us toward new ways to read these theological metaphors for a just faith today.
Perdue, Leo G
Wisdom Literature: A Theological History
(Westminster John Knox, 2007)
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The Old Testament's wisdom literature offers one of the most intriguing collections of biblical books (Proverbs, Job, the Psalms about Torah and wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Qoheleth, Ben Sira, and the Wisdom of Solomon). In this magisterial textbook, preeminent wisdom scholar Leo G. Perdue sets each book of wisdom in its historical context, examining the conditions that produced the book and shaped its thinking. This allows him to show how wisdom thought changed over time in response to shifting historical and social conditions. Not only analyzing the historical setting of wisdom, Perdue discerns the theological themes and theological developments within this rich literature.
Sawyer, John F A
Concise Dictionary of the Bible and Its Reception
(Westminster John Knox, 2009)
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This dictionary not only identifies terms and biblical figures but examines them from the perspective of "reception history"-the history of the Bible's effect on its readers. Biblical books, passages, and characters certainly played important roles in the history of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but they also influenced other religious traditions, preachers, writers, poets, artists, and filmmakers. The study of such cultural effects of the Bible is an emerging field, and this work promises to open new avenues of exploration.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
New From Fortress/WJK: Good Stuff
A recent announcement from Dove (which is currently offering these titles at various discounts). There are a number of good-looking books here; I'm particularly interested in Dale Martin's take on biblical pedagogy, which I plan to read before teaching the subject again.
Another Dove Sale: Used Books 50% Off
The sale ends March 14. The available titles may be viewed by subject here.
No More Manuscripts?
The astute folks at Evangelical Textual Criticism note that the original announcement of the discovery of several new New Testament manuscripts at the Benaki Museum has been removed. Hopefully we'll see some additional information in the next few days.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Reflections on Racism
John Hobbins of Ancient Hebrew Poetry recently defined "a racist pig" as:
Furthermore,
I certainly agree that the majority of racist opinions and acts involve the marginalization and subjugation of members of smaller groups, but these are not the limits of racism. It's a truly multifaceted threat, rearing its ugly head whenever any individual embraces and/or perpetuates a negative stereotype against another. Also, while the type of latent, patronizing attitude John describes is undeniably hurtful and problematic, I'm not sure that it's emblematic of "the worst kind of racist." Members of this ignominious category use their biases as the basis for the infliction of more tangible persecution and pain upon others. I remember reading, as a shocked high school student, of the horrible murder of James Byrd, Jr. by three white supremacists in 1998. Those men, and others like them, are the worst kinds of racists.
[S]omeone who, regardless of intentions involved, exploits culturally sanctioned beliefs to put down and denigrate someone who belongs to a minority.
Furthermore,
The worst kind of racist I know of: the one that says, because you don’t fit my stereotype of what an X is, I will compliment you by saying that you are not at all like what an X is. Rather, you are just like me, don’t you know.
I certainly agree that the majority of racist opinions and acts involve the marginalization and subjugation of members of smaller groups, but these are not the limits of racism. It's a truly multifaceted threat, rearing its ugly head whenever any individual embraces and/or perpetuates a negative stereotype against another. Also, while the type of latent, patronizing attitude John describes is undeniably hurtful and problematic, I'm not sure that it's emblematic of "the worst kind of racist." Members of this ignominious category use their biases as the basis for the infliction of more tangible persecution and pain upon others. I remember reading, as a shocked high school student, of the horrible murder of James Byrd, Jr. by three white supremacists in 1998. Those men, and others like them, are the worst kinds of racists.
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Text of the NT: 95% Reliable?
While browsing the Accordance Forums, a perennially helpful and worthwhile series of discussion boards dedicated to the workings of Accordance Bible Software, I noticed an interesting post which included the following:
Similar comparative capabilities are available in Accordance, and within seconds (thanks to the extreme ease of the program's powerful interface) I was looking at a complete list of discrepancies between the editions mentioned above. Some were simply matters of punctuation or capitalization between the electronic texts, but many others were more substantive. However, I'm not particularly interested in an investigation of the accuracy of White's claims. Instead I was reminded of an article by Helmut Koester in which he argued that the most fluid period in the life of any text is the first century after its composition--and of course, we have virtually no New Testament manuscripts which belong to this category (the exceptions being a few fragmentary papyri). Matthew J. Bruccoli explores a modern illustration of this point in his collation of a number of variants in early printings of Sinclair Lewis' Babbitt, all of which appeared mere months after the novel's initial publication in September 1922:
It's certainly something worth thinking about...
I am listening this afternoon to a debate between Dr. Bart Ehrman and Dr. James White from Jan 2009. Dr. White claims that even the most "extreme" traditions (such as the Westcott-Hort manuscript vs the Textus Receptus) agree in 95% of the variants, that we can be confident in 95% of the text of the New Testament. Dr. White said in his talk that "you can do a search with Bibleworks" that proves his point.
Similar comparative capabilities are available in Accordance, and within seconds (thanks to the extreme ease of the program's powerful interface) I was looking at a complete list of discrepancies between the editions mentioned above. Some were simply matters of punctuation or capitalization between the electronic texts, but many others were more substantive. However, I'm not particularly interested in an investigation of the accuracy of White's claims. Instead I was reminded of an article by Helmut Koester in which he argued that the most fluid period in the life of any text is the first century after its composition--and of course, we have virtually no New Testament manuscripts which belong to this category (the exceptions being a few fragmentary papyri). Matthew J. Bruccoli explores a modern illustration of this point in his collation of a number of variants in early printings of Sinclair Lewis' Babbitt, all of which appeared mere months after the novel's initial publication in September 1922:
It's certainly something worth thinking about...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Joys (Read: Horrors) of Transcription
This semester I'm taking a course on textual criticism and scholarly editing with Prof. David Vander Meulen, a member of UVA's acclaimed English department. It's been a great opportunity to spend some time outside my own discipline, and to study one of my particular passions (textual criticism) from a completely different perspective. This week Prof. Vander Meulen asked us to transcribe two brief selections from the notebooks of Robert Frost. These notebooks (some of which are archived here in Charlottesville) were recently edited by Robert Faggen and published by Harvard University Press, in an edition which has received sharp criticism due to the alleged presence of thousands of transcription errors. A thorough article on the controversy from last year's New York Times is available here.
Take a look at the images below and see what you think. I'm pretty sure that both Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus are more legible than this cramped scrawl! ;-)
Take a look at the images below and see what you think. I'm pretty sure that both Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus are more legible than this cramped scrawl! ;-)
Forthcoming from T & T Clark: New LNTS Titles
A recent announcement on The T & T Clark Blog:
New Books for the LNTS Series
Customers in the UK please click here
Customers in the US please click here
Paul and Epictetus on Law, Structuring Early Christian Memory, A Former Jew and Reading Ephesians are four new titles which have just been put into production and will be available in Autumn 2009.
Niko Huttunen’s Paul and Epictetus on Law: A Comparison presents a fascinating discussion on differences and similarities in teaching of law that come from Paul and Epictetus. Can Epictetus’ teachings of law be compared with those of Paul? Should these be firmly categorized as Stoic (Epictetus) or Christian (Paul) or one may hope to find some correlations between these teachings? In this book Niko Huttunen tackles all these issues and offers new observations.
In Structuring Early Christian Memory: Jesus in Tradition, Performance Rafael Rodriguez embarks upon how social memory research has obscured the relationship between past and present in New Testament studies. This captivating debate focuses on the figure of Jesus, a ‘historical Jesus’, and Rodriguez formulates many interesting observations in his quest to find whether it is possible to clearly separate ‘authentic’ from ‘inauthentic’ traditions.
Love L. Sechrest’s volume titled A Former Jew: Paul and the Dialectics of Race is another new volume that concentrates on Paul, although this time focusing more upon the apostle’s Christianity. Sechrest describes Pauline Christianity as a nascent ancient racial group and bases her discussion on Jewish understanding of race in Second Temple Judaism.
Reading Ephesians: Exploring Social Entrepreneurship in the Text, by Minna Shkul, explores how Ephesians connects in social entrepreneurship, a process that has shaped the emergence of Christian Identity. Shkul’s intriguing discussion stands against the widely assumed theological presupposition that something was wrong with the Judaism practised at the time, but rather focuses upon the divine ‘legitimating’ of the Christian group and its culture.
These books will be available in October 2009 in the UK and in December 2009 in the US.
Bart Ehrman: The Most Successful Brand in Biblical Studies
No sooner did his name grace this blog than he appears on NPR's Fresh Air to discuss his latest book. The complete interview, and a brief excerpt, are available here. Thanks to Jim West for making this available, and for informing me that he did a nice job so that I don't have to actually listen to it. ;-)
Pondering the Lukan Jesus
Richard Anderson, who focuses primarily on the text and themes of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, describes the Lukan Jesus as the "Messiah of Peace":
Luke's preoccupation with peace is certainly a noteworthy observation, but the conjecture that "[a] humble king riding on a donkey with an army carrying psalms is not a threat to Pax Romana," with its implicit corollary that Roman provincial officials would have been willing or able to differentiate between the peaceful demonstrations of a jubilant crowd and the zealous declarations of a nationalistic mob, seems somewhat dubious. Josephus' account of the swift execution of the messianic pretender Theudas and many of his followers after their symbolic journey to the Jordan (Antiq. 20.97-28) suggests that almost any large gathering whose actions could be viewed in an incendiary or revolutionary context was subject to reprisal. Whether the triumphal entry was intended to be such a gathering is an open question, but it seems likely that the authorities would have viewed it as such--at least if it were as dramatic as the gospels suggest.
It might also be noted that the Lukan Jesus flatly denies that he comes bearing earthly peace on at least one occasion: "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" (δοκεῖτε ὅτι εἰρήνην παρεγενόμην δοῦναι ἐν τῇ γῇ; οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ διαμερισμόν; Luke 12:51, the parallel of the Matthean Jesus' promise that "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword").
At the birth of Jesus, the chorus of angels are singing peace and when Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey the chorus is singing “Blessed is the king that cometh in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” This was a different kind of victory procession. A humble king riding on a donkey with an army carrying psalms is not a threat to Pax Romana.
Luke's preoccupation with peace is certainly a noteworthy observation, but the conjecture that "[a] humble king riding on a donkey with an army carrying psalms is not a threat to Pax Romana," with its implicit corollary that Roman provincial officials would have been willing or able to differentiate between the peaceful demonstrations of a jubilant crowd and the zealous declarations of a nationalistic mob, seems somewhat dubious. Josephus' account of the swift execution of the messianic pretender Theudas and many of his followers after their symbolic journey to the Jordan (Antiq. 20.97-28) suggests that almost any large gathering whose actions could be viewed in an incendiary or revolutionary context was subject to reprisal. Whether the triumphal entry was intended to be such a gathering is an open question, but it seems likely that the authorities would have viewed it as such--at least if it were as dramatic as the gospels suggest.
It might also be noted that the Lukan Jesus flatly denies that he comes bearing earthly peace on at least one occasion: "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" (δοκεῖτε ὅτι εἰρήνην παρεγενόμην δοῦναι ἐν τῇ γῇ; οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ διαμερισμόν; Luke 12:51, the parallel of the Matthean Jesus' promise that "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword").
More Manuscripts!
Parchment and Pen relates an announcement that a team led by Daniel Wallace has identified seven previously unknown New Testament manuscripts at the Benaki Museum in Greece. Hopefully additional details regarding the date, contents, and other features of these finds will be forthcoming.
Monday, March 2, 2009
White v. Ehrman
Nick Norelli, diligent gatekeeper of the biblioblog world, directed me to this post in which James White virulently criticizes Bart Ehrman's Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them). Several statements were particularly striking to me:
I agree with Nick on this point, who rightly suggests (in the title of his post) that the unassuming academicians who blithely accept all of Ehrman's conclusions as objective gospel are a nonexistent category. Or, as Mike Aubrey stated in his comment on Nick's post, "I think the academy is quite well aware that there isn’t such thing as an unbiased scholar period." All of us--believers and nonbelievers, scholars, clergy, and congregants alike--possess inherent biases which affect each and every critical question we approach.
While I haven't read Ehrman's latest book (his publishing prowess far outstrips my meager free time), I have read a large amount of his work, including text-critical monographs and articles not normally read by the general public. Sometimes I agree with him and sometimes I don't. But I admire the way in which he digests and analyzes the extant evidence, and I certainly don't think that his principal goal is to destroy the Christian faith. Personally, I suspect his chief aim is financial and popular success; as one of my undergraduate professors once observed, "A lot of scholars hate Ehrman, but it's mostly because he's making money hand over fist." This argument is supported by the fact that many of his books are strikingly similar to one another in both style and content, and are designed to appeal to a more popular market that will support higher sales and prestige. But this doesn't make them salvos against the Christian faith, merely alternative readings of the available evidence. Ehrman may occasionally play upon the emotions of his readers in order to make the New Tork Times bestseller list, but his critics are almost always guilty of the same crime.
This seems to be a deliberately provocative comment designed to inflame the passions of the reader rather than contribute to a sober, rational refutation of the ideas and contents of the book in question. Ehrman is not, has never been, and has never claimed to be an Islamic scholar. Any caution or outright refusal to apply his conclusions to a field of study in which he has no specialized knowledge should be viewed as academic restraint--an academic restraint which many scholars, commentators, and critics should practice more often.
[T]he real issue is, does this book finally signal the end of Ehrman's "I'm not a theologian, I'm just a high-brow scholar so I cannot be held accountable for all the theological pronouncements I make" excuse making? Will those in the "academy" finally see his real intentions, and start to recognize his bias?
I agree with Nick on this point, who rightly suggests (in the title of his post) that the unassuming academicians who blithely accept all of Ehrman's conclusions as objective gospel are a nonexistent category. Or, as Mike Aubrey stated in his comment on Nick's post, "I think the academy is quite well aware that there isn’t such thing as an unbiased scholar period." All of us--believers and nonbelievers, scholars, clergy, and congregants alike--possess inherent biases which affect each and every critical question we approach.
He [Ehrman] has moved far beyond the realm of his narrow expertise in his last three most popular books, all of which are designed to do one thing: destroy Christian faith.
While I haven't read Ehrman's latest book (his publishing prowess far outstrips my meager free time), I have read a large amount of his work, including text-critical monographs and articles not normally read by the general public. Sometimes I agree with him and sometimes I don't. But I admire the way in which he digests and analyzes the extant evidence, and I certainly don't think that his principal goal is to destroy the Christian faith. Personally, I suspect his chief aim is financial and popular success; as one of my undergraduate professors once observed, "A lot of scholars hate Ehrman, but it's mostly because he's making money hand over fist." This argument is supported by the fact that many of his books are strikingly similar to one another in both style and content, and are designed to appeal to a more popular market that will support higher sales and prestige. But this doesn't make them salvos against the Christian faith, merely alternative readings of the available evidence. Ehrman may occasionally play upon the emotions of his readers in order to make the New Tork Times bestseller list, but his critics are almost always guilty of the same crime.
I might note that the quote above would be just as applicable to the Islamic view of the fire as well. Just don't ask Bart about that. As he begins his rounds on NPR, do you think someone will ask him, "So, you are saying Allah in the Qur'an is a never-dying eternal divine Nazi?" Yeah, probably not.
This seems to be a deliberately provocative comment designed to inflame the passions of the reader rather than contribute to a sober, rational refutation of the ideas and contents of the book in question. Ehrman is not, has never been, and has never claimed to be an Islamic scholar. Any caution or outright refusal to apply his conclusions to a field of study in which he has no specialized knowledge should be viewed as academic restraint--an academic restraint which many scholars, commentators, and critics should practice more often.
Spring Break, Part I: Clement of Alexandria on Martyrdom
One of my goals for the spring break (which, incidentally, seems to have come a little early this year, especially given the snow flurries currently swirling outside my window) is to make some significant progress on my research project for Prof. Judy Kovacs' seminar on the life and writings of Clement of Alexandria. I'm presently examining his views on martyrdom, particularly those given in Book IV of the Stromateis, and exploring whether they were influenced by martyrological acta circulating throughout north Africa and the rest of the empire during this period. Initially I was concerned with exclusively Christian writings such as the Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, but recently I've wondered whether Clement could have read Greco-Roman texts such as the collection variously titled as the Acts of the Alexandrian Martyrs or the Acts of the Pagan Martyrs. His status among the most widely read authors of the early Christian world makes such a hypothesis possible; now if only I can find something more concrete...
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
Sex and the Church I: The Theology of Sexuality
The first installment of an online series on sexuality prepared by the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church is now available:
The author, Traci C. West, is Professor of Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ, and is also ordained in the UMC.
The theology of sexuality: How to develop open Christian discussions
The author, Traci C. West, is Professor of Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School in Madison, NJ, and is also ordained in the UMC.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
The Grades Are In...
For the past several days, Anna Blanch has undertaken the monolithic task of briefly reviewing every blog featured among christiancolleges.com's 100 Top Theology Blogs. Here's what she had to say about yours truly:
Overall, I consider this to be a pretty fair assessment (although I don't see a significant size difference between my font and Anna's, and as Nick Norelli so sagaciously pointed out to me, it's often better to write fewer posts of higher quality than to produce a plethora of drivel... not that I encounter any drivel in the biblioblog world!). One of my recent academic resolutions has been to increase my attention to and involvement in the blogosphere, including additional postings. There's a lot to be learned from this dynamic community, and scholars who are unwilling or unable to avail themselves of it are missing out on a vital resource. As for the resolution, so far, so good... I'm on pace to write more posts this year than ever before! And I will certainly do my best to implement Anna's "constructive encouragement"... although as any current or former doctoral student is aware, what I really need are a few more hours in the day. ;-)
Confessions of a Bible Junkie: A scholarly biblical studies blog. Matthew Burgess (MA - Religion (Yale)) is a current doctoral student in the Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity program at the University of Virginia. Once again, this blog is incorrectly categorized as "writings" and would be better classified as Academic. He often links to the Review of Biblical Literature and the SBL (Society of Biblical Literature) Forum monthly along with biblioblogs carnivals. Design-wise, my only criticism is that the size of the font is a little on the small side. I'd like to see some more original content from Burgess (that's the reason for the B grade) [this is meant as constructive encouragement] although he does link to .pdf's of his own papers and research.
Making the Grade:
Scope - B+
Quality - B
Theological Leanings - ?
Overall, I consider this to be a pretty fair assessment (although I don't see a significant size difference between my font and Anna's, and as Nick Norelli so sagaciously pointed out to me, it's often better to write fewer posts of higher quality than to produce a plethora of drivel... not that I encounter any drivel in the biblioblog world!). One of my recent academic resolutions has been to increase my attention to and involvement in the blogosphere, including additional postings. There's a lot to be learned from this dynamic community, and scholars who are unwilling or unable to avail themselves of it are missing out on a vital resource. As for the resolution, so far, so good... I'm on pace to write more posts this year than ever before! And I will certainly do my best to implement Anna's "constructive encouragement"... although as any current or former doctoral student is aware, what I really need are a few more hours in the day. ;-)
February/March SBL Forum
The latest from the SBL Forum:
This month on The SBL Forum:
Love Turns into Hate: The Rape of Tamar (2 Sam 13:1–22) in Baroque Art
Sara Kipfer
Know*Be*Do: Using the Bible to Teach Ethics to Children
Valerie A. Stein
"They’ve Given You a Number and Taken Away Your Name": Gnostic Themes in The Prisoner, Television’s Ultimate Cult Classic”
Mark Holwager and Valarie Ziegler
The City as Salvific Space: Heterotopic Place and Environmental Ethics in the New Jerusalem )
Thomas W. Martin
PLUS! Essential links to articles and news items of interest and much more!
Textual Criticism Meets Star Trek
Thanks to the guys at Biblical Studies and Technological Tools for introducing me to the Open Scriptures Manuscript Comparator, a remarkable (and free!) online program which allows the interested user to instantaneously compare the readings of a number of critical editions of the Greek New Testament (including UBS 4, N-A 27, Westcott-Hort, Tischendorf, and the Textus Receptus). I've added it to the list of "Related Links" for future reference. Here's the Comparator's presentation of the opening verses of Luke 4:
The introduction to the program hints that New Testament manuscripts themselves will eventually be added to the list of texts available for comparison--which will dramatically increase its value to textual critics. An easy and intuitive way to compare and view disparate readings of Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Bezae, and the principal papyri, for example, would be absolutely groundbreaking. But in the meantime, I'm happy to make use of the existing features. Check it out!
The introduction to the program hints that New Testament manuscripts themselves will eventually be added to the list of texts available for comparison--which will dramatically increase its value to textual critics. An easy and intuitive way to compare and view disparate readings of Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Bezae, and the principal papyri, for example, would be absolutely groundbreaking. But in the meantime, I'm happy to make use of the existing features. Check it out!
"Storahtelling"?
My father recommended that the Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity program at UVA adopt this pedagogical approach over its current Hebrew Bible requirements.
Somehow I don't think Liz Alexander will go for it. ;-)
Somehow I don't think Liz Alexander will go for it. ;-)
A new twist for the ancient Torah
Ritual Torah storytelling goes back thousands of years, but a local synagogue is bringing in a group of traveling performers to help bring it up to date. In an effort to inject added life into what can sometimes be a routine reading of Torah verses during morning services, this weekend Keneseth Israel Synagogue is holding "Storahtelling" events that will combine traditional Torah readings with modern theater.
Friday, February 27, 2009
OUP Sale at Dove
Some of these titles look pretty good (alright, a lot of these titles look pretty good):
Ashton, John
Understanding the Fourth Gospel
(Oxford University Press, 2007)
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Bryan, Christopher
Render to Caesar: Jesus, the Early Church, and the Roman Superpower
(Oxford University Press, 2005)
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Conway, Colleen M
Behold the Man: Jesus and Greco-Roman Masculinity
(Oxford University Press, 2008)
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Dunderberg, Ismo
Beloved Disciple in Conflict? Revisiting the Gospels of John and Thomas
(Oxford University Press, 2006)
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Ehrman, Bart D
New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 4th ed
(Oxford University Press, 2007)
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Elliott, J K (ed)
Apocryphal Jesus: Legends of the Early Church
(Oxford University Press, 2008)
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Elliott, J K (ed)
Apocryphal New Testament: A Collection of Apocryphal Christian Literature
(Oxford University Press, 2005)
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Friesen, Steven J
Imperial Cults and the Apocalypse of John: Reading Revelation in the Ruins
(Oxford University Press, 2001)
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Gregory, Andrew Christopher Tuckett (eds)
The New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers
Volume 1: The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
(Oxford University Press, 2006)
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Volume 2: Trajectories through the New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers
(Oxford University Press, 2006)
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Hill, Charles E
Johannine Corpus in the Early Church
(Oxford University Press, 2004)
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Hodge, Caroline Johnson
If Sons, Then Heirs: A Study of Kinship and Ethnicity in the Letters of Paul
(Oxford University Press, 2007)
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Keefer, Kyle
New Testament As Literature: A Very Short Introduction
(Oxford University Press, 2008)
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Meech, John L
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
(Oxford University Press, 2006)
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Metzger, Bruce M Bart D Ehrman
Text of the New Testament, 4th edition
(Oxford University Press, 2005)
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Murphy-O'Connor OP, Jerome
Paul: His Story
(Oxford University Press, 2004)
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From the Oxford Early Christian Gospel Texts Series
Kraus, Thomas J Michael J. Kruger, Tobias Nicklas (eds)
Gospel Fragments
(Oxford University Press, 2008)
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Tuckett, Christopher M (ed)
Gospel of Mary
(Oxford University Press, 2007)
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Forthcoming Publications
Bagnall, Roger S (ed)
Oxford Handbook of Papyrology
(Oxford University Press, 2009)
Hardcover List: $150.00 Dove Price: $119.99
Save $30.01 (20%) NYP Due: 06/10/2009
Murphy-O'Connor OP, Jerome
Keys to First Corinthians: Revisiting the Major Issues
(Oxford University Press, 2009)
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Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas: How Can Such a Small Gospel Be So Much Fun?
Thanks to Mark Goodacre and Tony Chartrand Burke for pointing me in the direction of this hilarious animated short based upon Infancy Gospel of Thomas 9. As I occasionally discuss apocryphal gospels with my students, I'm going to recommend it to them. I hope they (and you, of course) enjoy it as much as I did!
Here is the text, as rendered by Harold Attridge and Ronald F. Hock in The Complete Gospels (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1994):
Here is the text, as rendered by Harold Attridge and Ronald F. Hock in The Complete Gospels (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1994):
9:1 A few days later Jesus was playing on the roof of a house when one of the children playing with him fell off the roof and died. When the other children saw what had happened, they fled, leaving Jesus standing all by himself. 9:2 The parents of the dead child came and accused Jesus: "You troublemaker you, you're the one who threw him down." 9:3 Jesus responded, "I didn't throw him down - he threw himself down. He just wasn't being careful and leaped down from the roof and died." 9:4 Then Jesus himself leaped down from the roof and stood by the body of the child and shouted in a loud voice: "Zeno!" - that was his name - "Get up and tell me: Did I push you?" 9:5 He got up immediately and said, "No, Lord, you didn't push me, you raised me up." 9:6 Those who saw this were astonished, and the child's parents praised God for the miracle that had happened and worshipped Jesus.
Yay for Adela Collins!
No sooner did I mention her name on this blog than I discovered an upcoming conference in her honor! And one of my current professors, the remarkable Judy Kovacs, will be giving a paper on Clement of Alexandria. Maybe I'll play hooky for a couple days and head to Columbus. ;-)
Relevant Details:
The conference begins on Sunday night March 15th at 7:00pm with the keynote address by Loveday Alexander followed by a reception. This will take place at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio in the Centrum; the address for MTSO is 3081 Columbus Pike, Delaware, OH, 43015. As you pull in to the main entrance of MTSO, the Centrum is just to the right of the library (the first building you will see as you pull in); proceed up the stairs to the right of the library to the Centrum. (Please visit http://www.mtso.edu/about/directions.htm for directions to the school.)
Parking is free and ample.
On Monday the 16th, the program starts at 8:45am, and all sessions will take place on the campus of The Ohio State University at the Blackwell Inn, the conference hotel on campus. There is parking nearby at the Tuttle Parking Garage (G-8, building number 088 on the downloadable map found at http://tp.osu.edu/visitorsmain/parking/parkingmap.shtml). The Blackwell is one block north of the garage (H-8, building 254 on the map). Directions to the Blackwell can be found at http://www.theblackwell.com/page/attend-an-event/directions. There are some construction issues that will force you to turn south from Lane Avenue onto Neil Avenue instead of onto Tuttle Park Place, where the Blackwell is located. But Neil Avenue intersects Tuttle Park Place right where the Blackwell is. See http://fod.osu.edu/news/ for a description of the detour. The easiest place to eat lunch that day will be at the Blackwell’s restaurant, the menu for which will can be found at http://www.theblackwell.com/page/dining/. There are other restaurants on Lane Avenue and even more on High Street, but you may need to drive to those.
On Tuesday the 17th, the conference moves back to MTSO, and begins 8:45am again. You will be welcome to join us for lunch at MTSO’s dining hall if you wish to do so. There will be no charge for lunch that day. Otherwise, there are some restaurants in downtown Delaware, which is about 3 miles north of the campus. The conference will end at 5pm.
Relevant Details:The conference begins on Sunday night March 15th at 7:00pm with the keynote address by Loveday Alexander followed by a reception. This will take place at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio in the Centrum; the address for MTSO is 3081 Columbus Pike, Delaware, OH, 43015. As you pull in to the main entrance of MTSO, the Centrum is just to the right of the library (the first building you will see as you pull in); proceed up the stairs to the right of the library to the Centrum. (Please visit http://www.mtso.edu/about/directions.htm for directions to the school.)
Parking is free and ample.
On Monday the 16th, the program starts at 8:45am, and all sessions will take place on the campus of The Ohio State University at the Blackwell Inn, the conference hotel on campus. There is parking nearby at the Tuttle Parking Garage (G-8, building number 088 on the downloadable map found at http://tp.osu.edu/visitorsmain/parking/parkingmap.shtml). The Blackwell is one block north of the garage (H-8, building 254 on the map). Directions to the Blackwell can be found at http://www.theblackwell.com/page/attend-an-event/directions. There are some construction issues that will force you to turn south from Lane Avenue onto Neil Avenue instead of onto Tuttle Park Place, where the Blackwell is located. But Neil Avenue intersects Tuttle Park Place right where the Blackwell is. See http://fod.osu.edu/news/ for a description of the detour. The easiest place to eat lunch that day will be at the Blackwell’s restaurant, the menu for which will can be found at http://www.theblackwell.com/page/dining/. There are other restaurants on Lane Avenue and even more on High Street, but you may need to drive to those.
On Tuesday the 17th, the conference moves back to MTSO, and begins 8:45am again. You will be welcome to join us for lunch at MTSO’s dining hall if you wish to do so. There will be no charge for lunch that day. Otherwise, there are some restaurants in downtown Delaware, which is about 3 miles north of the campus. The conference will end at 5pm.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: Actually Groundbreaking?
Nick Norelli notes that Chris Tilling has posted an extremely erudite and thorough review of Richard Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006). While I'm often skeptical of Bauckham's scholarly conclusions, I'm always impressed by the intellectual depth and rigor of his arguments, and I regret that I haven't had a chance to read the entire book (although I did read some rather extensive portions prior to the review session at the SBL Annual Meeting in 2007). Chris opines that it "is a major contribution to New Testament scholarship, a bomb thrown into the playground of ‘historical Jesus’ scholarship"; furthermore, it is "[p]erhaps the single most important book to have been written on the historical Jesus in decades... [and] will rightly be at the centre of the developing debate over the coming years." Although I must preface my comments with the reiteration that I have not read the book in its entirety, I'm deeply skeptical of these claims, particularly the last. The competition for this honor is simply too fierce; E.P. Sanders' Jesus and Judaism (the inaugural winner of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion) and the volumes of John Meier's A Marginal Jew series (the last of which will be released this spring) immediately come to mind. While it may be years before the matter can be definitively settled, Sanders' dramatic revival of Jesus' apocalypticism, together with Meier's meticulous journey throughout every aspect of his life and ministry, seem more likely to have a lasting influence.
The most significant source of my skepticism surrounding the overall impact of Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, however, concerns its ability to transcend--or at least forcibly engage--disparate poles of New Testament scholarship. This was apparent to me at the review session which responded to the book at the SBL Annual Meeting. The reviewers (one of whom was Adela Collins, a professor of mine at YDS) were largely, if not completely, unconvinced by Bauckham's claims. Prof. Collins, in particular, pointed out that the establishment of a new literary category for the gospels does not remove the problem which the miracles pose for any post-Enlightenment exegete; they remain beyond the bounds of critical history, and must be accepted or denied as a matter of faith. In short, it appears that those who would have agreed with Bauckham's conclusions before the publication of the book embraced it enthusiastically, while those who would not, did not. The validity of its claims aside, this does not strike me as the mark of a groundbreaking work--which, by definition, should radically redefine the course of the discipline in which it appears. Albert Schweitzer's The Quest of the Historical Jesus, with its inescapable indictment of the "liberal lives of Jesus," is an obvious example of such a work; similarly, while many of conclusions given in Sanders' Paul and Palestinian Judaism have been strongly challenged or even dismissed, virtually every treatment of Pauline thought or the nature of Second Temple Judaism in the past three decades has been forced to respond to it in some way. Thus far, I do not see this sort of transformative power or monolithic shadow in store for Jesus and the Eyewitnesses.
The most significant source of my skepticism surrounding the overall impact of Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, however, concerns its ability to transcend--or at least forcibly engage--disparate poles of New Testament scholarship. This was apparent to me at the review session which responded to the book at the SBL Annual Meeting. The reviewers (one of whom was Adela Collins, a professor of mine at YDS) were largely, if not completely, unconvinced by Bauckham's claims. Prof. Collins, in particular, pointed out that the establishment of a new literary category for the gospels does not remove the problem which the miracles pose for any post-Enlightenment exegete; they remain beyond the bounds of critical history, and must be accepted or denied as a matter of faith. In short, it appears that those who would have agreed with Bauckham's conclusions before the publication of the book embraced it enthusiastically, while those who would not, did not. The validity of its claims aside, this does not strike me as the mark of a groundbreaking work--which, by definition, should radically redefine the course of the discipline in which it appears. Albert Schweitzer's The Quest of the Historical Jesus, with its inescapable indictment of the "liberal lives of Jesus," is an obvious example of such a work; similarly, while many of conclusions given in Sanders' Paul and Palestinian Judaism have been strongly challenged or even dismissed, virtually every treatment of Pauline thought or the nature of Second Temple Judaism in the past three decades has been forced to respond to it in some way. Thus far, I do not see this sort of transformative power or monolithic shadow in store for Jesus and the Eyewitnesses.
New Testament Notes: Week 7 (Wednesday)
Notes on historical considerations surrounding Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, arrest, and excecution, from the last lecture before spring break... where has the semester gone???
RELC 122 Notes: 2/25
RELC 122 Notes: 2/25
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
NYT Reviews The Fire Gospel
Michael Faber's latest novel revolves around the chance discovery of a new gospel containing an eyewitness account of the crucifixion of Jesus. I'm sure that it will be a great read (Faber's previous offering, the award-winning The Crimson Petal and the White, was excellent); as I perused the review, I was reminded of the controversies, claims, and counterclaims which swirled about in the wake of the publication of the Gospel of Judas by the National Geographic Society in 2006. Those were the days...
Books of The Times: A 5th Gospel Can Be Like a 5th Wheel
Books of The Times: A 5th Gospel Can Be Like a 5th Wheel
(Relatively) New From SBL: Movies, Noah, and Philo
Another publication announcement culled from the depths of my inbox. The first title looks especially good; I've become increasingly interested in cinematic depictions of biblical themes, and of Jesus in particular, in recent years.
Images of the Word: Hollywood’s Bible and Beyond
David Shepherd
Images of the Word: Hollywood’s Bible and Beyond is a collection of essays by leading international scholars in the field of Bible and film. Recognizing the increasingly global nature of both media and religion, the volume focuses on the ways in which the Bible is interpreted and visualized not only within Hollywood but also far beyond it. Cutting-edge analysis of films from France, Canada, Sweden, India, and elsewhere reveals that the Bible’s visualization is culturally rooted and contributes to the shaping of a particular culture, including its perception of the Bible itself. Essays range across the canon from Exodus to Ecclesiastes to Revelation, interacting with films of various national traditions and periods from Blackton’s Life of Moses (1909) to Karunamayudu (1978) to Cronenberg’s eXistenZ (1999). The volume engages the breadth of current scholarly interest in this interdisciplinary field, including the critical reading of “Bible films,” the exploration of biblical motifs and themes within contemporary cinema, and concluding responses to the essays from both a biblical scholar and a film scholar.
Paper $25.95 — ISBN 9781589832756 — 240 pages — Semeia Studies 54 — Hardback edition www.brill.nlNoah Traditions in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Conversations and Controversies of Antiquity
Dorothy M. Peters
As father of all humanity and not exclusively of Israel, Noah was a problematic ancestor for some Jews in the Second Temple period. His archetypical portrayals in the Dead Sea Scrolls, differently nuanced in Hebrew and Aramaic, embodied the tensions for groups that were struggling to understand both their distinctive self-identities within Judaism and their relationship to the nations among whom they lived. Dually located within a trajectory of early Christian and rabbinic interpretation of Noah and within the Jewish Hellenistic milieu of the Second Temple period, this study of the Noah traditions in the Dead Sea Scrolls illuminates living conversations and controversies among the people who transmitted them and promises to have implications for ancient questions and debates that extended considerably beyond the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Paper $29.95 — ISBN 9781589833906 — 276 pages — Early Judaism and Its Literature 26 — Hardback edition www.brill.nlStudia Philonica Annual XX, 2008
David T. Runia and Gregory E. Sterling, editors
The Studia Philonica Annual is a scholarly journal devoted to furthering the study of Hellenistic Judaism, and in particular the writings and thought of the Hellenistic-Jewish writer Philo of Alexandria (circa 15 B.C.E. to circa 50 C.E.). This volume includes articles, a special section on Philo’s De Abrahamo, a bibliography section, and book reviews.
Hardback $42.95 — ISBN 9781589833944 — 268 pages — Studia Philonica Annual 20
Ouch!
While scrolling through yet another sale announcement from Dove, I noticed this entry:
Hultin, Jeremy FProf. Hultin is a member of the biblical studies faculty at YDS, and an all-around good guy. And I'm quite curious about his treatment of this subject (the book is a revision of his doctoral dissertation). But when a volume is $150.00 after a discount, something is rotten in the state of Denmark. I'm well aware that my grasp of economics leaves something to be desired, but surely Brill would actually increase their profit margins if they sold larger numbers of units at lower prices? After all, most academics follow Erasmus' dictum of purchasing books first, and food and clothing afterwards (my parents can attest to this fact)...
Ethics of Obscene Speech in Early Christianity and Its Environment
(Brill, 2008)
Hardcover List: $177.00 Dove Price: $149.99
Save $27.01 (15%)
RBL Highlights: 2/24/09
Highlights from a previous Review of Biblical Literature, which I found skulking in the depths of my inbox:
John M. G. Barclay and Simon Gathercole, eds.
Divine and Human Agency in Paul and His Cultural Environment
Reviewed by Stephan Joubert
Maurice Casey
The Solution to the 'Son of Man' Problem
Reviewed by Paul Owen
David J. Chalcraft, ed.
Sectarianism in Early Judaism: Sociological Advances
Reviewed by Boris Repschinski
Mary Ann Getty-Sullivan
Parables of the Kingdom: Jesus and the Use of Parables in the Synoptic Tradition
Reviewed by Dan O. Via
Rowan A. Greer and Margaret M. Mitchell
The "Belly-Myther" of Endor: Interpretations of 1 Kingdoms 28 in the Early Church
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus
Yigal Levin, ed.
A Time of Change: Judah and Its Neighbours in the Persian and Early Hellenistic Periods
Reviewed by Oded Lipschits
Benjamin Edidin Scolnic
Thy Brother's Blood: The Maccabees and Dynastic Morality in the Hellenistic World
Reviewed by Lester L. Grabbe
V. George Shillington
An Introduction to the Study of Luke-Acts
Reviewed by Nils Neumann
Stanley D. Walters
Go Figure! Figuration in Biblical Interpretation
Reviewed by Paul Elbert
Reviewed by Richard S. Briggs
John M. G. Barclay and Simon Gathercole, eds.
Divine and Human Agency in Paul and His Cultural Environment
Reviewed by Stephan Joubert
Maurice Casey
The Solution to the 'Son of Man' Problem
Reviewed by Paul Owen
David J. Chalcraft, ed.
Sectarianism in Early Judaism: Sociological Advances
Reviewed by Boris Repschinski
Mary Ann Getty-Sullivan
Parables of the Kingdom: Jesus and the Use of Parables in the Synoptic Tradition
Reviewed by Dan O. Via
Rowan A. Greer and Margaret M. Mitchell
The "Belly-Myther" of Endor: Interpretations of 1 Kingdoms 28 in the Early Church
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus
Yigal Levin, ed.
A Time of Change: Judah and Its Neighbours in the Persian and Early Hellenistic Periods
Reviewed by Oded Lipschits
Benjamin Edidin Scolnic
Thy Brother's Blood: The Maccabees and Dynastic Morality in the Hellenistic World
Reviewed by Lester L. Grabbe
V. George Shillington
An Introduction to the Study of Luke-Acts
Reviewed by Nils Neumann
Stanley D. Walters
Go Figure! Figuration in Biblical Interpretation
Reviewed by Paul Elbert
Reviewed by Richard S. Briggs
Monday, February 23, 2009
Awesomeness... And Its Many Repercussions
I was extremely flattered to discover that this blog was listed among the "Top 100 Theology Blogs" compiled by Jessica Merritt of christiancolleges.com. (Check out the complete list here.) Jessica's analysis is brilliantly succinct: "This blog offers a good look at biblical studies." I couldn't have said it better myself. ;-) Perhaps one day I will actually achieve my dream of standing alongside Jim West, Nick Norelli, James McGrath, and the other giants at the top of the biblioblog world...
In celebration of this momentous ranking, I've made a few changes to the blog. The most obvious, of course, is a new template and color scheme. However, I've also added a link to a number of my articles, reviews, and notes, as well as a post archive, to the sidebar. Also, lists such as that prepared by Jessica always introduce me to a number of unfamiliar yet fascinating blogs, which have now been added to the blogroll. Thus you can expect to see some new faces (titles?) there over the next few days.
So tell your family, tell your friends, tell everyone... Confessions of a Bible Junkie is better than ever! ;-)
In celebration of this momentous ranking, I've made a few changes to the blog. The most obvious, of course, is a new template and color scheme. However, I've also added a link to a number of my articles, reviews, and notes, as well as a post archive, to the sidebar. Also, lists such as that prepared by Jessica always introduce me to a number of unfamiliar yet fascinating blogs, which have now been added to the blogroll. Thus you can expect to see some new faces (titles?) there over the next few days.
So tell your family, tell your friends, tell everyone... Confessions of a Bible Junkie is better than ever! ;-)
Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Brief Review
This is a brief review which I prepared for Prof. Harry Gamble's seminar on Paul in Modern Scholarship. As I only had two days to reread key parts of the book and write the review (someone else was originally scheduled to present, but had to leave town at the last minute), many other things could have been added or discussed in additional detail; perhaps I can expand it in my free time. Aww, who am I kidding? ;-)
Now if I can just master Nick Norelli's knack for getting publishers to send him books for free, I'll be in business...
-------
E.P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1977). 627 pp.
E.P. Sanders’ magisterial reevaluation of ancient Judaism and its relationship to Pauline thought represents one of the most significant contributions to the scholarly study of religion in the latter half of the twentieth century, inaugurating the movement which became known as the “new perspective on Paul” (a moniker coined by his contemporary James Dunn in 1982). Like many novel works, it was not immediately embraced by the larger community; intense editorial criticism delayed its publication for nearly two years (Sanders 2004: 17). Its eventual appearance and reception, however, permanently altered critical conceptions on a number of major fronts, most notably the nature of Jewish faith and praxis during the Second Temple and early rabbinic periods. Interestingly, its structure and substance suggest that the proper nouns included in its title should be reversed; the enigmatic subject of Palestinian Judaism is taken up first, and is examined in much more detail than that of Paul. The heart of the survey is prefaced with the fundamental conceptual judgment that the most effective antidote to the erroneous assumptions surrounding the relationship between Judaism and Christianity in antiquity is an honest, full-fledged comparison of their religious “patterns,” a term which Sanders defines as “how getting in [to a particular religion or group] and staying in are understood” (italics original; p. 17). Such a project will not only illuminate the true quality of this relationship, but will also provide an increased understanding of each religion as an independent entity.
Sanders continues with a poignant overview of the all-too-familiar characterization of Judaism as a static and stale community trudging along the hopeless asymptotes of legalism and works-righteousness. It is “at best an inadequate religion and at worst one which destroys any hope of a proper relationship between God and man” (p. 35). This attitude was adopted in various forms by an overwhelming majority of scholars in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—including Emil Schurer, Wilhelm Bousset, and Rudolf Bultmann—and persisted despite the appearance of occasional critiques “by scholars who have known the material far better than any of its proponents” (e.g., G.F. Moore; p. 59). Sanders sets out to achieve its permanent annihilation by means of a comprehensive analysis of the extant textual sources, from the tractates of the Mishnah to the Dead Sea Scrolls to the apocryphal and pseudepigraphical literature. Or, to use Thomas Best’s more diplomatic assessment, he “seeks to convince New Testament scholarship as a whole that it has been talking all along about the wrong Judaism, a Judaism which in fact did not exist except as a convenient foil against which to prove the superiority of the apostle Paul” (Best 1982: 67). In any case, the results are striking. With the singular exception of the Wisdom of Ben Sira, a document likely written in the second century BCE which does not adopt a particularly universal or futuristic outlook, this corpus agrees on a fundamental point: “obedience maintains one’s position in the covenant, but it does not earn God’s grace as such” (italics original; p. 420). Here Sanders highlights the undeniable pervasiveness of the theme of the extension of divine mercy to the righteous, with its implicit corollary that their deeds, while certainly positive, have not been sufficient to merit their salvation. In place of the traditional misconceptions, he offers a summary sketch of the religious system actually supported by the sources, which was apparently prevalent throughout Palestine before the destruction of the Second Temple and which he terms “covenantal nomism” (p. 422):
1) The election of Israel
2) The bestowal of the Law
a. Divine implication: maintenance of the election
b. Human implication: requirement of adherence to the Law
3) The reward of obedience and the punishment of divergence
4) Provisions for atonement
a. Result: restoration of the covenantal relationship
5) Assurance of salvation to those who remain within the covenant due to obedience, atonement, and mercy
Although the term “covenant” is by no means omnipresent, and is especially scarce in the writings of the rabbis, this is attributed to its status as a matter of course; “the covenant was presupposed, and the Rabbinic discussions were largely directed toward the question of how to fulfill the covenantal obligations” (italics original; p. 421).
Sanders begins his comparatively brief treatment of Paul with an acknowledgment of the relevant sources—the seven letters which are generally classified as authentic, although the brief Letter to Philemon provides little grist for the religious mill—and a recognition of the “two readily identifiable and primary convictions which governed Paul’s Christian life” (p. 441): belief in the salvific lordship of Jesus Christ, whose eschatological reappearance was imminent, and in his own interrelated status as apostle to the Gentiles. Sanders’ emphasis upon imminent eschatology, as opposed to other elements such as justification by faith, is largely drawn from the earlier work of Albert Schweitzer, whose influence also appears in Sanders’ studies of the historical Jesus. The first conviction, that of the lordship of Christ, is clarified with the argument that an analysis of Pauline theology must begin with the apostle’s acceptance of Christ as savior, not with the theological conundrum of an inescapably sinful humanity and the arrival of Christ as solution. While the latter view, heavily dependent upon the organization of the Letter to the Romans (and reminiscent of Luther’s celebrated conscience pangs), was endorsed by Bultmann, Hans Conzelmann, and Gunther Bornkamm, Sanders opines that “[i]t seems likely… that Paul’s thought did not run from plight to solution, but rather from solution to plight… There is no reason to think that Paul felt the need for a universal savior prior to his conviction that Jesus was such” (p. 443). Pauline testimony to the character of the Christian community displays a number of features resonant with the newly defined covenantal nomism, including its assurances of salvation for its members and its requirement of observation of certain regulations, or atonement for disobedience, in order to remain within the elect. In the pithy terms of “getting in and staying in,” Paul holds that all are “out” until they accept Christ as savior, an act which may be represented as justification by faith or unity with Christ. Once “in,” members are required to conduct themselves appropriately, generally in accordance with Jewish ethical strictures. Paul breaks with covenantal nomism, however, in his rejection of the efficacy of the election and his qualified, piecemeal approach to the Law. Sanders dubs his pattern “participationist eschatology,” thus acknowledging his strongly eschatological worldview and his emphasis upon dying with Christ in order to “get in.”
Like many challenging and groundbreaking assessments, Sanders’ arguments received both lavish praise and vociferous criticism—and in a monograph of this breadth and magnitude, both are undoubtedly appropriate. As Best has noted, “After Paul and Palestinian Judaism, it should never again be possible to represent the view of first-century Judaism on a particular subject merely by citing the rabbinic passages mentioned at the appropriate spot in Strack-Billerbeck” (Best 1982: 71). But while Sanders must be commended for his leading role in the scholarly community’s radical reconsideration of its view of Judaism, his work did not emerge in a vacuum. He himself acknowledges that a number of previous commentators, including G.F. Moore, Samuel Sandmel, Krister Stendhal, and W.D. Davies, had developed and published similar ideas. Furthermore, his manipulation of the sources is occasionally questionable. It is extremely convenient that texts such as the Wisdom of Ben Sira and 4 Ezra (2 Esdras) are deemed to be irrespective of normative Judaism during this period, as their contents do not especially support his conclusions. The lack of a “treasury of merits” in the extant literature indicates that it was not relevant or applicable to its authors; the similar lack of references to the covenant, however, indicates that it was an absolutely ubiquitous concept (Best 1982: 73). Despite his repeated protestations against the polemical categorizations of traditional German scholarship, Jacob Neusner has accused him of employing a “Pauline-Lutheran theology” in his exegesis. The extensive treatment of the Mishnah, an anthology which was not codified before 200 CE, has incited questions of anachronism regarding its correspondence to Paul—although Sanders has responded that, as he was not engaged in a search for the sources of Pauline thought, such questions are unwarranted (Sanders 2004: 17). Finally, this ambitious comparative project does not significantly address the texts which are most precious to the rabbis and to Paul, and therefore could potentially provide a wealth of material for objective comparison: those of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Best is quick to point out that the index contains just two passages of citations of these texts, as opposed to more than twenty pages devoted to other Jewish and early Christian writings. Nevertheless, any legitimate consideration of recent developments in Pauline studies must include a full engagement with this seminal work.
Now if I can just master Nick Norelli's knack for getting publishers to send him books for free, I'll be in business...
-------
E.P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1977). 627 pp.
E.P. Sanders’ magisterial reevaluation of ancient Judaism and its relationship to Pauline thought represents one of the most significant contributions to the scholarly study of religion in the latter half of the twentieth century, inaugurating the movement which became known as the “new perspective on Paul” (a moniker coined by his contemporary James Dunn in 1982). Like many novel works, it was not immediately embraced by the larger community; intense editorial criticism delayed its publication for nearly two years (Sanders 2004: 17). Its eventual appearance and reception, however, permanently altered critical conceptions on a number of major fronts, most notably the nature of Jewish faith and praxis during the Second Temple and early rabbinic periods. Interestingly, its structure and substance suggest that the proper nouns included in its title should be reversed; the enigmatic subject of Palestinian Judaism is taken up first, and is examined in much more detail than that of Paul. The heart of the survey is prefaced with the fundamental conceptual judgment that the most effective antidote to the erroneous assumptions surrounding the relationship between Judaism and Christianity in antiquity is an honest, full-fledged comparison of their religious “patterns,” a term which Sanders defines as “how getting in [to a particular religion or group] and staying in are understood” (italics original; p. 17). Such a project will not only illuminate the true quality of this relationship, but will also provide an increased understanding of each religion as an independent entity.
Sanders continues with a poignant overview of the all-too-familiar characterization of Judaism as a static and stale community trudging along the hopeless asymptotes of legalism and works-righteousness. It is “at best an inadequate religion and at worst one which destroys any hope of a proper relationship between God and man” (p. 35). This attitude was adopted in various forms by an overwhelming majority of scholars in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—including Emil Schurer, Wilhelm Bousset, and Rudolf Bultmann—and persisted despite the appearance of occasional critiques “by scholars who have known the material far better than any of its proponents” (e.g., G.F. Moore; p. 59). Sanders sets out to achieve its permanent annihilation by means of a comprehensive analysis of the extant textual sources, from the tractates of the Mishnah to the Dead Sea Scrolls to the apocryphal and pseudepigraphical literature. Or, to use Thomas Best’s more diplomatic assessment, he “seeks to convince New Testament scholarship as a whole that it has been talking all along about the wrong Judaism, a Judaism which in fact did not exist except as a convenient foil against which to prove the superiority of the apostle Paul” (Best 1982: 67). In any case, the results are striking. With the singular exception of the Wisdom of Ben Sira, a document likely written in the second century BCE which does not adopt a particularly universal or futuristic outlook, this corpus agrees on a fundamental point: “obedience maintains one’s position in the covenant, but it does not earn God’s grace as such” (italics original; p. 420). Here Sanders highlights the undeniable pervasiveness of the theme of the extension of divine mercy to the righteous, with its implicit corollary that their deeds, while certainly positive, have not been sufficient to merit their salvation. In place of the traditional misconceptions, he offers a summary sketch of the religious system actually supported by the sources, which was apparently prevalent throughout Palestine before the destruction of the Second Temple and which he terms “covenantal nomism” (p. 422):
1) The election of Israel
2) The bestowal of the Law
a. Divine implication: maintenance of the election
b. Human implication: requirement of adherence to the Law
3) The reward of obedience and the punishment of divergence
4) Provisions for atonement
a. Result: restoration of the covenantal relationship
5) Assurance of salvation to those who remain within the covenant due to obedience, atonement, and mercy
Although the term “covenant” is by no means omnipresent, and is especially scarce in the writings of the rabbis, this is attributed to its status as a matter of course; “the covenant was presupposed, and the Rabbinic discussions were largely directed toward the question of how to fulfill the covenantal obligations” (italics original; p. 421).
Sanders begins his comparatively brief treatment of Paul with an acknowledgment of the relevant sources—the seven letters which are generally classified as authentic, although the brief Letter to Philemon provides little grist for the religious mill—and a recognition of the “two readily identifiable and primary convictions which governed Paul’s Christian life” (p. 441): belief in the salvific lordship of Jesus Christ, whose eschatological reappearance was imminent, and in his own interrelated status as apostle to the Gentiles. Sanders’ emphasis upon imminent eschatology, as opposed to other elements such as justification by faith, is largely drawn from the earlier work of Albert Schweitzer, whose influence also appears in Sanders’ studies of the historical Jesus. The first conviction, that of the lordship of Christ, is clarified with the argument that an analysis of Pauline theology must begin with the apostle’s acceptance of Christ as savior, not with the theological conundrum of an inescapably sinful humanity and the arrival of Christ as solution. While the latter view, heavily dependent upon the organization of the Letter to the Romans (and reminiscent of Luther’s celebrated conscience pangs), was endorsed by Bultmann, Hans Conzelmann, and Gunther Bornkamm, Sanders opines that “[i]t seems likely… that Paul’s thought did not run from plight to solution, but rather from solution to plight… There is no reason to think that Paul felt the need for a universal savior prior to his conviction that Jesus was such” (p. 443). Pauline testimony to the character of the Christian community displays a number of features resonant with the newly defined covenantal nomism, including its assurances of salvation for its members and its requirement of observation of certain regulations, or atonement for disobedience, in order to remain within the elect. In the pithy terms of “getting in and staying in,” Paul holds that all are “out” until they accept Christ as savior, an act which may be represented as justification by faith or unity with Christ. Once “in,” members are required to conduct themselves appropriately, generally in accordance with Jewish ethical strictures. Paul breaks with covenantal nomism, however, in his rejection of the efficacy of the election and his qualified, piecemeal approach to the Law. Sanders dubs his pattern “participationist eschatology,” thus acknowledging his strongly eschatological worldview and his emphasis upon dying with Christ in order to “get in.”
Like many challenging and groundbreaking assessments, Sanders’ arguments received both lavish praise and vociferous criticism—and in a monograph of this breadth and magnitude, both are undoubtedly appropriate. As Best has noted, “After Paul and Palestinian Judaism, it should never again be possible to represent the view of first-century Judaism on a particular subject merely by citing the rabbinic passages mentioned at the appropriate spot in Strack-Billerbeck” (Best 1982: 71). But while Sanders must be commended for his leading role in the scholarly community’s radical reconsideration of its view of Judaism, his work did not emerge in a vacuum. He himself acknowledges that a number of previous commentators, including G.F. Moore, Samuel Sandmel, Krister Stendhal, and W.D. Davies, had developed and published similar ideas. Furthermore, his manipulation of the sources is occasionally questionable. It is extremely convenient that texts such as the Wisdom of Ben Sira and 4 Ezra (2 Esdras) are deemed to be irrespective of normative Judaism during this period, as their contents do not especially support his conclusions. The lack of a “treasury of merits” in the extant literature indicates that it was not relevant or applicable to its authors; the similar lack of references to the covenant, however, indicates that it was an absolutely ubiquitous concept (Best 1982: 73). Despite his repeated protestations against the polemical categorizations of traditional German scholarship, Jacob Neusner has accused him of employing a “Pauline-Lutheran theology” in his exegesis. The extensive treatment of the Mishnah, an anthology which was not codified before 200 CE, has incited questions of anachronism regarding its correspondence to Paul—although Sanders has responded that, as he was not engaged in a search for the sources of Pauline thought, such questions are unwarranted (Sanders 2004: 17). Finally, this ambitious comparative project does not significantly address the texts which are most precious to the rabbis and to Paul, and therefore could potentially provide a wealth of material for objective comparison: those of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Best is quick to point out that the index contains just two passages of citations of these texts, as opposed to more than twenty pages devoted to other Jewish and early Christian writings. Nevertheless, any legitimate consideration of recent developments in Pauline studies must include a full engagement with this seminal work.
Paul Firesale Redux
More exciting Pauline studies titles at attractive prices:
Schnelle, Udo
Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology
(Baker Book House, 2005)
Hardcover List: $49.99 Dove Price: $25.99
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Paul's writings are centrally important not only for the establishment of the Christian faith but for the whole history of Western culture. In the original German, Prof. Udo Schnelle's work has recently established itself as a leading text in Germany. In Prof. Boring's translation, and with his bibliographic revisions, it now represents the state of the art in the English-speaking world. This comprehensive critical introduction combines historical and theological analysis. After essential methodological preliminaries, the first half of the book constructs Paul's biography: his pre-Christian life, his conversion, his missionary journeys, and the context of his writings. The second half is a synchronic exposition of the theological themes that run through his writings. Apostle Paul is an essential book for professors, students, clergy, and others with a scholarly interest in Paul.
Contents 1 Prologue : Paul as challenge and provocation 2 Sources and chronology for Paul's life and work : definite and hypothetical 3 The pre-Christian Paul : open-minded religious zealot 4 The call to be apostle to the gentiles : the new horizon 5 The Christian Paul : a Volcano begins to rumble 6 The apostolic council and the incident at Antioch : the problems remain unresolved 7 Paul's independent mission : the volcano erupts 8 Paul and the Thessalonians : consolation and confidence 9 First Corinthians : high and true wisdom 10 Second Corinthians : peace and war 11 Paul and the Galatians : discovery in conflict 12 Paul and the church in Rome : high-level encounter 13 Paul in Rome : the old man and his work 14 The presence of salvation : the center of Pauline theology 15 Theology : the God who acts 16 Christology : the Lord who is present 17 Soteriology : the transfer has begun 18 Pneumatology : the spirit moves and works 19 Anthropology : the struggle for the self 20 Ethics : the new being as meaning formation 21 Ecclesiology : the church as a demanding and attracting fellowship 22 Eschatology : expectation and memory 23 Epilogue : Pauline thought as enduring meaning formation
Grenholm, Cristina Daniel Patte (eds)
Reading Israel in Romans: Legitimacy and Plausibility of Divergent Interpretations
(Trinity Press International, 2000)
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Applying the insights of reception theory to biblical criticism, the contributors to this volume propose a "scriptural criticism" which encourages scholars and ordinary believers to engage in a dialogue about their interpretations of particular texts. Grenholm and Patte suggest that the relationship between various theological and ecclesiastical readings of Romans can be clarified by discussing the ways that each interpretation is framed analytically, contextually, and hermeneutically. The inaugural volume in this series, this book applies "scriptural criticism" to Romans 4 and 9-11, examining the ways that Christians "read Israel in Romans" and relate to Jews. Each essay contains notes that indicate how, when, and in what way a given writer "frames" his or her interpretation of the text. Contributors to the volume include Thomas Parker and Robert L. Brawley, McCormick Theological Seminary; Joseph Sievers, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome; G?nter Wasserberg, Christian Albrechts University, Germany; William Campbell, University of Wales; Mark Nanos, University of St. Andrews; Daniel Boyarin, University of California, Berkeley.
Longenecker, Bruce W
Triumph of Abraham's God: The Transformation of Identity in Galatians
(T & T Clark International, 1998)
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This scholarly yet accessible study explores the various aspects of Paul's theology of divine triumph in the Book of Galations. For Paul, the divine invasion into "the present evil age" has resulted in the victory of God over competing suprahuman forces and establishment of a sphere of existence where God's reputation as the cosmic sovereign is displayed. Paul envisages Christian social interaction to be the stage upon which God's transforming power is performed and advertised. Accordingly, Paul calls his Galatian hearers not simply to a life unfettered by a ritualistic practice, but to a life of transformed existence through the power of the Spirit. Eschatological identity of this sort is the immediate consequence of the prior redemption of ethnic Israel, which the coming of Christ occasioned. In particular, Christian moral identity arises out of the "faithfulness of Christ" embodied in his loving and self-giving service. This feature is shown to be crucial to the theological and corporate enterprise that Paul envisages in Galatians, having a radical impact upon his understanding of the law, of suprahuman forces at odds with the will of God, and of validity in Christian readings of Scripture. This book concludes by considering the place of salvation history in Galations, by explaining Paul's theology in relation to the "Lutheran" and "new" perspectives on Paul, and by demonstrating how Paul's theology in Galatians may provide an important resource for contemporary theology concerning Christian identity and modern society.
Smith, Abraham
Comfort One Another: Reconstructing the Rhetoric and Audience of 1 Thessalonians
(Westminster John Knox, 1995)
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This unique study considers the exegetical and hermeneutical possibilities of analyzing the entire letter of 1 Thessalonians as a letter of consolation. Abraham Smith maintains that Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians with a full knowledge of the tradition of Greco-Roman letters of consolation and chose this genre to sustain members of the Thessalonian church. Smith explicates the social and literary conventions of this tradition and fully discloses why this particular rhetoric of care was employed. Showing how Paul's letter of consolation was understood in Paul's world and by subsequent generations, Smith demonstrates the usefulness of Paul's rhetoric of comfort for modern society.
Table of Contents Series Preface Preface Introduction 1 Charting a Course for Interpretation 2 Reconstructing Hellenistic Rhetoric 3 Determining the Genre 4 Reconstructing the Rhetoric 5 The Audience and Extra-Textual Evidence Conclusion Notes Bibliography Indexes
Stirewalt, M Luther
Paul, the Letter Writer
(Eerdmans, 2003)
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This engaging study shows how Paul's stylized use of the official Roman letter _ a form of communication of great social import in his day _ played a crucial role in his apostolic ministry, conveying both his self-identity and sense of authority. M. Luther Stirewalt describes the logistics of letter writing in the first-century Mediterranean world and shows how official letters served to substitute for speeches to an audience, to convey executive, official, or bureaucratic matters, or to bring complaints or petitions from citizens to officials. He then shows how Paul structured his apostolic correspondence after these models of writing, drawing evidence directly from seven Pauline epistles: 1 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, Galatians, and Romans. Cutting a new angle on Paul's purposes, his ministry, and his pastoral concerns, Stirewalt's Paul, the Letter Writer will appeal to readers of the Bible and ancient history.
Contents 1. The Logistics of Ancient Greek Letter Writing 2. The Official Letter-Form and the Pauline Letters 3. The Letters 4. Paul and His Apostolic, Epistolary Ministry Appendix Bibliography Index of Scripture References
From the New Testament in Context Commentary Series
Wan, Sze-Kar
Power in Weakness: The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians
(Trinity Press International, 2000)
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This most recent addition to the popular Trinity New Testament in Context (NTC) commentary series, edited by J. Andrew Overman and Howard Clark Kee, focuses on the apostle Paul's refusal to match strength for strength with his detractors. Instead, Paul stresses that authentic Christian ministry is characterized by weakness and suffering, specifically the weakness and paradigmatic sufferings endured by the crucified Jesus. While not a rhetorical analysis of 2 Corinthians, this book nevertheless attends to Paul's rhetorical skills in resolving the Corinthian controversies. It attempts to show that Paul's theological formulations are best understood as products of rhetorical responses to controversial issues of authority and social location. The preponderance of disputed arguments and narratives in 2 Corinthians renders this letter highly unusual in the Pauline corpus and one of the most challenging for the biblical detective to unravel. Sze-kar Wan, therefore, has written a commentary that helps readers look closely at the texts relevant to the problem of dislocation, providing directional pointers that enable readers, on their own, to develop these pointers to their logical conclusions.
Due in March from Eerdmans. Fresh Perspective on Paul and Justification
Campbell, Douglas A
Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul
(Eerdmans, 2009)
Hardcover List: $60.00 Dove Price: $39.99
Save $20.01 (33%) NYP Due: 03/01/2009
In much Pauline interpretation today a significant impasse has been reached. Scholars too often find themselves locked into one of two camps ' either Lutheran or New. Douglas Campbell here proposes a new, non-contractual, apocalyptic reading of many of the apostle's most famous and most troublesome texts. Campbell holds thatthe intrusion of an alien, essentially modern, and theologically unhealthy theoretical construct into the interpretation of Paul has disordered the broader interpretation of his thought and created many of the difficulties that scholars now struggle with.It has, in fact, produced an individualistic and contractual construct that shares more with modern political traditions than with either orthodox theology or Paul's first-century world. In order to counter-act that influence, Campbell argues that it needs to be isolated and brought to the foreground before the interpretation of Paul?s texts begins. New readings free from this intrusive paradigm become possible and surprising new interpretations unfold. The Deliverance of God proves itself a unique and very important work for those looking for an accurate reading of Paul's words.
Sex and the UMC
As my father so aptly commented, "Now, this should get interesting! Stay tuned..."
General Board of Church & Society announces series on 'Sex and the Church'
'Theology of Sexuality' will lead off monthly series in agency's e-mail newsletter Faith in Action.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) will present a series of articles that address critical aspects of human sexuality. The series, “Sex and the Church,” will run in GBCS’s electronic newsletter, Faith in Action, and will begin March 2 with “The Theology of Sexuality.”
Bishop Deborah Kiesey, GBCS board of directors president, and Jim Winkler, the social justice agency's chief executive, issued a joint statement announcing the monthly series.
“We see it almost every day in the news in one way or another: HIV & AIDS; rising divorce rates brought on by marital infidelity; teen pregnancy; homosexuality and homophobia. The topic is sexuality,” their statement says. “It is important for us and the Church to address this issue and its impact on all of us.”
“Sex and the Church” will provide theological, educational, scientific and sociological sustenance along with specific questions for dialogue and discernment, according to Kiesey and Winkler.
Kiesey and Winkler point out that the United Methodist Social Principles describe human sexuality as “God’s good gift to all persons.” “Yet we also know that on this the Church has often remained silent or been too polarized,” they declare. “So GBCS has recruited some outstanding resource people to share their expertise on a number of key topics within the framework of human sexuality.”
Dr. Traci West, professor of Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School, Madison, N.J., wrote the series lead-off article, “The Theology of Sexuality.” West leads sexual ethics seminars and participated in a study that concludes seminaries in the United States are not adequately preparing future clergy to deal with sexuality issues despite ongoing debates within their denominations, particularly on homosexuality.
“Sexuality has to do with the way in which our bodies, our spirit and our mind respond to other people and to the way we understand our bodies as sensual,” West said.
Among other scheduled articles in the series are “Teaching Abstinence in a World Awash with Sex,” “The Myths of Sex: Sex, HIV and Gender,” “Cheaters Think They Prosper: Myths about Marital Infidelity,” “Politics of Sex,” “What Every 21st Century Parent Needs to Know,” “Surviving Rape,” “A Black Woman's Guide to Sex and Spirituality,” “Clergy Living with AIDS and the Role of the Church,” and “Young People Speak out About Sex!”
Contributors to the series comprise persons from around the world. They include U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.); Kay Warren of Saddleback Church; Dr. Pauline Muchina, UNAIDS; the Rev. Debra Haffner, director of Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing; the Rev. Steven Baines of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice; the Rev. Gideon Byamugisha of Uganda; and Dr. Hamilton Mvumelwano Dandala of South Africa.
Mike Ratliff, director of the United Methodist Division on Ministries with Young People, and James Richie, author of denomination resource materials on sexuality, will collaborate on the April article: “Sexuality in the Church — Best Practices.”
Linda Bales, director of the Louise and Hugh Moore Population Project at GBCS, is coordinating “Sex and the Church.”
Kiesey and Winkler point out that sexuality plays a pivotal role in everyday lives. “It is an intrinsic part of our personhood and should be treated as sacred,” they say. “We are excited about this series because it will help provide needed education to our children and ourselves. We anticipate it may restore relationships, create new healthy ones and perhaps move people to act.”
At the very least, they say “Sex and the Church” can generate dialogue for United Methodists as they try to honor the sacredness of this important part of living.
“We invite you to read each article and encourage others to do the same,” their statement says. “And as always we welcome and appreciate your comments.”
Faith in Action appears on GBCS’s website, www.umc-gbcs.org. Information on how to obtain a free subscription to the newsletter, which provides a roundup of education, advocacy, analysis and commentary on social justice issues, is available on the website.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
CCUM Organ Recital
Anyone in Louisville this weekend should mark Dan Stokes' upcoming recital on their calendars. I haven't heard the new organ yet (it was still being tuned when I was in town for the winter holidays), but as you can see it looks stunning:
Secret Mark: A Bibliography
In conjunction with Prof. Judy Kovacs' seminar on the life and thought of Clement of Alexandria, Jack Collins (another fine doctoral student) and I delivered a report on the continuing debate surrounding the Letter to Theodore, which contains the gospel fragments popularly known as "Secret Mark" and which, if Morton Smith is to be believed, was discovered by him at Mar Saba in 1958. As I prepared a selective bibliography on this fascinating topic, I was struck by two principal points:
1) There is remarkably little consensus surrounding the authenticity of the letter, with proponents of both sides (authenticity and forgery) claiming victory in recent years. For example, a number of scholars at Yale (e.g., Harry Attridge and Adela Collins) considered the matter to be virtually, if not completely, closed with the publication of Peter Jeffery's The Secret Gospel of Mark Unveiled in 2007, but two articles appearing in the most recent issue of the Journal of Early Christian Studies make arguments for authenticity.
2) Very few articles have attempted to address the question of the legitimacy of the letter by comparing it to other Clementine writings, particularly his comments on secrecy and concealment of knowledge in the Stromateis. (Prof. Kovacs herself reinforced this point in the course of our discussion.)
For those of you wishing to explore one of the wildest and most bitter debates in the recent history of biblical and patristic studies, check out the bibliography here. It's certainly not comprehensive, but includes a number of thorough introductory treatments as well as many of the key articles and monographs written in recent years. Enjoy!
1) There is remarkably little consensus surrounding the authenticity of the letter, with proponents of both sides (authenticity and forgery) claiming victory in recent years. For example, a number of scholars at Yale (e.g., Harry Attridge and Adela Collins) considered the matter to be virtually, if not completely, closed with the publication of Peter Jeffery's The Secret Gospel of Mark Unveiled in 2007, but two articles appearing in the most recent issue of the Journal of Early Christian Studies make arguments for authenticity.
2) Very few articles have attempted to address the question of the legitimacy of the letter by comparing it to other Clementine writings, particularly his comments on secrecy and concealment of knowledge in the Stromateis. (Prof. Kovacs herself reinforced this point in the course of our discussion.)
For those of you wishing to explore one of the wildest and most bitter debates in the recent history of biblical and patristic studies, check out the bibliography here. It's certainly not comprehensive, but includes a number of thorough introductory treatments as well as many of the key articles and monographs written in recent years. Enjoy!
RBL Highlights: 2/18/09
Highlights from the most recent Review of Biblical Literature (or, check out the blogroll):
Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer
Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey
Reviewed by Elmer A. Martens
Gabriele Boccaccini, ed.
Enoch and the Messiah Son of Man: Revisiting the Book of Parables
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus
Mark J. Boda, Daniel K. Falk, and Rodney A. Werline, eds.
Seeking the Favor of God, Volume 2: The Development of Penitential Prayer in Second Temple Judaism
Reviewed by Carla Sulzbach
Victor A. Copan
Saint Paul as Spiritual Director: An Analysis of the Concept of the Imitation of Paul with Implications and Applications to the Practice of Spiritual Direction
Reviewed by V. Henry T. Nguyen
Sidnie White Crawford
Rewriting Scripture in Second Temple Times
Reviewed by Stephen A. Reed
Michael Attyah Flower
The Seer in Ancient Greece
Reviewed by John Mason
David G. Horrell
1 Peter
Reviewed by Peter H. Davids
Graham H. Twelftree
In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism among Early Christians
Reviewed by David Frankfurter
Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer
Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey
Reviewed by Elmer A. Martens
Gabriele Boccaccini, ed.
Enoch and the Messiah Son of Man: Revisiting the Book of Parables
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus
Mark J. Boda, Daniel K. Falk, and Rodney A. Werline, eds.
Seeking the Favor of God, Volume 2: The Development of Penitential Prayer in Second Temple Judaism
Reviewed by Carla Sulzbach
Victor A. Copan
Saint Paul as Spiritual Director: An Analysis of the Concept of the Imitation of Paul with Implications and Applications to the Practice of Spiritual Direction
Reviewed by V. Henry T. Nguyen
Sidnie White Crawford
Rewriting Scripture in Second Temple Times
Reviewed by Stephen A. Reed
Michael Attyah Flower
The Seer in Ancient Greece
Reviewed by John Mason
David G. Horrell
1 Peter
Reviewed by Peter H. Davids
Graham H. Twelftree
In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism among Early Christians
Reviewed by David Frankfurter
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Congratulations Dr. Breslin!
Charles Breslin, a beloved friend and mentor to myself and scores of other students and aspiring academics in Louisville and beyond, was recently inducted into the University of Louisville's College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Honor. A brief press release is available here.
To say that this recognition was entirely deserved would be a spectacular understatement. Congratulations!
To say that this recognition was entirely deserved would be a spectacular understatement. Congratulations!
Monday, February 16, 2009
New Testament Notes: Week 5 (Monday)
Today's installment (albeit a little belated): an introduction to the Gospel of John.
RELC122 Notes: 2/9
RELC122 Notes: 2/9
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