The usual insanity which accompanies the end of any semester, coupled with the preparation of a number of excruciatingly detailed doctoral applications (almost all of which are now complete, thank goodness), has severely curtailed my posting over the past few weeks. However, thanks to the virtually infinite capacity of the internet, I am able to share something other than mere publication announcements and RBL links: my recent term papers for Sibling Rivalries (Prof. Joel Kaminsky) and Exegesis of Hebrews (Prof. Harry Attridge). If any of you are dying to explore the complex historical and hermeneutical relationship between Jesus and his siblings or the contribution of the Arian/Nicene controversy to the canonization of Hebrews, then these are for you!
As I've mentioned before, your comments are welcome... as long as they're glowing. Otherwise, don't bother. ;-)
Sibling Rivalries-Final Paper
Exegesis of Hebrews-Final Paper
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
RBL Highlights: 1/4/07
A few highlights from the most recent Review of Biblical Literature. Although I usually omit reviews of foreign language publications, I've made an exception this week... Ruben Dupertuis, my friend and former professor, has provided an insightful and enjoyable review (well, as enjoyable as any book review can be) of Santiago Guijarro Oporto's Jesús y sus primeros discípulos. I'm tempted to pick up the book, but I'm not sure if my dreadfully rusty Spanish is up to the challenge!
Joseph Blenkinsopp
Opening the Sealed Book: Interpretations of the Book of Isaiah in Late Antiquity
Reviewed by Riemer Roukema
Greg Carey
Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso
A. Andrew Das
Solving the Romans Debate
Reviewed by David J. Downs
Larry W. Hurtado, ed.
The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.
Victor Matthews
Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
Reviewed by Aaron Koller
Santiago Guijarro Oporto
Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis
Guy Waters
The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak
Karen Strand Winslow
Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses' Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman
Joseph Blenkinsopp
Opening the Sealed Book: Interpretations of the Book of Isaiah in Late Antiquity
Reviewed by Riemer Roukema
Greg Carey
Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso
A. Andrew Das
Solving the Romans Debate
Reviewed by David J. Downs
Larry W. Hurtado, ed.
The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.
Victor Matthews
Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
Reviewed by Aaron Koller
Santiago Guijarro Oporto
Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis
Guy Waters
The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak
Karen Strand Winslow
Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses' Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman
New: The Messiah
A not-so-recent announcement from Fortress; this book has been available for a few months. But it's still well worth a look, as it features Yale University's most potent tag team... Profs. John and Adela Collins! Everything you've always wanted to know about early messianism in one handy volume.
Scholars Present Classic Contours of Jewish and Christian Hope
In The Messiah, leading scholars offer succinct and illuminating essays on currents of messianic thought in the formative centuries of Judaism and Christianity, providing precision in thinking about "messianic" images and tradition. Special features designed with the student in mind include a map, a glossary of terms, and a timeline of significant events.
Contents
Introduction Magnus Zetterholm
Part One: Formation
Pre-Christian Jewish Messianism: An Overview
John J. Collins, Yale University
The Messiah as Son of God in the Synoptic Gospels
Professor Adela Yarbro Collins, Yale University
Paul and the Missing Messiah
Magnus Zetterholm, Lund University
Part Two: Development
Elijah and the Messiah as Spokesman of Rabbinic Ideology
Karin Hedner-Zetterholm, Lund University
The Reception of Messianism and the Worship of Christ in the Post-Apostolic Church
Jan-Eric Steppa, Lund University
Magnus Zetterholm is Adjunct Associate Professor in Religious Studies at Linköping University, Sweden.
Scholars Present Classic Contours of Jewish and Christian Hope
In The Messiah, leading scholars offer succinct and illuminating essays on currents of messianic thought in the formative centuries of Judaism and Christianity, providing precision in thinking about "messianic" images and tradition. Special features designed with the student in mind include a map, a glossary of terms, and a timeline of significant events.
Contents
Introduction Magnus Zetterholm
Part One: Formation
Pre-Christian Jewish Messianism: An Overview
John J. Collins, Yale University
The Messiah as Son of God in the Synoptic Gospels
Professor Adela Yarbro Collins, Yale University
Paul and the Missing Messiah
Magnus Zetterholm, Lund University
Part Two: Development
Elijah and the Messiah as Spokesman of Rabbinic Ideology
Karin Hedner-Zetterholm, Lund University
The Reception of Messianism and the Worship of Christ in the Post-Apostolic Church
Jan-Eric Steppa, Lund University
Magnus Zetterholm is Adjunct Associate Professor in Religious Studies at Linköping University, Sweden.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
BAR Highlights: 1/3/08
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Hands Off the Pyramids
Egypt plans to copyright its ancient monuments and artifacts and charge royalties for reproducing them.
Church Restoration
An Iraqi antiquities official is determined to restore a 1,500-year-old church 40 miles southwest of Karbala.
Go West, Young Man
Recent discoveries in the Lybian desert indicate that the area was home to much more ancient Egyptian activity than previously realized.
A Nice Wreck
A well-preserved shipwreck off the Cyprus coast is expected to yield important evidence of trade in the Mediterranean world of the fourth century B.C.
It’s in the Bag
A bag of tools left by a hunter-gatherer in 12,000 B.C. provides a look into life in the Natufian culture of pre-historic Jordan.
Scrolls Go Digital
In a project that could take up to five years, a team at King’s College London will take high-resolution digital photos of the Dead Sea Scrolls and make them available on the internet.
Egyptian Glass
Cardiff University researchers have reconstructed a 14th-century B.C. oven for making glass, showing that glassmaking techniques in ancient Egypt were more advanced than previously recognized.
Hot Items
The recent record-setting sale of an ancient figurine points up the fact that antiquities are considered a strong investment.
Friends, Romans, Londoners
An exhibit features a hoard of late Roman artifacts discovered in the heart of London.
Hands Off the Pyramids
Egypt plans to copyright its ancient monuments and artifacts and charge royalties for reproducing them.
Church Restoration
An Iraqi antiquities official is determined to restore a 1,500-year-old church 40 miles southwest of Karbala.
Go West, Young Man
Recent discoveries in the Lybian desert indicate that the area was home to much more ancient Egyptian activity than previously realized.
A Nice Wreck
A well-preserved shipwreck off the Cyprus coast is expected to yield important evidence of trade in the Mediterranean world of the fourth century B.C.
It’s in the Bag
A bag of tools left by a hunter-gatherer in 12,000 B.C. provides a look into life in the Natufian culture of pre-historic Jordan.
Scrolls Go Digital
In a project that could take up to five years, a team at King’s College London will take high-resolution digital photos of the Dead Sea Scrolls and make them available on the internet.
Egyptian Glass
Cardiff University researchers have reconstructed a 14th-century B.C. oven for making glass, showing that glassmaking techniques in ancient Egypt were more advanced than previously recognized.
Hot Items
The recent record-setting sale of an ancient figurine points up the fact that antiquities are considered a strong investment.
Friends, Romans, Londoners
An exhibit features a hoard of late Roman artifacts discovered in the heart of London.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
ACLA 2008
A few days ago I received a formal notice that my proposal for the upcoming American Comparative Literature Association Annual Meeting (April 24-27, Long Beach, CA) has been approved. In case you're interested (and you should be!), here's the abstract:
The Boy Who Lived (and Died, and Rose Again): The Messianic Matrix of Harry Potter
With worldwide sales in excess of 400 million copies, the Harry Potter heptalogy has quickly become one of the most culturally and commercially significant literary series in the history of the printed word. These remarkable triumphs have not come without controversy. Conservative Christians have repeatedly denounced the series’ apparent espousal of witchcraft and the occult—reactions which undoubtedly contributed to its ranking atop the American Library Association’s “Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century.” However, a critically sensitive reading of the complete Harry Potter cycle reveals startling affinities between its cosmology and that of the New Testament, particularly regarding the often-intertwined elements of eschatology and messianism. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly apparent that both the characters and the world in which they live have entered a tenuous liminal state; Armageddon looms on the horizon. The character of Harry proceeds to emerge as “The Chosen One”—a heroic, salvific figure whose unique nature endows him alone with the ability to successfully resolve this climactic conflict, and thus bring about the transition from a liminal existence to an ideal one. This paper will explore these and other fascinating links between ancient Christian kerygma and modern secular fiction, and also address the significance of their existence in spite of vast chronological, epistemological, and sociocultural gaps.
The Boy Who Lived (and Died, and Rose Again): The Messianic Matrix of Harry Potter
With worldwide sales in excess of 400 million copies, the Harry Potter heptalogy has quickly become one of the most culturally and commercially significant literary series in the history of the printed word. These remarkable triumphs have not come without controversy. Conservative Christians have repeatedly denounced the series’ apparent espousal of witchcraft and the occult—reactions which undoubtedly contributed to its ranking atop the American Library Association’s “Most Challenged Books of the 21st Century.” However, a critically sensitive reading of the complete Harry Potter cycle reveals startling affinities between its cosmology and that of the New Testament, particularly regarding the often-intertwined elements of eschatology and messianism. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly apparent that both the characters and the world in which they live have entered a tenuous liminal state; Armageddon looms on the horizon. The character of Harry proceeds to emerge as “The Chosen One”—a heroic, salvific figure whose unique nature endows him alone with the ability to successfully resolve this climactic conflict, and thus bring about the transition from a liminal existence to an ideal one. This paper will explore these and other fascinating links between ancient Christian kerygma and modern secular fiction, and also address the significance of their existence in spite of vast chronological, epistemological, and sociocultural gaps.
RBL Highlights: 1/1/08
Better late than never... a few highlights from the most recent Review of Biblical Literature. PS... Happy New Year. ;-)
Paul N. Anderson
The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus: Modern Foundations Reconsidered
Reviewed by Edward W. Klink III
Richard Bauckham
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
David E. Garland and Diana R. Garland
Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships
Reviewed by Jason B. Hood
David Goodblatt
Elements of Ancient Jewish Nationalism
Reviewed by W. Dennis Tucker Jr.
Stephen M. Hildebrand
The Trinitarian Theology of Basil of Caesarea: A Synthesis of Greek Thought and Biblical Truth
Reviewed by Mark Weedman
Andrew Lincoln
Hebrews: A Guide
Reviewed by Martin Karrer
John L. Meech
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner
Eileen M. Schuller
The Dead Sea Scrolls: What Have We Learned?
Reviewed by Ian Werrett
Paul N. Anderson
The Fourth Gospel and the Quest for Jesus: Modern Foundations Reconsidered
Reviewed by Edward W. Klink III
Richard Bauckham
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony
Reviewed by Christopher Tuckett
Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper
Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt
David E. Garland and Diana R. Garland
Flawed Families of the Bible: How God's Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships
Reviewed by Jason B. Hood
David Goodblatt
Elements of Ancient Jewish Nationalism
Reviewed by W. Dennis Tucker Jr.
Stephen M. Hildebrand
The Trinitarian Theology of Basil of Caesarea: A Synthesis of Greek Thought and Biblical Truth
Reviewed by Mark Weedman
Andrew Lincoln
Hebrews: A Guide
Reviewed by Martin Karrer
John L. Meech
Paul in Israel's Story: Self and Community at the Cross
Reviewed by Mark Reasoner
Eileen M. Schuller
The Dead Sea Scrolls: What Have We Learned?
Reviewed by Ian Werrett
Friday, December 21, 2007
BAR Highlights: 12/21/07
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Herod in Jordan
German excavators have uncovered a monumental building that indicates that King Herod’s control extended further into ancient Jordan than previously known.
A Pea in Tut’s Pod
A pea from the Carnarvon estate in England thought to have come from King Tut’s tomb has been saved from extinction. The fifth Earl of Carnarvon sponsored the expedition that discovered the tomb.
Grappling over Judas
Scholars at a recent meeting argued over the portrayal of the disciple in the Gospel of Judas.
Temple Mount Project to Resume
Israel’s cabinet has instructed the Israel Antiquities Authority to restart work on a new walkway to the Temple Mount. The project had been halted in the wake of violent protests by Muslims who claimed the walkway would damage the Mount.
Spartan Myth
A study of a large pit with human remains suggests that the ancient Spartans did not throw deformed babies away.
A Peek Inside
At the behest of the British Museum, a London hospital has performed a CT scan of a mummy inside a linen and plaster coffin.
Vani, Vidi, Vici
“Wine, Worship & Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani,” a just-opened exhibit at the Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery in Washington, DC, focuses on the civilization that once flourished in what is now the Republic of Georgia.
A Glimpse Inside the Museum
Officials led a small group of visitors through the Iraq National Museum to highlight restoration efforts and the recovery of looted artifacts.
Sale of Prehistoric Sculpture Smashes Record
The Guennol Lioness, a 5,000-year-old carving barely 3 inches tall and considered by many as one the world’s great works of art, sold for more than $57 million—by far the most ever for a sculpture.
Response on Judas
One of the translators of the Gospel of Judas and an official of the National Geographic Society respond to Prof. April DeConick’s recent criticism of their work.
Ancient Weapons of Mass Destruction
A molecular biologist suggests that rams and donkeys infected with rabbit fever (tularemia) were used as bioweapons in the Anatolian wars 3,300 years ago.
Retrieving a Treasure
Scholars in Israel have called for the return of all fragments of the Aleppo Codex, considered the finest example of the traditional Hebrew text of the Bible. One such fragment, saved from a synagogue in Aleppo, Syria, that had been set on fire by rioters, was recently returned to Israel and scholars think there are more pieces in private hands.
Infant Burial
Archaeologists in Syria have recovered an ancient glass jar containing the ashes of a child. The find was made at Palmyra, home of spectacular Roman-era remains.
The Ark—In Ethiopia?
Smithsonian magazine investigates the claim, popular in some circles, that the Ark of the Covenant is secreted in Africa.
Facts and Anti-Facts
An Israeli scholar writes that the recent granting of tenure to Nadia Abu El-Haj by Barnard College has ramifications well beyond the archaeology of Israel.
Queen’s Palace Found
Archaeologists working just outside Jerusalem’s Old City Walls have uncovered a major structure that they believe was the palace of Queen Helena, who converted to Judaism in the first century.
Several photos of the site and the artifacts found there can be viewed at www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/124482.
A short video report appears at the Jerusalem Post.
Herod in Jordan
German excavators have uncovered a monumental building that indicates that King Herod’s control extended further into ancient Jordan than previously known.
A Pea in Tut’s Pod
A pea from the Carnarvon estate in England thought to have come from King Tut’s tomb has been saved from extinction. The fifth Earl of Carnarvon sponsored the expedition that discovered the tomb.
Grappling over Judas
Scholars at a recent meeting argued over the portrayal of the disciple in the Gospel of Judas.
Temple Mount Project to Resume
Israel’s cabinet has instructed the Israel Antiquities Authority to restart work on a new walkway to the Temple Mount. The project had been halted in the wake of violent protests by Muslims who claimed the walkway would damage the Mount.
Spartan Myth
A study of a large pit with human remains suggests that the ancient Spartans did not throw deformed babies away.
A Peek Inside
At the behest of the British Museum, a London hospital has performed a CT scan of a mummy inside a linen and plaster coffin.
Vani, Vidi, Vici
“Wine, Worship & Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani,” a just-opened exhibit at the Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery in Washington, DC, focuses on the civilization that once flourished in what is now the Republic of Georgia.
A Glimpse Inside the Museum
Officials led a small group of visitors through the Iraq National Museum to highlight restoration efforts and the recovery of looted artifacts.
Sale of Prehistoric Sculpture Smashes Record
The Guennol Lioness, a 5,000-year-old carving barely 3 inches tall and considered by many as one the world’s great works of art, sold for more than $57 million—by far the most ever for a sculpture.
Response on Judas
One of the translators of the Gospel of Judas and an official of the National Geographic Society respond to Prof. April DeConick’s recent criticism of their work.
Ancient Weapons of Mass Destruction
A molecular biologist suggests that rams and donkeys infected with rabbit fever (tularemia) were used as bioweapons in the Anatolian wars 3,300 years ago.
Retrieving a Treasure
Scholars in Israel have called for the return of all fragments of the Aleppo Codex, considered the finest example of the traditional Hebrew text of the Bible. One such fragment, saved from a synagogue in Aleppo, Syria, that had been set on fire by rioters, was recently returned to Israel and scholars think there are more pieces in private hands.
Infant Burial
Archaeologists in Syria have recovered an ancient glass jar containing the ashes of a child. The find was made at Palmyra, home of spectacular Roman-era remains.
The Ark—In Ethiopia?
Smithsonian magazine investigates the claim, popular in some circles, that the Ark of the Covenant is secreted in Africa.
Facts and Anti-Facts
An Israeli scholar writes that the recent granting of tenure to Nadia Abu El-Haj by Barnard College has ramifications well beyond the archaeology of Israel.
Queen’s Palace Found
Archaeologists working just outside Jerusalem’s Old City Walls have uncovered a major structure that they believe was the palace of Queen Helena, who converted to Judaism in the first century.
Several photos of the site and the artifacts found there can be viewed at www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/124482.
A short video report appears at the Jerusalem Post.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Yay for Carolyn Sharp!
And congratulations to Prof. Sharp (who, I'm sure, honed her skills while teaching me last fall):
Carolyn Sharp honored with 2007 Fortress Press Teaching Award
In awarding its 2007 Teaching Award to Carolyn Sharp, associate professor of Hebrew Scriptures at Yale Divinity School, the Fortress Press publishing house called Sharp a “faculty leader” and a “superb teacher of teachers” who has “formed the basis of what many of her colleagues now do to inaugurate new teaching assistants into their own work.”
Formal presentation of the award was made during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, held Nov. 17-20 in San Diego.
The Fortress Press citation says, “Carolyn Sharp has been recognized as a faculty leader in guiding reflection about the teaching process; in shaping the classroom experience, through the judicious use of written, visual, and audio materials, as a lively involvement in the ongoing history of scripture interpretation; and in developing course materials that are sensitive to the variety of learning styles among her students.”
Sharp credits initiatives with the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, and from the Episcopal Church's Conant Fund, as being instrumental in shaping her pedagogical approach.
From the Wabash Center she cites three initiatives:
1) The 2002-03 Pre-Tenure Workshop for Theological Faculty
2) A collaborative group grant on multiculturalism and interdisciplinarity in theological education, involving eight schools
3) The 2006-07 "Teaching Biblical Exegesis in Theological Schools" consultation, which involves 12 schools
The Conant Fund supported her development of several pedagogical tools for teaching YDS's big introductory course Old Testament Interpretation.
Fortress Press said, “She has developed study guides that introduce her students in a systematic way to an array of interpretive strategies and techniques. She encourages peer learning by expecting students to engage the class as a whole with their own questions and explorations...
“A superb teacher of teachers, she prepares her teaching assistants, mostly doctoral students in religious studies, for the joys and challenges of seminary teaching. She has prepared for them guides to teaching and to resources available to help them develop their teaching skills. Her work with these teaching assistants has formed the basis of what many of her colleagues now do to inaugurate new teaching assistants into their own work.
“Because she is a passionate teacher, dedicated to innovation in service of her students and of her craft, we are pleased to present this award to Carolyn Sharp.”
Sharp's research explores aspects of the composition, redaction, and rhetoric of Hebrew Scripture texts. In recent articles, she has examined the representation of Hebrew Bible traditions in the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls, urged the creation of a multivocal Old Testament theology shaped by the notion of diaspora identity, and explored the potential of Old Testament hermeneutics to address contemporary ecclesial debates.
Her books include Prophecy and Ideology in Jeremiah (T&T Clark, 2003) and Irony and Meaning in the Hebrew Bible (in press with Indiana University Press).
An Episcopal Church Foundation Fellow, Sharp is active in the Episcopal Church, preaching and leading parish study groups on biblical theology and hermeneutics.
Sharp earned a B.A. in religious studies from Wesleyan University, an M.A.R. from YDS, and a Ph.D. (2000) in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament from Yale.
Fortress Holiday Sale
Some nice titles (e.g., Stegemann and Stegemann's The Jesus Movement) at some nice prices... take a look!
Visit www.augsburgfortress.org to start saving today!
Visit www.augsburgfortress.org to start saving today!Yay for Margaret Farley!
Congratulations to Prof. Farley. The Grawenmeyer Award is particularly close to my heart, as it's granted by two of my hometown institutions:
Margaret A. Farley, the Gilbert L. Stark Professor Emerita of Christian Ethics at Yale Divinity School, is the recipient of the 2008 Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion for her book Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics (Continuum, 2006). The Grawemeyer Award is among the nation's most prestigious prizes in the field of religion and is awarded jointly by the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the University of Louisville. Read a full press release here.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
BAR Highlights: 12/5/07
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Getting Judas Wrong
April DeConick, a specialist in Gnostic Christianity, writes that the National Geographic Society made important errors in its publication ofThe Gospel of Judas.
Hanukkah Revealed
The story behind the Festival of Lights is much more complex than is usually thought.
Center of Controversy
A Newsweek article profiles the archaeological digs being conducted in Jerusalem—and the debates they spark.
Number Theory
A specialist explains ancient Egyptian methods of counting.
Tourist Damage
The increasing number of visitors to previously secluded areas of Egypt have begun to threaten ancient rock art in the Sahara.
Not So Fast...
An Italian archaeologist has questioned the recent identification of a grotto in Rome as the famed cave where Romulus and Remus were suckled.
Getting Judas Wrong
April DeConick, a specialist in Gnostic Christianity, writes that the National Geographic Society made important errors in its publication ofThe Gospel of Judas.
Hanukkah Revealed
The story behind the Festival of Lights is much more complex than is usually thought.
Center of Controversy
A Newsweek article profiles the archaeological digs being conducted in Jerusalem—and the debates they spark.
Number Theory
A specialist explains ancient Egyptian methods of counting.
Tourist Damage
The increasing number of visitors to previously secluded areas of Egypt have begun to threaten ancient rock art in the Sahara.
Not So Fast...
An Italian archaeologist has questioned the recent identification of a grotto in Rome as the famed cave where Romulus and Remus were suckled.
Monday, December 3, 2007
RBL Highlights: 12/3/07
A few highlights from this week's Review of Biblical Literature:
ORALITY AND BIBLICAL STUDIES: A REVIEW ESSAY
Werner H. Kelber
- William A. Graham, Beyond the Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion
- David M. Carr, Writing on the Tablet of the Heart: Origins of Scripture and Literature
- Susan Niditch, Oral World and Written Word: Ancient Israelite Literature
- Martin S. Jaffee, Torah in the Mouth: Writing and Oral Tradition in Palestinian Judaism, 200 BCE-400 CE
- Erhardt Güttgemanns, Offene Fragen zur Formgeschichte des Evangeliums: Eine methodologische Skizze der Grundlagenproblematik der Form- und Redaktionsgeschichte, translated by William G. Doty as Candid Questions Concerning Gospel Form Criticism: A Methodological Sketch of the Fundamental Problematics of Form and Redaction Criticism
- Richard A. Horsley, with Jonathan A. Draper, Whoever Hears You Hears Me: Prophets, Performance, and Tradition in Q
- D. C. Parker, The Living Text of the Gospels
Andrew D. Clarke
Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1-6
Reviewed by Barbette Stanley Spaeth
Miriam Pucci Ben Zeev
Diaspora Judaism in Turmoil, 116/117 CE: Ancient Sources and Modern Insights
Reviewed by Joshua Schwartz
Shmuel Safrai, Zeev Safrai, Joshua Schwartz, and Peter J. Tomson, eds.
The Literature of the Sages: Second Part: Midrash and Targum, Liturgy, Poetry, Mysticism, Contracts, Inscriptions, Ancient Science and the Languages of Rabbinic Literature
Reviewed by Jan-Wim Wesselius
Robert C. Tannehill
The Shape of the Gospel: New Testament Essays
Reviewed by Derek S. Dodson
Laurence M. Vance
Greek Verbs in the New Testament and Their Principal Parts
Reviewed by Jutta Henner
Chris VanLandingham
Judgment and Justification in Early Judaism and the Apostle Paul
Reviewed by D. A. Carson
ORALITY AND BIBLICAL STUDIES: A REVIEW ESSAY
Werner H. Kelber
- William A. Graham, Beyond the Written Word: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion
- David M. Carr, Writing on the Tablet of the Heart: Origins of Scripture and Literature
- Susan Niditch, Oral World and Written Word: Ancient Israelite Literature
- Martin S. Jaffee, Torah in the Mouth: Writing and Oral Tradition in Palestinian Judaism, 200 BCE-400 CE
- Erhardt Güttgemanns, Offene Fragen zur Formgeschichte des Evangeliums: Eine methodologische Skizze der Grundlagenproblematik der Form- und Redaktionsgeschichte, translated by William G. Doty as Candid Questions Concerning Gospel Form Criticism: A Methodological Sketch of the Fundamental Problematics of Form and Redaction Criticism
- Richard A. Horsley, with Jonathan A. Draper, Whoever Hears You Hears Me: Prophets, Performance, and Tradition in Q
- D. C. Parker, The Living Text of the Gospels
Andrew D. Clarke
Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1-6
Reviewed by Barbette Stanley Spaeth
Miriam Pucci Ben Zeev
Diaspora Judaism in Turmoil, 116/117 CE: Ancient Sources and Modern Insights
Reviewed by Joshua Schwartz
Shmuel Safrai, Zeev Safrai, Joshua Schwartz, and Peter J. Tomson, eds.
The Literature of the Sages: Second Part: Midrash and Targum, Liturgy, Poetry, Mysticism, Contracts, Inscriptions, Ancient Science and the Languages of Rabbinic Literature
Reviewed by Jan-Wim Wesselius
Robert C. Tannehill
The Shape of the Gospel: New Testament Essays
Reviewed by Derek S. Dodson
Laurence M. Vance
Greek Verbs in the New Testament and Their Principal Parts
Reviewed by Jutta Henner
Chris VanLandingham
Judgment and Justification in Early Judaism and the Apostle Paul
Reviewed by D. A. Carson
Friday, November 30, 2007
New: From Jesus to the Gospels
A recent announcement from Fortress:
Helmut Koester Reveals Traditions Behind the Gospels
In From Jesus to the Gospels: Interpreting the New Testament in Its Context Helmut Koester, one of today's foremost New Testament scholars, offers a lifetime's insights into the message of the historical Jesus and the practices and trajectories that shaped the Jesus tradition.
Koester's vast knowledge of the ancient world and the literature of the early Christian movements informs these historically and theologically astute essays.
Topics include the early "Q" community, extracanonical sayings of Jesus, early liturgical practices, the theologies of the canonical Gospels, and impulses toward Gnosticism and beyond.
Helmut Koester is John H. Morison Research Professor of Divinity and Winn Research Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chair of the New Testament Board of the Hermeneia commentary series.
Order your copy today!
Helmut Koester Reveals Traditions Behind the Gospels
In From Jesus to the Gospels: Interpreting the New Testament in Its Context Helmut Koester, one of today's foremost New Testament scholars, offers a lifetime's insights into the message of the historical Jesus and the practices and trajectories that shaped the Jesus tradition.
Koester's vast knowledge of the ancient world and the literature of the early Christian movements informs these historically and theologically astute essays.
Topics include the early "Q" community, extracanonical sayings of Jesus, early liturgical practices, the theologies of the canonical Gospels, and impulses toward Gnosticism and beyond.
Helmut Koester is John H. Morison Research Professor of Divinity and Winn Research Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chair of the New Testament Board of the Hermeneia commentary series.
Order your copy today!
BAR Highlights: 11/30/07
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Nehemiah’s Wall Found?
Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar has announced that she has identified parts of the wall said to have been built by Nehemiah and the returnees from the Babylonian Exile.
Cause of the Flood?
An environmental archaeologist suggests that a comet striking the earth caused the great flood preserved in the tales of many cultures.
Inscribed Sarcophagus
German excavators in Egypt have uncovered a Pharaoh’s sarcophagus covered with hieroglyphic writing.
Digging Armageddon
A profile of the dig, and the diggers, at Megiddo. The dig’s Web site now features streaming video; visit http://megiddo.tau.ac.il/.
Lupercal Found?
Excavators in Rome have discovered a cave decorated with well-preserved colored mosaics and seashells that may be the cave revered as the place where Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome, were suckled by a she-wolf.
Synagogue Mosaic Floor Found in Galilee
The synagogue dates to the Roman and Byzantine periods and the mosaic includes a depiction of a workman with a woodworking tool.
Totally Tut
The Times of London, to mark the opening of the Tut exhibit in England, has published a special section all about the Boy King.
Island Inscription
An inscribed piece of coral reef, discovered on an island in the Persian Gulf, has added five new words to the Old Persian lexicon.
Nehemiah’s Wall Found?
Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar has announced that she has identified parts of the wall said to have been built by Nehemiah and the returnees from the Babylonian Exile.
Cause of the Flood?
An environmental archaeologist suggests that a comet striking the earth caused the great flood preserved in the tales of many cultures.
Inscribed Sarcophagus
German excavators in Egypt have uncovered a Pharaoh’s sarcophagus covered with hieroglyphic writing.
Digging Armageddon
A profile of the dig, and the diggers, at Megiddo. The dig’s Web site now features streaming video; visit http://megiddo.tau.ac.il/.
Lupercal Found?
Excavators in Rome have discovered a cave decorated with well-preserved colored mosaics and seashells that may be the cave revered as the place where Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome, were suckled by a she-wolf.
Synagogue Mosaic Floor Found in Galilee
The synagogue dates to the Roman and Byzantine periods and the mosaic includes a depiction of a workman with a woodworking tool.
Totally Tut
The Times of London, to mark the opening of the Tut exhibit in England, has published a special section all about the Boy King.
Island Inscription
An inscribed piece of coral reef, discovered on an island in the Persian Gulf, has added five new words to the Old Persian lexicon.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Eisenbrauns Commentary Sale
The title says it all. Check these out:
"Exodus 19-40: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary"
by William H. Propp
Anchor Bible - AB
Random House, 2006. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0385246935
List Price: $49.95 Your Price: $29.97
"1 Chronicles 1-9: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary"
by Gary N. Knoppers
Anchor Bible - AB
Doubleday, 2004. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0385469284
List Price: $49.95 Your Price: $29.97
"An Introduction to the Gospel of John"
by Raymond E. Brown
Edited by Francis J. Maloney
Anchor Bible Reference Library - ABRL
Doubleday, 2003. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0385507224
List Price: $30.00 Your Price: $18.00
"Philippians and Philemon"
by Bonnie B. Thurston and Ryan Judith
Sacra Pagina - SP
Liturgical Press, 2004. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0814658202
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $26.61
"Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus"
by Benjamin Fiore
Sacra Pagina - SP
Liturgical Press, 2007. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9780814658147
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $26.61
"Hebrews"
by Alan C. Mitchell
Sacra Pagina - SP
Liturgical Press, 2007. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9780814658154
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $26.61
"The New Interpreter's Bible Index"
New Interpreter's Bible - NIB
Abingdon, 2004. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0687039169
List Price: $40.00 Your Price: $24.00
"1 and 2 Kings"
by Peter J. Leithart
Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible - BTCB
Brazos Press, 2006. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 1587431254
List Price: $29.99 Your Price: $15.00
"Matthew"
by Stanley Hauerwas
Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible - BTCB
Brazos Press, 2006. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 1587430959
List Price: $29.99 Your Price: $15.00
"Psalms: Volume 2: Psalms 42-89"
by John Goldingay
Edited by Tremper Longman III
Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms
Baker Academic, 2007. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9780801027048
List Price: $44.99 Your Price: $26.99
To go directly to the weekly sale, click on this link:
http://www.eisenbrauns.com/wconnect/wc.dll?ebGate~EIS~~~~NEWSLIST
"Exodus 19-40: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary"
by William H. Propp
Anchor Bible - AB
Random House, 2006. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0385246935
List Price: $49.95 Your Price: $29.97
"1 Chronicles 1-9: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary"
by Gary N. Knoppers
Anchor Bible - AB
Doubleday, 2004. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0385469284
List Price: $49.95 Your Price: $29.97
"An Introduction to the Gospel of John"
by Raymond E. Brown
Edited by Francis J. Maloney
Anchor Bible Reference Library - ABRL
Doubleday, 2003. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0385507224
List Price: $30.00 Your Price: $18.00
"Philippians and Philemon"
by Bonnie B. Thurston and Ryan Judith
Sacra Pagina - SP
Liturgical Press, 2004. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0814658202
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $26.61
"Pastoral Epistles: First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus"
by Benjamin Fiore
Sacra Pagina - SP
Liturgical Press, 2007. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9780814658147
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $26.61
"Hebrews"
by Alan C. Mitchell
Sacra Pagina - SP
Liturgical Press, 2007. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9780814658154
List Price: $39.95 Your Price: $26.61
"The New Interpreter's Bible Index"
New Interpreter's Bible - NIB
Abingdon, 2004. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 0687039169
List Price: $40.00 Your Price: $24.00
"1 and 2 Kings"
by Peter J. Leithart
Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible - BTCB
Brazos Press, 2006. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 1587431254
List Price: $29.99 Your Price: $15.00
"Matthew"
by Stanley Hauerwas
Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible - BTCB
Brazos Press, 2006. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 1587430959
List Price: $29.99 Your Price: $15.00
"Psalms: Volume 2: Psalms 42-89"
by John Goldingay
Edited by Tremper Longman III
Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms
Baker Academic, 2007. Cloth. English.
ISBN: 9780801027048
List Price: $44.99 Your Price: $26.99
To go directly to the weekly sale, click on this link:
http://www.eisenbrauns.com/wconnect/wc.dll?ebGate~EIS~~~~NEWSLIST
Monday, November 26, 2007
New: Titles from Wipf & Stock/Cascade
A recent announcement from Wipf & Stock/Cascade:
New Releases from Cascade Books
Receive a limited-time 40% discount on or request review or exam copies of these new releases, which made their debut at the recent AAR/SBL conference in San Diego.
Jesus and the Miracle Tradition
Paul J. Achtemeier
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-364-6 / 274 pp. / $30.00 / paper
Exodus: Let My People Go
Daniel Berrigan
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-105-1 / 182 pp. / $20.00 / paper
Risking Proclamation, Respecting Difference: Christian Faith, Imperialistic Discourse, and Abraham
Chris Boesel
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-523-3 / 306 pp. / $33.00 / paper
Divine Revelation and Human Practice: Responsive and Imaginative Participation
Tony Clark
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-516-5 / 244 pp. / $27.00 / paper
The Life of a Galilean Shaman: Jesus of Nazareth in Anthropological-Historical Perspective
MATRIX: The Bible in Mediterranean Context
Pieter F. Craffert
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-085-6 / 470 pp. / $52.00 / paper
Barrenness and Blessing: Abraham, Sarah, and the Journey of Faith
Hemchand Gossai
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-292-8 / 136 pp. / $17.00 / paper
Wisdom and Spiritual Transcendence at Corinth: Studies in First Corinthians
Richard Horsley
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-844-3 / 182 pp. / $21.00 / paper
Theology and Culture: A Guide to the Discussion
Cascade Companions
D. Stephen Long
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-052-8 / 124 pp. / $17.00/ paper
Awakening Youth Discipleship: Christian Resistance in a Consumer Culture
Brian J. Mahan, Michael Warren, and David F. White
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-136-5 / 138 pp. / $17.00 / paper
Jesus and the Peasants
MATRIX: The Bible in Mediterranean Context
Douglas E. Oakman
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-275-5 / 348 pp. / $38.00 / paper
Language, Hermeneutic, and History: Theology after Barth and Bultmann
James M. Robinson
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-881-8 / 260 pp. / $29.00 / paper
God Gardened East: A Gardener’s Meditation on the Dynamics of Genesis
Louis A. Ruprecht, Jr.
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-434-2 / 184 pp. / $21.00 / paper
Green Witness: Ecology, Ethics, and the Kingdom of God
Laura Ruth Yordy
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-335-2 / 190 pp. / $22.00 / paper
Request review or exam copies here
New Releases from Cascade Books
Receive a limited-time 40% discount on or request review or exam copies of these new releases, which made their debut at the recent AAR/SBL conference in San Diego.
Jesus and the Miracle Tradition
Paul J. Achtemeier
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-364-6 / 274 pp. / $30.00 / paper
Exodus: Let My People Go
Daniel Berrigan
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-105-1 / 182 pp. / $20.00 / paper
Risking Proclamation, Respecting Difference: Christian Faith, Imperialistic Discourse, and Abraham
Chris Boesel
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-523-3 / 306 pp. / $33.00 / paper
Divine Revelation and Human Practice: Responsive and Imaginative Participation
Tony Clark
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-516-5 / 244 pp. / $27.00 / paper
The Life of a Galilean Shaman: Jesus of Nazareth in Anthropological-Historical Perspective
MATRIX: The Bible in Mediterranean Context
Pieter F. Craffert
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-085-6 / 470 pp. / $52.00 / paper
Barrenness and Blessing: Abraham, Sarah, and the Journey of Faith
Hemchand Gossai
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-292-8 / 136 pp. / $17.00 / paper
Wisdom and Spiritual Transcendence at Corinth: Studies in First Corinthians
Richard Horsley
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-844-3 / 182 pp. / $21.00 / paper
Theology and Culture: A Guide to the Discussion
Cascade Companions
D. Stephen Long
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-052-8 / 124 pp. / $17.00/ paper
Awakening Youth Discipleship: Christian Resistance in a Consumer Culture
Brian J. Mahan, Michael Warren, and David F. White
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-136-5 / 138 pp. / $17.00 / paper
Jesus and the Peasants
MATRIX: The Bible in Mediterranean Context
Douglas E. Oakman
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-275-5 / 348 pp. / $38.00 / paper
Language, Hermeneutic, and History: Theology after Barth and Bultmann
James M. Robinson
ISBN 13: 978-1-59752-881-8 / 260 pp. / $29.00 / paper
God Gardened East: A Gardener’s Meditation on the Dynamics of Genesis
Louis A. Ruprecht, Jr.
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-434-2 / 184 pp. / $21.00 / paper
Green Witness: Ecology, Ethics, and the Kingdom of God
Laura Ruth Yordy
ISBN 13: 978-1-55635-335-2 / 190 pp. / $22.00 / paper
Request review or exam copies here
BAR Highlights: 11/26/07
More recent archaeological news from Biblical Archaeology Review:
Hold Everything!
Construction of a high-rise apartment building in north Tel Aviv was halted after Byzantine remains were uncovered. The site may contain even earlier remains, possibly dating back to the Philistine era.
Tut Opens with Controversy
The King Tut exhibit has moved to London amid tensions over Egypt’s request to get the Rosetta Stone on loan.
“Noah’s Flood” a Boon to Farmers?
An ancient flood that may have inspired the Noah story sparked a major spread of farming in Europe.
Palmyra Finds
Archaeologists in Syria have uncovered a second century cemetery and statues, including a lovely relief showing two traders and camels led by a child.
Museum Facelift
The Israel Museum, a great repository of archaeology and art and an important architectural complex, is undergoing a major renovation.
Siloam Inscription on Loan?
Israel’s president, Shimon Peres, has requested that Turkey lend his country the inscription to mark Israel’s upcoming 60th anniversary.
Ever in Dispute
A San Francisco Chronicle article summarizes how recent archaeological finds in Jerusalem have an impact on the political disputes in the region.
Road and Bath Found in Jerusalem
The second-century alley is believed to have linked the city’s Cardo, the main street, with the bath house and a bridge to the Temple Mount.
Tut’s Curse
The eighth Earl of Carnarvon, the great-grandson of the man who sponsored the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, talks about his ancestor and debunks the supposed Curse of Tut.
Hold Everything!
Construction of a high-rise apartment building in north Tel Aviv was halted after Byzantine remains were uncovered. The site may contain even earlier remains, possibly dating back to the Philistine era.
Tut Opens with Controversy
The King Tut exhibit has moved to London amid tensions over Egypt’s request to get the Rosetta Stone on loan.
“Noah’s Flood” a Boon to Farmers?
An ancient flood that may have inspired the Noah story sparked a major spread of farming in Europe.
Palmyra Finds
Archaeologists in Syria have uncovered a second century cemetery and statues, including a lovely relief showing two traders and camels led by a child.
Museum Facelift
The Israel Museum, a great repository of archaeology and art and an important architectural complex, is undergoing a major renovation.
Siloam Inscription on Loan?
Israel’s president, Shimon Peres, has requested that Turkey lend his country the inscription to mark Israel’s upcoming 60th anniversary.
Ever in Dispute
A San Francisco Chronicle article summarizes how recent archaeological finds in Jerusalem have an impact on the political disputes in the region.
Road and Bath Found in Jerusalem
The second-century alley is believed to have linked the city’s Cardo, the main street, with the bath house and a bridge to the Temple Mount.
Tut’s Curse
The eighth Earl of Carnarvon, the great-grandson of the man who sponsored the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, talks about his ancestor and debunks the supposed Curse of Tut.
RBL Highlights: 11/26/07
A few highlights from this week's Review of Biblical Literature:
Gary M. Beckman and Theodore J. Lewis, eds.
Text, Artifact, and Image: Revealing Ancient Israelite Religion
Reviewed by Diana Edelman
Barry Beitzel, ed.
Biblica The Bible Atlas: A Social and Historical Journey through the Lands of the Bible
Reviewed by Ralph K. Hawkins
Silvia Cappelletti
The Jewish Community of Rome: From the Second Century B.C. to the Third Century C.E.
Reviewed by Judith Lieu
Reviewed by Allen Kerkeslager
Bruce J. Malina and John J. Pilch
Social-Science Commentary on the Letters of Paul
Reviewed by Eduard Verhoef
Jerome Neyrey
The Gospel of John
Reviewed by Dirk van der Merwe
Gary M. Beckman and Theodore J. Lewis, eds.
Text, Artifact, and Image: Revealing Ancient Israelite Religion
Reviewed by Diana Edelman
Barry Beitzel, ed.
Biblica The Bible Atlas: A Social and Historical Journey through the Lands of the Bible
Reviewed by Ralph K. Hawkins
Silvia Cappelletti
The Jewish Community of Rome: From the Second Century B.C. to the Third Century C.E.
Reviewed by Judith Lieu
Reviewed by Allen Kerkeslager
Bruce J. Malina and John J. Pilch
Social-Science Commentary on the Letters of Paul
Reviewed by Eduard Verhoef
Jerome Neyrey
The Gospel of John
Reviewed by Dirk van der Merwe
Sunday, November 25, 2007
SBL Panels III: The Books
As many of you already know, I'm hopelessly addicted to religion books. So don't let my previous posts fool you... I was really in San Diego to pick up some books at deep discounts. (I'm pretty proud of myself, actually... I stayed pretty close to my self-imposed limit of $200.) Here's what I brought home:
Rudolf Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament (Baylor University Press)
Although Bultmann is certainly not as fashionable as he once was, and his views on the historical Jesus and first-century Judaism are particularly problematic, I'm still a fan. This is a lovely new edition of a classic work; I was particularly glad that it retained the pagination of the original two-volume edition, as so many older New Testament studies cite it.
Elizabeth Castelli, Martyrdom and Memory (Columbia University Press)
I used this book last semester while taking Martyrs and Martyrdom with Adela Collins, and I'm sure that I'll continue to use it as I explore the subject further. Her conclusion "that martyrdom is not simply an action but rather the product of interpretation and retelling" (p. 173) is, in my mind, quite convincing.
Bruce Chilton et al, The Cambridge Companion to the Bible (Cambridge University Press)
Alright, I'll admit it... one of the reasons I bought this one was that it was cheap (only $10!). Nevertheless, I've since come to recognize it for what it is: one of the best one-volume introductions to the Bible that I've seen in quite some time. The contributors are all top-notch scholars, and the book is filled with photos and dozens of detailed, helpful excurses.
Bruce Chilton and Jacob Neusner, The Brother of Jesus (Westminster John Knox)
Not a new title... but Westminster John Knox offered some nice discounts on their backlist collection, and this one provides some nice background for anyone seeking to understand a critically important yet critically underrepresented leader in early Christianity.
Hubertus Drobner, The Fathers of the Church (Hendrickson)
Thanks to Rick Brannan for pointing me in the direction of this fine volume. I don't know of a better English-language introduction to patristic studies; even the bibliographies are excellent. I'm sure it will provide some excellent additions to my current research project on Arian exegesis of Hebrews.
James D. G. Dunn and Scot McKnight, The Historical Jesus in Recent Research (Eisenbrauns)
I bought this one based upon Chris Stroup's recommendation... so if I eventually decide it's no good, I'm blaming him. ;-) Not that there's much chance of that... Eisenbrauns is to be commended for collecting so many valuable excerpts in a single, accessible volume.
J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Creeds (Continuum)
Another new edition of a classic, essential study. Kelly's Early Christian Doctrines is required reading in Yale's introductory-level patristics courses, and this is the perfect companion volume.
Amy-Jill Levine et al, The Historical Jesus in Context (Princeton University Press)
Another fine one-volume introduction to historical Jesus studies, this time with a nod to the primary sources. The list of contributors is certainly impressive--Dale Allison, Bruce Chilton, John Dominic Crossan, Mary Rose D'Angelo, Amy-Jill Levine, etc. Also included is a concise essay summarizing the various "quests" for the historical Jesus.
Christopher Rowland, Christian Origins (SPCK)
Another title that was particularly attractive because of its low price... but its insistence on the placement of Christianity within the larger Jewish matrix is welcome.
Rudolf Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament (Baylor University Press)
Although Bultmann is certainly not as fashionable as he once was, and his views on the historical Jesus and first-century Judaism are particularly problematic, I'm still a fan. This is a lovely new edition of a classic work; I was particularly glad that it retained the pagination of the original two-volume edition, as so many older New Testament studies cite it.
Elizabeth Castelli, Martyrdom and Memory (Columbia University Press)
I used this book last semester while taking Martyrs and Martyrdom with Adela Collins, and I'm sure that I'll continue to use it as I explore the subject further. Her conclusion "that martyrdom is not simply an action but rather the product of interpretation and retelling" (p. 173) is, in my mind, quite convincing.
Bruce Chilton et al, The Cambridge Companion to the Bible (Cambridge University Press)
Alright, I'll admit it... one of the reasons I bought this one was that it was cheap (only $10!). Nevertheless, I've since come to recognize it for what it is: one of the best one-volume introductions to the Bible that I've seen in quite some time. The contributors are all top-notch scholars, and the book is filled with photos and dozens of detailed, helpful excurses.
Bruce Chilton and Jacob Neusner, The Brother of Jesus (Westminster John Knox)
Not a new title... but Westminster John Knox offered some nice discounts on their backlist collection, and this one provides some nice background for anyone seeking to understand a critically important yet critically underrepresented leader in early Christianity.
Hubertus Drobner, The Fathers of the Church (Hendrickson)
Thanks to Rick Brannan for pointing me in the direction of this fine volume. I don't know of a better English-language introduction to patristic studies; even the bibliographies are excellent. I'm sure it will provide some excellent additions to my current research project on Arian exegesis of Hebrews.
James D. G. Dunn and Scot McKnight, The Historical Jesus in Recent Research (Eisenbrauns)
I bought this one based upon Chris Stroup's recommendation... so if I eventually decide it's no good, I'm blaming him. ;-) Not that there's much chance of that... Eisenbrauns is to be commended for collecting so many valuable excerpts in a single, accessible volume.
J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Creeds (Continuum)
Another new edition of a classic, essential study. Kelly's Early Christian Doctrines is required reading in Yale's introductory-level patristics courses, and this is the perfect companion volume.
Amy-Jill Levine et al, The Historical Jesus in Context (Princeton University Press)
Another fine one-volume introduction to historical Jesus studies, this time with a nod to the primary sources. The list of contributors is certainly impressive--Dale Allison, Bruce Chilton, John Dominic Crossan, Mary Rose D'Angelo, Amy-Jill Levine, etc. Also included is a concise essay summarizing the various "quests" for the historical Jesus.
Christopher Rowland, Christian Origins (SPCK)
Another title that was particularly attractive because of its low price... but its insistence on the placement of Christianity within the larger Jewish matrix is welcome.
SBL Panels II: Myers, Kaminsky, and Meeks
One of the nice things about the Annual Meeting (its “softer side,” if you will) is that venerable professors, particularly those on the verge of retirement, often receive well-deserved panels of tribute. This was the case with Eric Myers, Duke University’s Bernice and Morton Lerner Professor of Judaic Studies, who is retiring at the end of the academic year. There’s not too much to say about this one… everyone had nice things to say. ;-) It was nice to see one of my favorite undergraduate professors in action; Tom McCullough, one of Myers’ archaeological brethren in the Galilee, chaired the panel. And Sean Freyne gave a paper highlighting the ways in which Myers’ work has influenced historical Jesus studies, which was particularly interesting to me, as I used some of his research on Galilean synagogues while writing a paper on Luke 4:16-30 last year.
I also attended a panel review of Prof. Joel Kaminsky’s new book (which we are using in his Sibling Rivalries course) Yet I Loved Jacob: Reclaiming the Biblical Concept of Election. A number of excellent scholars--including Ellen Davis, Jacqueline Lapsley, and Patrick Miller--took part, and their reviews were all very positive. Ben Sommer was more critical, arguing that the book’s relative avoidance of rabbinic texts and later Jewish literature on election make it more suitable for Christians than Jews. As he understood it, the book was more about Paul, and his particular understanding of election, than about the concept as a whole. Having recently read the book, I would disagree with this assessment. Christian understandings of election are not addressed in any detailed way until the eleventh chapter, where they appear alongside some rabbinic views. Nevertheless, I find myself in agreement with my classmate Christy Groves, who suggested (somewhat cheekily) to Prof. Kaminsky that he should have omitted this chapter from his final work. In my view, the role of election in early Christianity—and early Judaism, for that matter, is much too complicated to be summarized in a handful of pages. It may be fairly accurate to say that early Christianity encouraged conversion as a means of obtaining chosenness while early Judaism did not, but these deceptively clear waters can get pretty muddy pretty fast. A number of Christian communities (some of the Gnostic groups, for example) apparently eschewed the larger world and did not seek converts, while the well-documented activities of the “God-fearers” suggests that Judaism’s barriers of entry and exit were fairly fluid in the Greco-Roman period. It might have been more fruitful to conclude with a more developed set of “concluding reflections” (to use Prof. Kaminsky’s own term). The book brilliantly demonstrates the centrality of election in the Hebrew Bible, and also offers some reassessments of how this critical concept should be understood. As a result, it seems impossible to simply discard election in the name of universalism, as some theologians have done. So… where do we go from here? This is a big question, and I think that it deserves some kind of answer.
The final major panel on my calendar was convened in honor of the release of the second edition of Wayne Meeks’ The Writings of St. Paul. Initially, I expected a mood similar to that of Prof. Myers’ panel; a lot of congratulatory remarks, but not much else. I could not have been more wrong. John Fitzgerald, the co-editor of the new edition, provided some details of its creation, including the difficulties surrounding the decisions to retain, omit, and add texts. Dale Martin (Prof. Meeks’ successor at Yale) drew upon these difficulties to comment upon the myth of the omniscient scholar; despite what some of us might think, it’s simply not possible to read everything! Margaret Mitchell also provided some welcome words, including the ever-appropriate reminder that there is still much to be learned from Paul. The session was ably--and occasionally hilariously--directed by Troels Engberg-Pedersen, whose one-man act included disappearing beneath the podium to reemerge as a “disguised” Alan Segal (who had already left San Diego and thus was unable to deliver his remarks in person).
I also attended a panel review of Prof. Joel Kaminsky’s new book (which we are using in his Sibling Rivalries course) Yet I Loved Jacob: Reclaiming the Biblical Concept of Election. A number of excellent scholars--including Ellen Davis, Jacqueline Lapsley, and Patrick Miller--took part, and their reviews were all very positive. Ben Sommer was more critical, arguing that the book’s relative avoidance of rabbinic texts and later Jewish literature on election make it more suitable for Christians than Jews. As he understood it, the book was more about Paul, and his particular understanding of election, than about the concept as a whole. Having recently read the book, I would disagree with this assessment. Christian understandings of election are not addressed in any detailed way until the eleventh chapter, where they appear alongside some rabbinic views. Nevertheless, I find myself in agreement with my classmate Christy Groves, who suggested (somewhat cheekily) to Prof. Kaminsky that he should have omitted this chapter from his final work. In my view, the role of election in early Christianity—and early Judaism, for that matter, is much too complicated to be summarized in a handful of pages. It may be fairly accurate to say that early Christianity encouraged conversion as a means of obtaining chosenness while early Judaism did not, but these deceptively clear waters can get pretty muddy pretty fast. A number of Christian communities (some of the Gnostic groups, for example) apparently eschewed the larger world and did not seek converts, while the well-documented activities of the “God-fearers” suggests that Judaism’s barriers of entry and exit were fairly fluid in the Greco-Roman period. It might have been more fruitful to conclude with a more developed set of “concluding reflections” (to use Prof. Kaminsky’s own term). The book brilliantly demonstrates the centrality of election in the Hebrew Bible, and also offers some reassessments of how this critical concept should be understood. As a result, it seems impossible to simply discard election in the name of universalism, as some theologians have done. So… where do we go from here? This is a big question, and I think that it deserves some kind of answer.
The final major panel on my calendar was convened in honor of the release of the second edition of Wayne Meeks’ The Writings of St. Paul. Initially, I expected a mood similar to that of Prof. Myers’ panel; a lot of congratulatory remarks, but not much else. I could not have been more wrong. John Fitzgerald, the co-editor of the new edition, provided some details of its creation, including the difficulties surrounding the decisions to retain, omit, and add texts. Dale Martin (Prof. Meeks’ successor at Yale) drew upon these difficulties to comment upon the myth of the omniscient scholar; despite what some of us might think, it’s simply not possible to read everything! Margaret Mitchell also provided some welcome words, including the ever-appropriate reminder that there is still much to be learned from Paul. The session was ably--and occasionally hilariously--directed by Troels Engberg-Pedersen, whose one-man act included disappearing beneath the podium to reemerge as a “disguised” Alan Segal (who had already left San Diego and thus was unable to deliver his remarks in person).
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