Q. So what prompted you to write this particular book? And why these particular contributors? At the beginning it seems OT scholar heavy. Dr. Chris Hays responds: A. The energy for the book comes partly from my own background, and then it found momentum in a community of friends and scholars. Gun violence has been on my mind since I was a kid. In 1984, I went to Los Angeles in the summer for my uncle’s wedding. Around that time,... Read more

          Studying the New Testament through the study of ancient inscriptions, whether on walls, or steles, on tablets of stone, or somewhere else has been going on for a very long time. Adolph Deissmann among others a century ago encouraged this sort of study, and it has taken on a life of its own ever since. This sort of study needs to be done alongside the study of ancient manuscripts, since in fact there are as... Read more

What’s “News” About Jesus? Jesus, Canon, & Theology Read more

Mary Wellesley’s. The Gilded Page, is a fascinating study of medieval manuscripts and their origins, character, and history.  Wellesley is an excellent historian of the period, with a special interest in the contributions of women to the production of such manuscripts, especially the hidden history, since most of these manuscripts are not signed.  As Wellesley points out the modern notion of authorship does not entirely apply to this period, not least because so many of these manuscripts were team efforts of scribes... Read more

I was having a chat with my old Cambridge friend Richard Bauckham and he mentioned he was entertaining the notion of this Gospel originating in the 40s A.D.  That would probably make it the earliest one by a lot.  In favor of such a theory would be that if John Mark is the author, and Papias was right that he was basing his Gospel on the memory and testimony of Peter, it would appear Peter was definitely still in the... Read more

While there is much more to see in the miniatures museum in Maysville, we will leave you with this post with a few more previews. How about a nativity set based on a famous Carvaggio painting? Or how about a small conservatory with wee little flowers? Or how about a cute little French shop called the Little Rabbit? I love this miniature 18th century Massachusetts dining room— Where are the lobsters and Indian pudding? Do you remember Punch and Judy?... Read more

Nursery rhymes are one thing, famous children’s stories, some of which you ask— should you really tell this story to your small kids?  See if you can name which miniature is which story.     Read more

Many of these miniatures come from famous fantasy like the Lord of the Rings, or from fairy stories and nursery rhymes… for example let’s start with Hobbiton… What in the world is a troll doing in Pippin’s house? Here are some nursery rhyme illustrations. Read more

Here we see a representation of Swan Lake. How about some classic American furnishings? Or a colonial parlor?     From about the same period we have the Spite House in Maine. And again from about the same period various bedroom and other furnishing. Or French Furnishings   Or how about something from the roaring 20s?           Read more

Here’s one of my favorites from my home boy from Chapel Hill— JT. Read more