The Bible and Culture

What does one do for an encore when one has been a best-selling crime novelist, with novels translated into 22 languages? Answer---- change the point of view. The novel 'Doors Open' does not involve John Rebus, though it does involve one of his colleagues--- Detective Ransome. But this novel is not seen through the eyes of the detective, the story unfolds through the mind and point of view of Mike McKenzie... a computer software millionaire who is bored out of his gourd and trying to figure … [Read more...]

Not infrequently you will hear scholars talk about the 'well assured results of critical scholarship'. Any time you hear that phrase you should pay very close attention to what follows it, and the claims that are being made. For example, some scholars have argued that we have no real evidence of literacy or more specifically of Hebrew literacy from as early as the time of King David (10 century B.C.). I think we do have such evidence, for example, from the scepter pomegranate discussed in … [Read more...]

I am very pleased to announce that the Fifth (of seven) Art West novels is now available via Amazon, it will also be available very soon on Kindle. If you want to order it directly and at a cheaper price usually than Amazon check out the Wipf and Stock website here is the link---- https://wipfandstock.com/store/Roma_Aeterna_The_Fifth_Art_West_Adventure/. It's on sale for $20 just now at that locale.This particular novel deals with a crucial, and viable, historical question. What if … [Read more...]

Here is Dr. Nijay Gupta's review of my NT Introduction for Oxford....Witherington’s Invitation to the New Testament (Review)July 19, 2013 9:58 am /Recent months and years have seen the production of some fine introductions to the New Testament (Powell, Boring, Hagner). Perhaps one that did not make it on the radar of many folks is Ben Witherington’s Oxford University Press textbook entitled Invitation to the New Testament: First Things (2013).I think this text is aptly tit … [Read more...]

The following saying was found on an Irish coffee mug----"Diplomacy is the art of telling a person they are going to hell in such a fashion that they look forward to the journey." … [Read more...]

It is axiomatic that monsters are supposed to be scary. They are not supposed to be cute, cuddly, adorable, and the like. But now the truth can be revealed. Monsters are not inherently scary--- they have to go to college to become scary! Who knew!! In the long awaited sequel to Monsters Inc. Disney Pixar has once again given us a children's tale that adults can enjoy as well, especially if the adults were never 'in with the in crowd' when they went to college.By now the formula for … [Read more...]

Short stories are, or tend to be, what they say they are. The narrative arc is shorter, plot and character development is svelte, and you get to the climax a lot quicker. Interestingly enough, some writers, who are excellent short story writers (think O. Henry) are not much good at the novel, and vice versa. This cannot be said of Ian Rankin. In fact, as the Introduction to Beggar's Banquet makes clear enough, Rankin began his writing career by writing short stories, including award winning … [Read more...]