BEN: You begin your book by properly introducing us to Phoebe the deacon. I find your presentation right on target, but if you are correct, then an awful lot of the readers, modern and ancient of what the Pastoral Epistles say about deacons simply being males, husbands of one wife etc., must surely be wrong, at least in terms of exclusivity. Explain why you think diakonos has a technical and religious sense in Rom. 16, and how would you reconcile... Read more

BEN: Throughout the book you call Romans an exercise in pastoral theology (presumably as opposed to abstract theologizing on interesting topics). Does this simply mean you see it as addressing specific situations in Rome, where Paul had never visited? Explain what you mean by calling Romans pastoral theology. SCOT: First, Yes I does mean addressing specifics in Rome, and Yes, he’s not been there. But he knows (so I think) plenty of people there and perhaps most of the significant... Read more

In a treaty with Tripoli in 1796, which had as its main object obtaining protection for American ships from pirates, the following paragraph was included, in article 11…. “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, – as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims, – and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of... Read more

(Baylor Press, 2019, 236 pages). BEN: Let’s talk for a bit about the general notion that reading Romans backwards provides fresh insights into Romans. On the one hand, I think you are right that Rom. 12-16 is often neglected and its importance for understanding Romans is underestimated. But since no one in antiquity, holding a document in scriptum continuum would read it backwards, and more to the point, the logic of the arguments in Romans requires that one read the... Read more

O.K. so Danville Kentucky is not quite in the sticks, but you can see it from there. It’s a small town in the middle of Kentucky with a fine college, Centre College, now celebrating 200 years of existence. Part of the homecoming celebration was a Styx concert at the Norton Center for the Arts on campus. There are some odd features to this venue, not least that there are many more seats in the two tiered balconies than on the... Read more

Statues of Quintilian and of the older Cicero, the greatest orator of the Roman era. Rhetoric, the ancient art of persuasion and dissuasion, was a staple of ancient education with the study of the progymnasmata or early exercises in rhetoric, beginning already in early education along with the learning of grammar and literature, and then when the student was ready for more advanced training he went on to study rhetoric in greater detail. This was because, the Greco-Roman world involved... Read more

 Read more

Ad astra is of course Latin for ‘to the stars’. The search for intelligent life in outer space is the focus of this particular sy fi movie. Of course nowadays one might ask whether there is intelligent life on earth, considering all the ridiculous amount of wars and in-fighting that has been going on of late. Humans seem to be the only known creatures that foul their own nests. ‘Cure us of our warring madness’ says the hymn. This movie... Read more

Here’s a review of recent thought on Paul, including the so-called New Perspective on Paul, and in depth study and critique of recent works by Dunn, Wright, Sanders, and others. This is a book I’ve done with my former doctoral student, Jason Myers, now a professor at Greensboro College for IV Press. As Augustine once said he heard- ‘pick it up and read’ !!! Read more

I love baseball, and I especially love seeing new Major League parks, and I have never been to Nationals Park… until now. It is a beautiful large park, and somewhat resembles Jacobs Field in Cleveland. And the amenities have really changed at ballparks— I actually had a lobster roll! And just down the way they were serving cocktails of all sorts. Yes… there was still hot dogs and beer. Two of my fine Asbury colleagues, Tammy Cessna and Tammy Hogan... Read more