My Wheaton conference book picks

I left the Wheaton NT Wright conference with a few more books than I intended, but there were some really good deals.

Classics

I picked up three classics from Eerdmans.  First, Gordon Fee’s Philippians commentary from the NICNT series.  It is a marvelously detailed treatment which offers plenty of fresh readings and sane and competent advice on older cruxes.  I have numerous Philippians commentaries (O’Brien, Bockmuehl, Fowl, Cousar, Hooker, Reumann, Thielman, Hawthorne/Martin), but I have been waiting for a good time to get Fee – truly deserving of the title “magisterial.”

Also, not an old book, but an instant classic, is Marianne Meye Thompson’s The God of the Gospel of John, which seeks to fill in the theological gap that Nils Dahl wrote about regarding the lack of reflection on “God” as a subject in NT theology.  Thompson remedies this in the fourth Gospel.  I have heard nothing but good things and since I am trying to break into Johannine studies, this seems like a great place to start.

Finally, I saw it fit to pick up a Wright book (also Eerdmans): The Lord and His Prayer.  I have always been fascinated by the Lord’s prayer, exegetically and liturgically, so I have often desired to acquire this short exposition.  I hope to preach and teach regularly on the Lord’s Prayer and I appreciate the Bishop’s guidance!

Freebies

The conference saw fit to offer two free books to the first 400 people to register on site (both from IVP): A biography on John Wyclif and also Mark Goodacre and Nick Perrin’s highly regarded Questioning Q.  I look forward to dipping into the latter when I begin work on my Gospels lectures.  Also, for free we received a booklet (from the Wheaton College bookstore) on the Gospel and Culture written by Wright.  A nice keepsake for those of us in attendance.

New Books

Two new books made it into my already heavy backpack.

1. Anthony Thiselton’s The Living Paul (IVP, 2010) – this introduction to Paul is not necessary because there is nothing like it.  In fact, I am pleased with other intros to Paul (Bird, Horrell, Gorman, Hooker, Wright, etc…).  But, in light of Tony’s influential commentaries on 1 Corinthians and his mastery of all things hermeneutical, I think this would be very useful and interesting to read.  I will certainly blog on it soon!

2. Volume 2 of IVP’s Ancient Christian Doctrine series: this volume is on “We Believe in One Lord Jesus Christ” of the Nicene-Constantanopolitan creed and works through the thoughts of many patristic writers in an orderly fashion.  I will also give more thoughts on this, but let me say that this is a remarkable series that will allow NT researchers like me access to very important dimensions of the reception of the NT and early Christian beliefs.  Many cheers to series editor Thomas Oden and book editor J.A. McGuckin.