Some really interesting titles and abstracts for the latest issue of JSNT including articles by Andrew Lincoln and Clayton Croy. Read more

Logos Bible Software is in the midst of gathering interest and support for the publishing of French scholar Ceslas Spicq’s (1901-1992) commentary on the letter to the Hebrews that was published in 1952/3. According to modern Hebrews scholars, Spicq’s work was a gem, but only available in French until now. It will be two volumes and for $40 you get 900 pages of commentary! If you are interested in Hebrews, check out the Logos webpage on this English translation. If... Read more

Recently I read Mark Strauss’ Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels (Zondervan, 2007). It is the best introduction to the Gospels I have ever read! A number of good textbooks exist (Blomberg, Powell, Stanton, Adams), but Strauss’ volume is (1) comprehensive, (2) attractive, (3) fair/balanced, and (4) current. Now, knowing it is a Zondervan textbook, you could guess that it has a conservative perspective. No doubt. Strauss shows a preference for traditional authorship, but he does not... Read more

Seminary education in two days? Not quite, but, wow!, I am very impressed with the lineup of speakers at Pastorum Live (put on by the friendly folks at Logos). John Walton Scot McKnight Peter Enns Craig Evans Dan Block Warren Carter Roy Ciampa Michael Goheen David Garland Sean McDonough Nicholas Perrin Eckhard Schabel Mark Strauss And more! I will still be teaching around that time, so I won’t be attending, but especially if you are in the Chicago area, this... Read more

Have you ever wondered, What are They Saying About the Gospel of Thomas? My buddy Chris Skinner can answer that question – and he has! In the Paulist Press WATSA series, his new book is due in May and can be pre-ordered for a very nice deal on Amazon ($6.40). Check it out! Congrats, Chris! Read more

Recently I had a chance to take a quick read of a new book called The Torah by Joel S. Kaminsky and Joel N. Lohr in Oneworld publisher’s “Beginners Guides” (2011). The book receives high praise with endorsements by Terence Fretheim, Ellen Davis, Walter Brueggemann, John Collins, and Matthew Levering. Here are some helpful things to know about the book (1) It is short. It is less than 200 pages and introduces the Torah succintly for non-specialists. (2) It is written for the... Read more

This is not “new” news, but earlier this year (Jan, 2012), Craig Blomberg reviewed Craig Keener’s 2-volume tome Miracles (Baker, 2011) in the Denver Seminary online journal and gave the book high praise. Well done, Craig! This phenomenal two-volume work belongs in the library of every person who is seriously interested in whether or not events akin to the New Testament miracle stories have occurred at other times and places and/or still occur today. (Craig Blomberg) Read more

Today our pastor used this excellent quote by Jaroslav Pelikan about “tradition” in his sermon. Tradition is the living faith of the dead, traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. And, I suppose I should add, it is traditionalism that gives tradition such a bad name (The Vindication of Tradition, 65). In the study of Colossians, for example, I think this perspective is very relevant. Paul was not criticizing that the Colossians philosophers were ritualistic, but specifically that they... Read more

It was announced today that Eckhard Schnabel (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) has been named Mary F Rockefeller Distinguished Prof of NT at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. This post was previously held by Scott Hafemann. I think he will fit in quite well at GCTS. The announcement is here. Read more

Do you know about the tribute conference for Biblical scholar Anthony Thiselton at Nottingham, June 29, 2012? Speakers include Stanley Porter, Walter Moberly, Richard Briggs, Matthew Malcolm, James Dunn, Robert Morgan, Tom Greggs, and Thiselton himself. I wish I could be there! My first interaction with Thiselton’s work was in seminary where Dr. Sean McDonough assigned us his massive NIGTC commentary on 1 Corinthians – rather overwhelming, but very good material. He also appears frequently in the Bibledex videos that... Read more