HERE Read more

I would like any interested reader who lives in the Seattle area to consider coming to study Philippians (in Greek!) with me this fall at Seattle Pacific University on Tuesday nights from 6pm-8:35pm.  I am teaching this course in the graduate school of theology. Part of the class will involve serious engagement in the Greek text- discussion of translation (syntax, textual criticism, some morphological issues), but I want to have ample time to dive into historical, social, theological, and ethical... Read more

In my seminary, there was a strong emphasis on learning well the tools of exegesis.  One of the books that was on the recommended reading list of every exegesis course of mine was the first edition of Hearing the New Testament (ed. JB Green; Eerdmans, 1995).  Thus, I was excited to see a new edition come out recently (2010) with some revisions and additions. Most often, changes to a book like this would make it longer – an expansion.  However,... Read more

As many have noted, the new journal called Early Christianity (Mohr Siebeck) is offering its launch issue for free.  In a market of academic resources that is overcrowded, it is difficult to justify a new journal.  However, given the international cooperative effort of this work (esp. English-speaking and German-speaking scholars) and its attempt to study early Christianity as both involving the NT and the post-NT developments, I think it will be very productive and significant. I was eagerly looking forward... Read more

In a recent post I mentioned The Wesley Study Bible (eds. Joel Green William Willimon; Abingdon).  I am pleased now to offer you an interview that I conducted with co-editor William Willimon, Bishop of of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church.  I first encountered the work of Bishop Willimon through the work Resident Aliens which was co-authored with Stanley Hauerwas (1989).  I also know his commentary on Acts in the Interpretation series.  Most recently, he wrote This... Read more

In an interesting essay*, Randy Maddox argues that Methodists are just now reclaiming John Wesley as a theologian: “…Wesley’s significance as a theologian had been receiving little positive attention among his Methodist descendants up to 1960” (p. 213).  Most books written in the 19th century were biographies that highlighted Wesley’s zeal and piety, not his theological perspective.  One of the criticisms of Methodism, as a group that tried to distance itself from Anglicanism, was that it had no comprehensive outlining... Read more

How do you get students to learn about the Greco-Roman background of the New Testament?  You could assign Helmut Koester’s History, Culture, and Religion in the Hellenistic Age, or perhaps Everett Ferguson’s popular Backgrounds of Early Christianity; but reading these kinds of textbooks can be tedious and boring.  A fresh alternative, though not as detailed or exhaustive, can be found in Moyer Hubbard’s Christianity in the Greco-Roman World: A Narrative Introduction (Hendrickson).  There are many fine qualities that are immediately... Read more

In a previous post I mentioned the Ancient Christian Doctrine series from IVP which is now well along with five volumes.  It is a reference tool to familiarize students and scholars with Patristic theology and viewpoints, based on the Nicene Creed.  This is a real gem for scholars and enables NT researchers (like me) to get access easily to basic viewpoints. In this post, I will briefly deal with the question: WHY BOTHER?  I, of course, think it is very... Read more

When I was at the recent Wheaton theology conference, I could not help but pick up a copy of the new Ancient Christian Doctrine (ACD) series (vol. 2 on Jesus as Lord) from IVP.  For those familiar with the Ancient Christian Commentary on the New and Old Testaments, this ACD series has a similar style, but instead of working through a biblical text, it works through a doctrine (or set of doctrines) giving the viewpoints (in fresh translations) from a... Read more

I am currently finishing up a review (for Reviews in Religion and Theology) of the excellent book The Audience of the Gospels: The Origin and Function of the Gospels in Early Christianity (ed. E.W. Klink III).  I was a little apprehensive about reviewing this, as I am a “Paul” guy by day, but I want to continue to expand my areas of expertise and work my way into Johannine studies as well.  I was very pleased with this book because it... Read more