A Brand New Cambridge Companion to Paul In seminary, I cherished my copy of The Cambridge Companion to St. Paul (ed. James D.G. Dunn, 2002). It offered concise overviews of the state of scholarship on various elements of the interpretation of Paul written by leading Pauline experts. Now again, a second version of the book (new topics, new contributors) covers advances, developments, and new conversations in Pauline scholarship over the past 15 years or so. TOC: “What Do We Find... Read more
New Book: Voices and Views on Paul When I was in seminary (early 2000s), I devoured anything I could that helped me understand Pauline studies. So, things like Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, The Cambridge Companion to Paul, and The Theology of Paul the Apostle (Dunn). But I vividly remember reading The Paul Quest by Ben Witherington. That book gave me a clear window into trends in the scholarship of the late 20th century. This new book, Voices and Views on Paul, with Jason Myers... Read more
Get this Martyn classic for FREE! Also, Logos is offering some cheap addition goodies. Read more
Welcome to a brand new blog series, “The Editors behind the Great Books in New Testament Studies.” Here we will talk to professional editors and learn about the publishing world. We tend to admire the writers of the books, all the while these editors are working behind the scenes and often the “unsung heroes” of great books. So, I thought I would peel back the curtain to take a peek at the important work of these editors, imagining, crafting, reworking, and... Read more
Did Paul borrow a Roman virtue list in Philippians 4:8? Prior to my research for a Philippians commentary, I had repeatedly heard that in 4:8 Paul drew from a “Roman virtue list”: Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil 4:8) But when I actually looked at this in closer... Read more
If you read Luke Timothy Johnson’s Canonical Paul: Constructing Paul (Eerdmans) released back in March 2020, you might be interested in the sequel in his “Canonical Paul” series, Interpreting Paul (Eerdmans, May 2021). Nine months is a long time to wait, but while you set aside a few bucks (retail $60; 600+ pp.) here is the description and table of contents to whet your appetite. “For me, Paul has always been the most difficult and therefore also most delightful advocate and interpreter... Read more
Seminary Now is a new, on-demand streaming video platform that provides exclusive Bible, theology, and ministry courses from today’s leading teachers, ministry practitioners, and authors. Like Netflix or Masterclass, subscribers get unlimited access to all courses—available on smart phone, tablet, and TV devices. You can also earn a certificate from Seminary Now by completing a learning track. Join today and access exclusive content from Scot McKnight, Brenda Salter McNeil, Ruth Haley Barton, and many more. Several courses are already available... Read more
Recently SBL posted the following about a *Free* symposium on the topic #BlackScholarsMater In this two-part online symposium organized by the Society of Biblical Literature, we will have a chance to hear and learn from some of our guild’s Black colleagues about their experiences in the academy and the changes that they would like to see happen. Special thanks to Tat-siong Benny Liew, Kimberly Russaw, and Raj Nadella for organizing this symposium. Day 1, 12 August (morning session 10:00 am–12:00... Read more
The journal Review & Expositor published a May 2020 issue dedicated to the subject of the #MeToo & #ChurchToo movements in theological perspective. I’m not going to lie to you. These articles are very uncomfortable to read, especially since I am a man and I have hurt women through my words, actions, and inaction. But reading and learning is a key step towards change. I found these articles especially insightful: “#MeToo Jesus: Naming Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse” (Jayme... Read more
I am deeply grateful for Matt Novenson’s invitation for me to write for the Oxford Handbook of Pauline Studies. I have been tracking the progress of this handbook for many years and Oxford has posted some chapters online (for subscribing institutions). The contributors are leading Pauline scholars, many working in the UK, but not all. I wrote my essay on the Pistis Christou debate. I thought before that I had a good handle on the state of the discussion, but I went back... Read more
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