Jun 14, 2008

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature


The latest issue of the Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews that may be of interest to those interested in Bible exposition include:

Jim W. Adams

The Performative Nature and Function of Isaiah 40-55

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5877

Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer


Ward Blanton

Displacing Christian Origins: Philosophy, Secularity, and the New Testament

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6059

Reviewed by Claire Clivaz


Brian Brock

Singing the Ethos of God: On the Place of Christian Ethics in Scripture

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6049

Reviewed by Jan G. van der Watt


Walter Brueggemann

Praying the Psalms: Engaging the Scripture and the Life of the Spirit

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6087

Reviewed by Patrick D. Miller


Albert Eichhorn; trans. Jeffrey Cayzer

The Lord's Supper in the New Testament

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6154

Reviewed by Sakari Hakkinen


Volker Gäckle

Die Starken und die Schwachen in Korinth und in Rom: Zu Herkunft und Funktion der Antithese in 1Kor 8,1-11,1 und in Röm 14,1-15,13

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6018

Reviewed by Stephan Witetschek


Mike Graves and David M. May

Preaching Matthew: Interpretation and Proclamation

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6164

Reviewed by Craig S. Keener


Gina Hens-Piazza

1-2 Kings

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5613

Reviewed by Randall L. McKinion


Fredrik Lindgard

Paul's Line of Thought in 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6015

Reviewed by Thomas Schmeller


Jacob Neusner, ed.

The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary: Volume 8: Tractate Yebamot

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5717

Reviewed by Rivka Ulmer


Jean-Marc Prieur

La croix chez les Pères: (du IIe au début du IVe siècle)

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5775

Reviewed by Marco Frenschkowski


Brian S. Rosner

Greed as Idolatry: The Origin and Meaning of a Pauline Metaphor

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6103

Reviewed by H. H. Drake Williams III


Andreas Wagner, ed.

Primäre und sekundäre Religion als Kategorie der Religionsgeschichte des Alten Testaments

http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5871


Reviewed by Mark W. Hamilton

A Letter to Seminary Professors


Jonathan Leeman has written an open letter of sorts to seminary professors everywhere (
here). Leeman has some thoughts worth pondering and challenges worth considering.

Jun 13, 2008

Preaching Styles


Here is a nice
article on preaching styles.

Thanks to the Unashamed Workman blog for pointing it out.

Ten Key Theological Aspects of the New Covenant


Paul Lamey has a nice
post on the New Covenant, including the following ten key theological aspects of the New Covenant.

1. The NC is in fact “new” (Heb. 8:13)

2. The NC was promised by the prophets (Jer. 31:31–34; Ezek. 36:22–36)

3. The NC was instituted by Christ (Luke 22:20)

4. The NC was inaugurated at Pentecost (Acts 2:14–41)

5. The NC is participated in by the church in the present age (1 Cor. 11:23–34; 2 Cor. 3:1–18; Eph. 2:11–13)

6. The NC will be fulfilled in Israel in the Millennial Kingdom (Rom. 11:25–27)

7. The NC will be consummated in the eternal state (Rev. 21:1–4)

8. The NC is applied only to those who consciously know the Lord by faith (Jer. 31:34; cf. Heb. 8:11–12)

9. The NC ensures that every recipient of its promises possesses forgiveness of sins (Jer. 31:34)

10. The NC’s members cannot abandoned the faith in any respect (John 6:38–40, 10:27–30; 1 John 2:19)

Sermonic Plagiarism


Scot McKnight makes some helpful observations and comments concerning the practice of plagiarizing sermons. Read it
here.

Top Five "Membership" Myths?


Ken Schenk has an interesting
post on what he calls the "Top Five "Membership" Myths." I am not sure that I agree with all that the post suggests, but the comments are worth considering.

Jun 12, 2008

To Seminary, or Not to Seminary?


Dan Phillips has an interesting
post seeking to answer the question "To seminary, or not to seminary?"

Discovery Claimed to Be the World's Oldest Christian Church


This story about the discovery in Jordan of the world's oldest Christian church has been making the rounds. You can read one of the stories
here.

Another Story on the Gospel of Judas


Here is another story on the Gospel of Judas.

Jun 11, 2008

Adele Berlin on Ruth


Here is a link to an article by Adele Berlin on the book of Ruth that was originally published in
Bible Review.

Dispensational Essentials


Matt Weymeyer has a thoughtful and fair post
here on the essentials of Dispensationalism.

Jun 10, 2008

Free Download for Hans-Georg Gadamer's Truth and Method


Hans-Georg Gadamer's
Truth and Method is available a a free pdf download here. Not the easiest book to read, but Truth and Method is a standard work in philosophical hermeneutics.

Thanks to the Sean the Baptist blog for the info.

Jun 9, 2008

Exodus 19:16-17: Forced Conversion?


This
article in the Jerusalem Post contains what appears to me to be a rather strange read on Exodus 19:16-17 as a kind of forced conversion. For what it is worth, I believe that the covenant made at Sinai was not a conversion at all. Rather, it was a covenant made with people already converted as it were.

Jun 8, 2008

Visual Media in Preaching and Teaching


There has been some discussion regarding the use of visual media (e.g., PowerPoint, videos, etc.) in preaching. For example, see
here, here, here, and here. I sense that the general tone in these posts toward the use of such media is somewhat ambivalent. Personally, I tend to be a bit more positive of visual media for at least three reasons. First, I think that the Scriptures themselves commonly contain instances of visual imagery. For example, Daniel is shown dreams and visions and he describes what he sees. Second, sight is one of our senses and I think that it helps to utilize as many senses as possible in any form of communication. Third, the exercise of visualizing a message helps one to consider the text in a different way than merely reading it and planning only to preach it verbally. Creating or utilizing accurate, appropriate, and helpful visuals forces one to think about the text in different ways. For example, think of what you would have to do if you were filming a narrative in the Bible. You would have to know the background, the context, the characters, the plot, etc. While most of us will never film such a narrative, considering how we might visualize a text often requires us to consider more details than a straightforward reading and presentation might. In this sense, I think it can help the speaker in his preparation.

Having said all this I think that cautions reflected in the posts above are helpful. I would hasten to add that visual fluff is no better (or worse) than verbal fluff. I do believe the truism that if you can't preach or teach without PowerPoint or video then you can't preach or teach with it.