Jul 6, 2013

British Library Manuscripts

  
The British Library has created and made available an Excel spreadsheet listing all the manuscripts they have online, with the URL. You can read more about it and access it here.  

HT: Roger Pearse

Jul 5, 2013

Latest Issue of Review of Biblical Literature

  
The latest issue of Review of Biblical Literature is out. Reviews can be accessed by clicking the links below.


Peter Arzt-Grabner and Christina M. Kreinecker, eds.
Light from the East: Papyrologische Kommentare zum Neuen Testament. Akten des internationalen Symposions vom 3.–4. Dezember 2009 am Fachbereich Bibelwissenschaft und Kirchengeschichte der Universität Salzburg
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8047
Reviewed by Scott Charlesworth

Daniel I. Block
Deuteronomy
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8654
Reviewed by Garrett Galvin
 

Terry W. Eddinger
Malachi: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8620
Reviewed by Buzz Brookman

Jaco Gericke
The Hebrew Bible and Philosophy of Religion
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8714
Reviewed by Christian Danz

Yoram Hazony
The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8600
Reviewed by Craig G. Bartholomew

J. Edward Owens
Leviticus
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8936
Reviewed by David Talley

Gary S. Shogren
1 and 2 Thessalonians
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8733
Reviewed by Jason Weaver

Christopher W. Skinner and Kelly R. Iverson, eds.
Unity and Diversity in the Gospels and Paul: Essays in Honor of Frank J. Matera
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8849
Reviewed by Lars Kierspel

Jean-Luc Vesco
Le Psautier de Jésus: Les citations des Psaumes dans le Nouveau Testament
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8558
Reviewed by Thomas J. Kraus

Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos
Reading Samuel: A Literary and Theological Commentary
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=8674
Reviewed by Benjamin J. M. Johnson

  

Jul 4, 2013

2013 SBL Preliminary Program Book

  
You can access a preliminary version of the program book for the Society of Biblical Literature's 2013 annual meeting to be held in Baltimore here. You can do specific searches or leave all the fields blank and click the search button.
  

Exodus Website

  
Exodus: Out of Egypt is a new website that is described by Thomas Levy as follows.

"This website does not advocate any solutions to the story of ancient Israel’s Exodus from Egypt, known from the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible. Rather, it highlights new transdisciplinary perspectives on this ancient puzzle based on an international conference held May 31 to June 3, 2013 in Calit2’s Qualcomm Institute at UC San Diego. The conference – Out of Egypt: Israel’s Exodus Between Text and Memory, History and Imagination – brought together more than 40 of the world’s leading archaeologists, Biblical scholars, Egyptologists, historians and geo-scientists. In tandem, the Qualcomm Institute staged an exhibition, EX3: Exodus, Cyber-Archaeology and the Future, through June 9, as an experiment in trans-disciplinary research, team science, and scholarly communication using technologies developed for the museum of the future. Archaeologists and Biblical scholars teamed with computer scientists, engineers, geo-scientists and sonic artists to show how 21st century collaboration in these fields can provide new ways of looking at ancient historical problems. Nearly four dozen scientists contributed their unique expertise and worked “out of the (disciplinary) box” in search of potential answers to historical questions. They explored cyber-archaeology data collection, analyses and dissemination, and the exhibition featured new 3D and large-scale visualization platforms developed by the Qualcomm Institute as prototype display systems for the museum of the future. At right is a collection of images from the conference and exhibition. Below, this portal features streaming video, including an overview of the exhibition, as well as on-demand video of all conference proceedings. At bottom, click on the links to view panels from the exhibition on the significance of the Exodus from an ecumenical perspective in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity." 
  

Jul 3, 2013

Theological Education in a Changing World

  
This is an interesting article on the challenges of theological education within a global context.
 

Jul 2, 2013

The Tabernacle in Shiloh

  
In this article, archaeologist are purported to claim that evidence for the tabernacle at Shiloh has been found. I would suggest that a bit of caution is in order since what is identified as evidence does not appear to be conclusive.
 

Sequal to the Bible Miniseries

  
NBC announced Monday that it will join with producer Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, on a sequel to the Bible miniseries that aired earlier this year on the History Channel. The sequel has been given the working title "A.D.: Beyond the Bible" and will cover the days following the crucifixion of Jesus. You can read about it here.

Jul 1, 2013

Free Logos Book of the Month: The Expositor's Greek Testament, Volume 5

  
The free Logos book for the month of July is volume 5 of The Expositor's Greek Testament. You can read more about it or enter a drawing to win the entire set here.
  

Jun 30, 2013

Message: In the Event or Text?


"Biblical narrators were concerned not only to describe historical events, but also to interpret them. Indeed, it is in the authors’ interpretation that we find the permanent message. Although God did in fact reveal himself and speak through the events of history and the experiences of Israel (see the purpose of the miracles in the Exodus narratives and the events prophesied by Ezekiel), it is difficult (if not impossible) for us to reconstruct the events and thereby recover the message of God in the original event. Indeed, our only access to that historical revelation is through the interpretation offered by the inspired writers of the texts of Scripture. The message we preach must accord with the message proclaimed by the inspired narrator and interpreter of those events. That message may be retrieved only by carefully studying what the authors have written. While we recognize the value of the history of interpretation of biblical texts, and of interpretations given by contemporary commentators, only the meaning of the original author, not that of later interpreters, offers the normative message of God."

Daniel I Block, “Tell Me the Old, Old Story: Preaching the Message of Old Testament Narrative,” in Giving the Sense: Understanding and Using Old Testament Historical Texts, ed. David M. Howard Jr. and Michael A. Grisanti (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2003), 413–14.