NT Gateway Weblog

The new articles (new to me, anyway) to which I referred below are now indexed on the Paul articles page and the Jesus articles page.

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Kevin Bush has created a huge N. T. Wright page here:

N. T. Wright page

Links to lots of Wright stuff from all over the web. A few lectures and articles that I don't yet link to on the NT Gateway:

Paul's Gospel and Caesar's Empire, Center for Theological Enquiry (2002-3)

Communion and Koinonia: Pauline Reflections on Tolerance and Boundaries, paper from the Future of Anglicanism Conference, Oxford 2002 (reproduced on the Latimer Fellowship web site).

Farewell to the Rapture, Bible Review 17/4 (2001): 8, 52.

The Resurrection of the Resurrection Bible Review 16/4 (2000): 10, 63.

The Shape of Justification (Response to Paul Barnett's "Tom Wright and the New Perspective), on Mark M. Mattison's The Paul Page

Jesus and the Quest, The Anglican Institute (no date)

God and Caesar, Then and Now, Lecture - Jubilee Reflections at Westminster Abbey, a series of lectures on God, Church, Crown and State; first Lecture: Monday 22 April (no year given), Westminster Abbey web site

Coming Home to St Paul? Reading Romans a Hundred Years after Charles Gore, Charles Gore Lectures 2000 (14 November 2000), Westminster Abbey Web site

Go to the N. T. Wright page for lots of links, including to Sermons and the like.

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I am prompted by seeing this in RogueClassicism blog; it appeared last week and I forgot to mention it:

Tom Mueller, "Inside Job", Atlantic Monthly Volume 292, No. 3 (October 2003), 138-142

Subtitle: "Below the high altar of St. Peter's, investigators have found sheep bones, ox bones, pig bones, and the complete skeleton of a mouse. Was Peter himself ever there?" The author's answer, as usual when journalists ask apparently open questions, is negative, though he never says that unequivocally. It's a very interesting read. I particularly enjoyed the quotation from Antonio Ferrua's review of Margherita Guarducci. The latter claimed, against the former, that Peter's bones had been found:

"Thus one can either commiserate with or admire the illustrious Authoress for her immense exertions, carried out with commendable passion and ingenuousness, and indeed with a faith that ought to move mountains . . . . But all this cannot suffice to make us accept a work that is fundamentally wrong."

There's a small error in the article -- the author states that Peter appears in Acts for the last time "around A.D. 44, in a Jerusalem jail". He appears for the last time in Acts 15, at the Jerusalem council. And if the Antioch incident reported in Galatians 2 postdates the Jerusalem council, then Peter's last mention in the NT is later still. I think it's only Lüdemann who puts the Jerusalem council after the Antioch incident.

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There's a short interview of Tom Wright by K. C. Hanson on the Fortress web site. It's about Wright's recently published Resurrection of the Son of God:

Tom Wright Interview

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Having realised yesterday that the search facility for N. S. Gill's Ancient / Classical History on my All-in-One Biblical Resources page had become defunt, I've managed to resurrect it. So the search on the Ancient World (Various) page is now working again; and I've deleted Argos -- sadly. Now the only thing that needs work on that page is the Perseus lexicon search, but that's going to take more time.

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Jim West has just begun his own weblog:

Petros Baptist Web Log

Jim's been a great enthusiast for the NT Gateway blog so I'm happy to publicise his here. Good luck with it, Jim.

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I'm sorry to see that Argos, the "Limited Area Search of the Ancient and Medieval Internet, University of Evansville" has been taken down. There is an announcement of a "Web Project Removal Notice"; along with Hippias and Noesis, it has been "taken offline due to a lack of resources needed to keep them running and up to date". Shame.

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I've just added N. S. Gill's Ancient / Classical History link on the left. This site has been around on the web for a long time, as part of the About.com empire, but now it is essentially (or is fronted by) a blog. David Meadows lists it prominently on RogueClassicism. About.com still has a massive amount of advertising material, so much that you can easily miss the actual site links. I notice that my search of the N. S. Gill site on All-in-One Biblical Resources Search is defunct, so I'll have to resurrect that.

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A fascinating article has just appeared on Beliefnet -- Alan Segal's reflections on the Gospel of John film:

The Other Jesus Movie

Segal was one of the advisory committee convened by Peter Richardson. There are some encouraging signs here, e.g. Segal informs us that the advisory committee asked the crew to re-work the synagogue when it turned out that they had based it on a third century model. He concludes the article with some thoughts also about reports about The Passion. What I think this all puts the lie to is the charge allegedly made by Mel Gibson, "Just get an academic on board if you want to pervert something". It's really refreshing to hear of academics working together with film-makers and coming up with something admirable.

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In our post-grad Greek class here in Birmingham we are working the Didache this first half-term so I was looking to see what was available on the web. I hadn't realised before (or I'd forgotten) that CCEL have the Greek texts of Kirsopp Lake's Loeb edition of the Apostolic Fathers here:

Apostolic Fathers

Includes the Didache here:

The Didache

All are searchable, though I've not tried the search yet. At first glance there are some errors in the Greek; I won't know just how extensive until I've spent a bit more time with it. It's all unicode too. For some reason I can't get my Internet Explorer 6 to show the font properly, though it looks fine in Netscape 7. Anyway, a useful contribution to the web. I should add that Wieland Willker also has an edition of the Didache available on-line, based on the critical edition of Funk / Bihlmeyer. This one requires you to download E-Greek font and there are no accents.

Update: I've looked at their What's New page and it seems that the Apostolic Fathers went on-line at CCEL in March of this year, so it is a new development.

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The October issue of Bible Review has appeared and, as usual, several of the articles are previewed on-line,

Rose Mary Sheldon, "Spy Tales"

-- a playful piece with the abstract "Meet the James Bonds of the biblical world, the secret agents who scouted out the Holy Land, sought breaches in Canannite defenses, and single-handedly brought down evil enemy empires." Also on-line is:

William H. C. Propp, "Who Wrote Second Isaiah?"

This is an enjoyable piece that resurrects a little-known theory of one Nehemiah Rabban that 2nd Isaiah's name was Meshullam (Isaiah 42.18-19). It's a kind of bold and lively attempt at detective work that reminds me of Michael Goulder, though he wouldn't be convinced by this theory since he's recently published a resurrection of another old idea, that the servant was Jehoiachin. I don't know whether there is anything in Propp's idea -- I can shamefully plead the ignorance of a New Testament scholar of current literature on the topic -- but it's certainly an entertaining piece and I wish more Biblical scholarship was like this.

Also in this month's Bible Review is a piece by Ronald S. Hendel, "Was There a Temple in Jerusalem?", subtitled "Wartime reports from Palestine mask the truth" (referenced also in Bible and Interpretation). An excerpt will give you the flavour of this piece:

In the Middle East, lies in wartime often also include lies about the past, since the past—or more precisely, public memory about the past—provides authority for claims about the present. I recently learned that the Palestinian Authority has taken to lying about the ancient biblical past in defense of its claims regarding Jerusalem. One of the chief negotiators of the Oslo accords, Saeb Erekat, states bluntly the current position of the Palestinian Authority: “For Islam, there was never a Jewish temple at Al Quds [Jerusalem].”1 This is one of the reasons why the Palestinians wouldn’t accept a compromise about Jerusalem during the Camp David negotiations. I was floored when I read this. What a whopper!

Finally, it's worth having a look at Jots and Tittles, especially Leonard Greenspoon's "A 666 Word Essay". And it really is 666 words long -- I couldn't resist pasting it into MS Word to find out. But you have to include the title & author and exclude the "Leonard J. Greenspoon holds the . . ." Good fun, though. Strange how people get all het up about 666 when the alternative reading, 616, seems to have an as good or better claim to be original. If you don't know what I'm talking about, have a look at The Other Number of the Beast.

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I've just run through Index of Scholars: B and made several updates, David Balch, Gregory Bloomquist and M. Eugene Boring -- all these homepages / faculty pages had moved. Usual whinge: as is almost always the case with academic sites on the web, no forwards had been set up so it's a case of ferreting them out for oneself. Bloomquist's page is well worth a look -- it features several full-text article reproductions and I see several that I need to add to the NT Gateway.

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. . . so The Times says today. So it hasn't taken long for the new bishop of Durham to make the news! Here's the article by Ruth Gledhill (Times religion correspondent):

Durham's new Bishop abolishes Heaven and the soul

The article is about a new book (how does he write so much?) of Wright's called For All the Saints?, apparently to come out later this month. Gledhill characterises Wright as "the country’s leading evangelical theologian" and quotes him fairly extensively,

Dr Wright argues that, in the modern age, a loss of confidence in biblical promises along with the development of liberal theologies have led to a belief in a sort of universal salvation for all, with everyone ending up at a final destination, although few seem to be clear what this destination is.

There has at the same time been a steady erosion of any belief in Hell. He writes: “We have been fooled, not for the first time, by a view of death, and life beyond, in which the really important thing is the ‘soul’ — something which, to many people’s surprise, hardly features at all in the New Testament.

“We have allowed our view of the saving of souls to loom so large that we have failed to realise that the Bible is much more concerned about bodies."

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Nice little article in today's Telegraph:

PR for JC

"Following the leaking of the Church of England's press strategy on homosexuality, The Daily Telegraph has obtained a further document, of uncertain age . . . Notes towards a Handling Strategy on Messiah Issues . . . . Suggested strategies: play down activities perceived by focus group research as "showing off" – walking on water, converting same into wine, etc."

etc.
Thanks to Maurice A. O'Sullivan for sending over.

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William Peterson has now written a response to Kent D. Clarke who wrote a Rebuttal to Petersen's review of his article "The Construction of Biblical Certainty". I hope you're following this! If not, let me clarify: Petersen's review of Studies in the Early Text of the Gospels and Acts, in which the article by Clarke and K. Bales appeared, was published in TC 7. Then, Kent D. Clarke's Rebuttal appeared in TC 8 and now, finally, the latest instalment, also in TC 8

A Response to Kent D. Clarke

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And still they keep coming. This well-written piece by Thomas Doherty appears today in Australian newspaper The Age, apparently originally in Los Angeles Times:

Personal Passion Breaks Hollywood's Commandments

What Doherty says about DeMille ("he covered all the theological bases by placing on the payroll a Protestant minister, a Catholic priest and a rabbi") is still more clearly getting played out in the theological advisory committee behind The Gospel of John, which is beginning to look like a brilliant move. Doherty obviously knows his Jesus films; I like his one-word characterisations of the following and may have to use them for essay questions in the future,

Only with the collapse of the Production Code did offbeat and irreverent portraits dare to desecrate the image: countercultural (Jesus Christ Superstar, 1973), blasphemous (Monty Python's Life of Brian, 1979) and hallucinatory (Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, 1988).

Also worth noting -- he gives a release date of Ash Wednesday, February 2004, presumably for Australia?

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This press release on a timely book is just out from Fortress Press:

Scholars Debate Homosexuality and the Bible in New Book from Fortress Press

MINNEAPOLIS (September 30, 2003)— Few recent issues have sparked such debate in the churches as homosexuality, same-sex unions, and ordination of gays and lesbians. A new Fortress Press book is being praised for its frank presentation of two sharply contrasting views on the biblical witness.

This debate strikes such a deep chord for a number of reasons. Open dialogue in the Christian churches on these topics is still fairly recent. And sexual identity is so fundamental to personal identity that these questions are not simple decisions but cut to the core of one’s humanity. The issues at stake are complex and include biblical interpretation, biology, psychology, sociology, law, ethics, and church politics. Furthermore, there are deep emotions manifested in the church’s discussions: guilt, shame, anger, fear, and embarrassment about discussing in public issues surrounding such deeply private matters. A key point of contention is the biblical witness—its meaning, use, and authority.

In Fortress Press’s newly released Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views, two New Testament scholars examine the biblical passages on the subject of same-sex sexual behavior and how this relates to modern questions of construing homosexuality and sexual orientation. Discussing both Old Testament and New Testament passages, each author also raises important interpretive and moral questions and then offers a response to the other’s assumptions, assertions, and conclusions.

Chief questions examined by professors Dan O. Via and Robert A. J. Gagnon include the distinctions between purity systems and sin, the church’s use of ancient Israel’s laws, the nature of the practices Paul was addressing, how the biblical passages relate to our contemporary concerns, the church’s treatment of members who are homosexuals, and the assumptions we bring to reading the Bible in our modern contexts.

It is hoped that these contributions will inform readers, enliven the discussion, and bring fresh perspective to these issues-for personal reflection, in congregational study groups, in college and seminary courses, and in church judicatory assemblies.

Praise for Homosexuality and the Bible

“Homosexuality and the Bible is a timely contribution that should be read by all sides in the debate that threatens to divide all churches. I know of no other work that so clearly illumines the biblical issues at the heart of the controversy surrounding homosexuality.”

—Stanley Hauerwas
Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School

“This is an excellent contribution to a debate which is set to run and run in most parts of Christendom. I know of no finer presentation of all the main issues. The authors set out their cases and responses to one another with rigour and yet with an admirable absence of rancour. Be warned: this book may force you to change your mind!”

—Graham Stanton
Lady Margaret’s Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge

“The issue of homosexuality before the church is indeed a wearisome task, and people of good will on both sides of the vexing question wish we could for a while talk about something else. But of course that is not possible because not only are there real issues at stake, but the lives of real people are at risk around the issue. This book presents the key arguments, pro and con, with clarity, reasoned thought, and for the most part with civil discourse. We will wait, along with Via and Gagnon, to be led to newness beyond competing advocacies to a new chapter yet to be written. That of course is the work of the Spirit. . . .”

—Walter Brueggemann
William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary

“With unmatched clarity, the two sides of the homosex debate are set forth. Persons who read this volume will make their decision ‘knowing the issues.’”

—Charles H. Talbert
Distinguished Professor of Religion, Baylor University

“This particular dialogue book should further the discussion of this important matter, as it lays out well the exegetical, hermeneutical, and personal issues involved and at stake. Highly recommended.”

—Ben Witherington III
Professor of New Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary

“Two esteemed New Testament scholars claim the Bible as ultimate authority for Christian faith and life, address the biblical witness regarding homosexuality, and come to strikingly different conclusions. How can this be? Issues of exegetical meaning and theological method are pivotal, and the interpretive choices confronting us are here clearly on display. Christian leaders and churches challenged by questions surrounding the voice and role of Scripture on same-sex relations will find in this dialogue an invaluable chart for navigating these confusing waters.

—Joel B. Green
Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary

“Here, in brief and eminently readable form, are presented two opposing views of the controversy that rages within our churches. Robert Gagnon’s brilliant and lucid condensation of his principle arguments should be a significant asset for clergy and laity alike, while Dan Via opens new vistas and challenges.”

—Catherine Clark Kroeger
Associate Professor of Classical and Ministry Studies, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary

“This book presents a vigorous and illuminating debate about the implications of scripture for contemporary attitudes toward homosexuality. While I find Via’s arguments more cogent, the debate itself will be quite helpful to Christians as they think through their own positions in light of scripture. I strongly recommend this book.”

—James F. Childress, Hollingsworth Professor of Ethics, University of Virginia

“Two adept spokespersons propound contrasting ways of listening to Scripture on the question of same-sex erotic relationships. Readers who already hold positions on either extreme will likely find here only reinforcement for their views. But the great, often silent, majority in the middle that struggles with this vexing issue will find provocative material on both sides that begs for critical reflection.”

—Robert L. Brawley
Albert G. McGaw Professor of New Testament, McCormick Theological Seminary

Dan O. Via is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke University Divinity School. He is author of several Fortress Press books, including The Ethics of Mark’s Gospel (1985), Self-Deception and Wholeness in Paul and Matthew (1990), and What is New Testament Theology? (2002).

Robert A. J. Gagnon is Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and author of The Bible and Homosexual Practice (2001).

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Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views

By Dan O. Via and Robert A. J. Gagnon
ISBN 0-8006-3618-X Paperback 127pp 5.5” X 8.5”" $13.00 (Canada $20.95)

To order Homosexuality and the Bible please call Fortress Press at 1-800-328-4648 or visit the web site at www.fortresspress.com. To request review copies or exam copies please visit the website at www.fortresspress.com or call 1-800-426-0115 ext. 234. For interviews, speaking engagements, and writing assignments please call 1-800-426-0115 ext. 234 or email toddb@augsburgfortress.org

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A correspondent points out that the Corpus Paulinum information page has out of date information on how to subscribe to the list. The correct information can be found here so I've added a note to my E-Lists page while we await Jeffrey Gibson's update.

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Still the Visual Bible Gospel of John gets good publicity, though often of the "Before there was Mel, there was Garth" variety you see here from the New York Times:

Appeareth St. John, Quietly, Cautiously

Visual Bible have just put out a press release too:

New Jesus Film Receives Rave Reviews from Top Media

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Jim Davila mentions several other films which get crucifixion right. While preparing materials for a Jesus and the Gospels course which I begin tomorrow, I noticed Jim Charlesworth's article on Jesus and Jehohanan: An Archaeological Note on Crucifixion, an ExpT article from 1973 but reproduced by PBS.

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I know I'm not the only one who pays regular visits to Torrey Seland's pioneering Biblical Resources site. A recent addition (last week) is a discussion board; nothing on it yet except Torrey's introductory message but I'm sure that will soon change:

Resource Pages for Biblical Studies ("Discussion Board" on left).

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After days of happy blogging, the beginning of term (technically yesterday but I'm still up so it doesn't feel like yesterday) absorbs every last minute spare and then more time too. Add to that that I needed to get my tax return in by today, one of the worst jobs in the world, and umpteen other things. I caught a bit of Beyond Belief, last in the series, while working earlier. It was a discussion of homosexuality and as you might imagine there was plenty about scriptural interpretation. Also this evening, the latest Review of Biblical Literature reviews were announced. Here are NT related ones:

Griffith, Terry
Keep Yourselves from Idols: A New Look at 1 John

Légasse, Simon
L' épitre de Paul aux Romains

Schnackenburg, Rudolf
The Gospel of Matthew

Vines, Michael E.
The Problem of Markan Genre: The Gospel of Mark and the Jewish Novel

Wire, Antoinette Clark
Holy Lives, Holy Deaths: A Close Hearing of Early Jewish Storytellers

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Jim Davila reports on another article on The Passion, this one in Toledoblade.com. Apparently there is now a petition web site, seethepassion.com. Small item of interest -- that Mel Gibson's hands make an appearance in the film -- in banging the nails into Jesus' hands. (You can see them in the trailer). Jim Davila comments that it is a shame that they are depicted as nailing through the palms rather than the wrists. I can think of at least two films where they do nail through the wrists, The Day Christ Died (practically the last shot in the film) and Jesus (Roger Young, 1999), both TVMs interestingly enough. Anyone know of any others?

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Don't you love those newspaper headlines? An excellent article summing up everything that's been happenning on The Passion news stories in the U.S. is in today's Observer (which for the non-Brit readers is the UK's oldest surviving Sunday newspaper):

Christ in the Crossfire

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It's Sunday afternoon, so the latest Explorator has just arrived:

Explorator 6.22, September 28 2003

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