New Creation Conversations Episode 056 - Dr. Klyne Snodgrass Reflecting on Four Decades of New Testament Studies and Why Many Christians Need a Better Gospel

Welcome to episode fifty-six of New Creation Conversations. In today’s conversation I’m honored to be joined by Dr. Klyne Snodgrass. Dr. Snodgrass is now Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies after serving for forty-one years as a professor, as a dean, and as the Paul W. Brandel Chair of New Testament Studies at North Park Seminary in Chicago. Klyne is an alum of Columbia Bible College, he received his MDiv degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and he earned his PhD from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Klyne has written several books including the commentary on Ephesians that is part of The NIV Application Commentary. He has written two books on the parables: The Parable of the Wicked Tenants: An Inquiry into Parable Interpretation and Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus. (A book which received a Christianity Today award in 2008). His other books are: Between Two Truths: Living with Biblical Tension and Who God Says You Are: A Christian Understanding of Identity. In 2014 there was a Festschrift published in his honor entitled, Doing Theology for the Church: Essays in Honor of Klyne Snodgrass, that includes contributions from Darrell Bock, Richard Longenecker, Scot McKnight, and N.T. Wright.

 Klyne and I reflect a bit about his previous works in our conversation, however the majority of our discussion centers on his most recent book, You Need a Better Gospel: Reclaiming the Good News of Participation with Christ – just released in January of 2022 from Baker Academic. In it, Dr. Snodgrass reflects on how, too often, the church hasn’t done justice to its own gospel because it has neglected how much the New Testament message is about deep involvement in life with God. There is a great deal of resonance for me in Klyne’s emphasis in this book on participation with Christ and the themes that I’ve tried to focus on in these conversations about the new creation. 

As you will quickly pick up in this conversation, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Dr. Snodgrass’ reflections on a lifetime of scholarship and teaching. There is a deep wisdom that emerges from his experiences that we need to have around the table. I had a great time gleaning a kind of fatherly or grandfatherly wisdom in my conversation with Dr. Snodgrass, and I know you will be edified by our conversation as well. Thanks as always for joining me in this journey into the new creation. Here’s my conversation with Dr. Klyne Snodgrass.