New Books in Biblical Studies

Markus Vinzent, a recently retired professor from King’s College, London, delves into the origins of Christianity with his cutting-edge book. He discusses how the earliest sources reveal more about their own eras than about early Christianity itself. Vinzent critiques traditional methods of historical narrative and introduces a novel retrospective approach. He explores the intertwining of Christianity with Roman identity and sheds light on the complexities of Pauline letters, comparing canonical texts to Marcion's collection.

The defining feature of this textbook is the treatment of classical and New Testament Greek as one language using primary sources. All the example sentences the students will translate are real Greek sentences, half of which are taken from classical literature and philosophy and half of which are directly from the New Testament. The advantage of this approach is that it highlights the linguistic, literary, and historical connections between classical Greece and early Christianity. Rather than having students memorize isolated tables and artificial sentences, Michael Boler spent years combing through thousands of pages of literature, philosophy, and scripture to find short, powerful sentences that not only teach the grammatical concepts in each chapter, but also contain seeds of wisdom that will spark wonder and discussion.Introduction to Classical and New Testament Greek: A Unified Approach (Catholic U of America Press, 2019) is born out of classroom experience in a Catholic liberal arts university whose students were disappointed to be forced to choose between textbooks that taught classical Greek in isolation and ones that focused exclusively on the New Testament. By the end of this book, students will have read over 200 lines of scripture and an equal amount of ancient literature from Homer to Aristotle. They will also have the grammatical knowledge to continue to read classical and New Testament Greek. Each chapter contains a section at the end that delves deeply into the etymology and background of the words and passages encountered in the respective chapter. Professors will thus be able to use these chapters as a bridge to philosophical, theological, historical, and literary topics that will enrich the class.Michael Boler is director and associate professor of classics as well as the director of the honors programs at University of St. Thomas, Houston.Justin McGeary is director of Christian studies at John Witherspoon College, a PhD candidate at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Union School of Theology, Wales, and tutor at Trinity House Tutorials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

James Neumann discusses how the Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus as the Son of God and the fulfillment of Psalm 2. They explore the significance of Psalm 2 in Mark's narrative Christology, focusing on Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection. The podcast also delves into the connections between Psalm 2 and Jesus' baptism, transfiguration, and the Centurion's recognition of Jesus as the Son of God at the crucifixion.

D. Clint Burnett, a PhD in biblical studies, discusses how Psalm 110:1 influenced early Christianity in the Greco-Roman context. They explore Christ's enthronement, the significance of Psalm 110, and early Christian responses to imperial divine honors.

Michael LeFebvre, a scholar focusing on biblical law, challenges the consensus on legislative Torah origins in ancient Israel. The podcast explores the shift from Psalm 1 to ancient Eastern law, evolution from custom to written codes, transition in Torah study from descriptive to prescriptive, and the New Testament's view on 'law'.

Benjamin Johnson, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, and Keith Bodner discuss the intriguing characters in the Book of Judges such as Ehud and Samson. They explore the complexities of character movements and portrayals in biblical narratives, focusing on Abimelech as a cautionary figure against kingship. The conversation also touches on future projects to examine characters in Chronicles and other biblical texts.

Robin Baker, author of 'Hollow Men, Strange Women: Riddles, Codes, and Otherness in the Book of Judges,' discusses the encrypted messages, riddles, and exploration of otherness in the Book of Judges. The podcast delves into the symbolic significance of blindness and the motif of seven in the text, as well as the themes of sin, redemption, and the unique role of judges like Samson within Israel's history.

First published in 2011, The Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford UP, 2017) was a groundbreaking work, bringing the New Testament's Jewish background to the attention of students, clergy, and general readers. In this new edition, eighty Jewish scholars bring together unparalleled scholarship to shed new light on the text. This thoroughly revised and greatly expanded second edition brings even more helpful information and new insights to the study of the New Testament.For Christian readers The Jewish Annotated New Testament offers a window into the first-century world of Judaism from which the New Testament springs. There are explanations of Jewish concepts such as food laws and rabbinic argumentation. It also provides a much-needed corrective to many centuries of Christian misunderstandings of the Jewish religion.For Jewish readers, this volume provides the chance to encounter the New Testament--a text of vast importance in Western European and American culture--with no religious agenda and with guidance from Jewish experts in theology, history, and Jewish and Christian thought. It also explains Christian practices, such as the Eucharist.The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Second Edition is an essential volume that places the New Testament writings in a context that will enlighten readers of any faith or none. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

Exploring the portrayal of Egypt as a monster in the book of Ezekiel, the podcast delves into the themes of religious assimilation, divine battles, and power struggles in biblical texts. It discusses the intricate dynamics between Babylon, Egypt, and Judea, highlighting the complex interplay of religious and nationalistic identities in scripture interpretation. The episode challenges traditional views on Egypt as a symbol of oppression and emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear and hatred for healing and transformation.

The letters of Ignatius of Antioch portray Jesus in terms that are both remarkably exalted and shockingly vulnerable. Jesus is identified as God and is the sole physician and teacher who truly reveals the Father. At the same time, Jesus was born of Mary, suffered, and died. Ignatius asserts both claims about Jesus with minimal attempts to reconcile how they can simultaneously be embodied in one person. Jonathon Lookadoo's book The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade Books, 2023) explores the ways in which Ignatius outlines his understanding of Jesus and the effects that these views were to have on both his immediate audience as well as some of his later readers. Ignatius utilizes stories throughout his letters, describes Jesus with designations that are at once traditional and reinvigorated with fresh meaning, and employs a dizzying array of metaphors to depict how Jesus acts. In turn, Ignatius and his audience are to respond in ways befitting their status in Christ because Jesus forms a lens through which to look at the world anew. Such a dynamic Christology was not to cease development in the second century but continued to inspire readers in creative ways through late antiquity and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies