"We come back, then, to where we started. The question is not whether we are good at theology or 'balanced' (horrible, self-conscious word!) in our approach to problems of Christian living. The question is, can we say, simply, honestly, not because we feel that as evangelicals we ought to, but because it is a plain … Continue reading Knowing God versus Knowing about God
E. P. Sanders (1937-2022)
E. P. Sanders, one of the most influential New Testament scholars of this century, passed away on November 21, 2022, at the age of 85. Although I am highly critical of his view on Paul and Judaism, I cannot overemphasize the impact he brought about through his magnum opus Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison … Continue reading E. P. Sanders (1937-2022)
Romans 1:17a
It's impossible to overemphasize the significance of Rom 1:16-17. Porter is absolutely right when he claims that Rom 1:16-17 is the "theme for the entire letter" (Porter, Letter to the Romans, 57). I read and re-read Rom 1:17a this morning to realize that this is one of the most complete and satisfying descriptions (or even … Continue reading Romans 1:17a
The Regenerated Heart
Eugene H. Peterson's Under the Unpredictable Plant (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992) is one of those books to which I keep returning to be challenged and yet encouraged. One of my favorite sections of the book is where he describes the novelist Chaim Potok's (1929–2002) lecture at Johns Hopkins in the 1980s. Potok's Jewish mother tried … Continue reading The Regenerated Heart
Boccaccini, Paul’s Three Paths (2020)
Gabriele Boccaccini is a University of Michigan professor teaching Second Temple Judaism and early rabbinic literature. He's also a renowned Enoch specialist. I've been reading his 2020 book Paul's Three Paths to Salvation (Eerdmans). I am planning to write a (very) critical book review soon and have it published somewhere. Today's post only concerns a … Continue reading Boccaccini, Paul’s Three Paths (2020)