Saturday 30 June 2007

A New Book by Helmut Koester: Paul and His World

Fortress Press announces a new book by Prof Helmut Koester: Paul and His World: Interpreting the New Testament in Its Context, Vol 1.

This book is described as "the first of two volumes of landmark essays in New Testament interpretation from one of the most renowned scholars in the field. This volume presents critical essays on theology and eschatology in Paul's letters, the apostle's religious and cultural context, and the interaction of early Christianity with its Greco- Roman environment, as reflected in ancient literature and archaeological remains."

Helmut Koester is John H. Morison Research Professor of Divinity and Winn Research Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chair of the New Testament Board of the Hermeneia commentary series. He is editor of numerous volumes in the Hermeneia series as well as Cities of Paul: Images and Interpretations from the Harvard New Testament and Archaeology Project on CD-ROM.

From its description, this book appears to be interesting enough to catch my attention. I look forward to engaging Prof Koester in his latest book.

2 comments:

pearlie said...

Sounds like an interesting book. I am still "scared" of Paul! haha ... so maybe this book should shed some light for me. I have the other book (which I have not much read yet), Shreiner's Apostle of God's Glory in Christ. Do you think it will be in the similar genre? Or is it one theology and the other exegesis?

Neway, I have heard you use the word "engage" several times. Do you refer it as a dissertation-related slang or in the context of The Learning Cycle (engage, explore, explain, extend, evaluate)?

Kar Yong said...

Hi Pearlie,

Schreiner's book is on the theology of Paul and I suspect Koester's book focuses a bit more on cultural background.

How I use the word "engage"? I guess in this particular context, I use it in both ways as you highlighted - I will definitely learn something from this book in the context of learning, but at the same time, I will also interact with it in a scholarly manner, i.e., I will read it critically...There you go, I cannot make up my mind again...so typical of biblical scholar... :-)