BNTS The Book of Acts Seminar: Call for Papers

The following announcement came through the British New Testament Society.

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Book of Acts seminar at the British New Testament Conference

University of Durham,

4-6 September 2008

I am writing to invite papers for the Book of Acts seminar group at this year's British New Testament Conference. The conference takes place at the University of Durham, 4 to 6 September 2008.

This seminar aims to be a forum for considering Acts from various angles:

historical, literary, textual-critical, theological, archaeological, the social world, possible links/parallels with other ancient writings, and so on.

We are very happy to include discussion of topics which relate Acts to the wider contexts of Luke-Acts and the Paulinecorpus, where they are relevant and helpful to the study of Acts, although the focus of the seminar is studying Acts. Papers are welcome from both research students and more established scholars.

If you (or someone you know) is interested in offering a paper, please make contact with me as soon as possible (ideally by the end of April, and by the end of May at the latest), so that I can make plans. It would be helpful to have a working title and brief sketch of the topic(s) which the paper would cover. Papers could be longer, requiring a whole seminar session for discussion (90 minutes) or shorter, filling half a session (45 minutes). Responses by post, fax or email are all fine, although email is preferred.

Our practice in the Acts seminar is that papers are available on the British New Testament Society web site a few weeks before the conference, so that seminar members can read them in advance. We then ask the paper's author to give a 10-15 minute summary before we discuss the paper. This approach maximises discussion time, which is a major reason we meet together.

Please pass the word around about the Acts seminar, and encourage others who may wish to offer a paper to contact me soon. Do forward this email to others who may be interested. A copy of this notice is in PDF format in the 'Files' section of the BNTS google group section; please will you display it on your departmental/college notice boards?

If you have any questions about the seminar, please do get in touch with me.

With warm regards,

Steve Walton

CT Interviews Greg Beale and Don Carson

Some weeks ago, I highlighted about my purchase of the long-awaited one-volume commentary edited by G.K. Beale & D. A. Carson, Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).

CT editor-at-large, Collin Hansen, runs an interview with the editors, Greg Beale and Don Carson, about their project. It's worth a read.

Two Testaments, One Story:
Top evangelical scholars team up for landmark commentary on New Testament use of Old Testament.
Interview by Collin Hansen posted 2/08/2008 10:06AM

About a decade ago, Wheaton College Graduate School professor Greg Beale had the idea to develop a one-volume commentary that would address every instance a New Testament writer quotes or alludes to the Old Testament. He sought the help of D. A. Carson at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and together they began soliciting the contributions of an all-star cast of biblical experts. Finally, in late 2007, they published the hefty Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Baker, $54.99, 1,152 pp.). CT editor-at-large Collin Hansen spoke with Beale and Carson to learn how this new volume will help Christians understand the Bible as one progressively unfolding story of redemption.


What might surprise readers about how the New Testament writers used the Old Testament?

Beale: It's evident in our book that the New Testament writers use the Old Testament with the context of the Old Testament in mind. That's a real debate between evangelicals and non-evangelicals, but it's also an in-house debate. Some evangelicals would say Jesus and the apostles preached the right Old Testament doctrine but from the wrong Old Testament texts. They believe that what the New Testament writers wrote was inspired, but their interpretative method was not inspired, that it was just as wild and crazy as the Jewish method at the time. Our book proceeds on the presupposition that of course their conclusions are inspired. But we also show that Jesus was not a wild and crazy Jewish interpreter like those at Qumran or elsewhere, but he interpreted the Old Testament in a very viable way.

If you want a good example of someone who would disagree with our method, there's a recent book by Peter Enns called Inspiration and Incarnation. In one of the concluding chapters, he contends that Jesus and the apostles preached the right doctrine from the wrong texts and that we should do the same. I have written a lengthy review of that chapter in the periodical Themelios. Enns responded, and then I wrote a surrejoinder just on this very issue.

Where does the New Testament make things difficult for modern readers in its use of the Old Testament?

Beale: Matthew has a number of them. For example, in Matthew 2:15 it says, "And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'" That's from Hosea 11:1. The problem is, when you go back to Hosea 11:1, it's not a prophecy. It's just a description of Israel coming out of Egypt hundreds of years earlier. If a student were asked on test, "Is Hosea 11:1 a prophetic statement?" many teachers would give them an F if they said yes. You can read Craig Blomberg's chapter on Matthew to learn more. Basically this falls into a category called typology, where the events of the Old Testament are seen as prefiguring events on a grander scale in the New Testament. For example, John 19 says Jesus is the greater Passover Lamb. Part of the presupposition of the Old Testament and New Testament writers is that there are two modes of prophecy, not just direct verbal prophecy but also what one might call "patterns of history" that point forward. All of a sudden it makes sense that the past exodus referenced in Hosea 11:1 is seen as an event prefiguring a greater exodus, Jesus coming out of Egypt.

I think a number of the contributors would say the more Hebrew exegesis you do in the Old Testament, the clearer the use is in the New Testament. The problem is, some New Testament scholars don't have much background in the Hebrew Old Testament. That's immediately a problem. There's such specialization in all fields today.


For the rest of the interview, click here.

Special Discount for Logos Software

Rest assured that I am not getting any sales commission from doing this (although it would be nice to have some!).


For those of you who have been delibrating for sometime whether to reward yourself with the Logos Bible Software, now is the time to do so. Dove Bookseller has just sent out a mailing announcing some special discount for Logos Electornic Books and Software only for the month of February.

So go ahead and indulge yourself. Some of the pretty good deals are highlihgted below.


Original Languages Library - Logos Bible Software 3, CD-ROM (Windows)
Dove Price: $300.99
List: $415.95
Save: $114.96 (27%)
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Scholar's Library - Logos Bible Software 3 (Windows)
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Bible Study Library - Logos Bible Software 3 CD-ROM (Windows)
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International Review of Biblical Studies Vol 53 (2006-07)

Brill announces the release of the International Review of Biblical Studies, Volume 53 (2006-2007).




"Formerly known by its subtitle “Internationale Zeitschriftenschau für Bibelwissenschaft und Grenzgebiete”, the International Review of Biblical Studies has served the scholarly community ever since its inception in the early 1950’s. Each annual volume includes approximately 2,000 abstracts and summaries of articles and books that deal with the Bible and related literature, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha, Non-canonical gospels, and ancient Near Eastern writings. The abstracts – which may be in English, German, or French - are arranged thematically under headings such as e.g. “Genesis”, “Matthew”, “Greek language”, “text and textual criticism”, “exegetical methods and approaches”, “biblical theology”, “social and religious institutions”, “biblical personalities”, “history of Israel and early Judaism”, and so on. The articles and books that are abstracted and reviewed are collected annually by an international team of collaborators from over 300 of the most important periodicals and book series in the fields covered."

Happy Chinese New Year

Today marks the beginning of the Year of the Rat according to the Chinese lunar calander.

Happy Chinese New Year, Gong Xi Fa Chai, San Neen Fai Lok to all readers of my blog. May the new year be filled with joy, peace and love.

Bible Confiscated - Update

Following the news from Malaysiakini (see also the news report from the Star) and my earlier post on English bibles that were seized by customs officers at the Kuala Lumpur Airport, both Christian Federation of Malaysia and Council of Churches Malaysia have acted immediately and issued press statements concerning this matter.

The press statements from both CFM and CCM are reproduced below:

Press Statement from Christian Federation of Malaysia

Hands Off our Bibles
The Christian Federation of Malaysia registers its protest in the strongest terms, at the action of a Custom Officer at LCCT, who confiscated 32 English Bibles belonging to a Christian, who was bringing it from Manila for use in her church.

The reason given by the Custom Officer is that since it is the Bible, it needs to be cleared by the Internal Security Ministry’s Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts.

Since when has English Bibles become a "security issue" in our country?

Why is it, the said Control Division is amassing such rights to itself that allow Muslim civil bureaucrats to decide for Christians what religious material they can read, or bring into the country?

We have received many complaints from Christians being told to hand over religious books to custom officers at various checkpoints in the country. Now they even want our Bibles!

The Bible is our holy and sacred book. We will not comply with any directive from government or its agencies that infringe on our right to use our sacred book and other Christian literature.

We appreciate that the Deputy Minister of Internal Security, YB Dato’ Fu Ah Kiow has taken action to have the Bibles returned to the person concerned, explaining that the Customs officer had no such authority to seize the Bibles.

But in view of the fact that this is not an isolated case, we call upon YB Dato’ Fu to come up with a directive restraining all government agencies from future harassment especially by the internal security enforcement officers.

In the run-up to the National Elections, it is important for the churches to be convinced that the policy of the Barisan Nasional guarantees religious freedom and would not tolerate any actions that undermine the religious rights of all citizens of Malaysia.

(signed)
Bishop Dr. Paul Tan Chee Ing., SJ
Chairman, Executive Committee
Christian Federation of Malaysia
5th February 2008

----------------
Press Statement from Council of Churches Malaysia

It has been brought to our attention that a Malaysian Christian has suffered much spiritual anguish and indignation as she had her English Bibles confiscated by the Custom Officers at the airport (LCCT) recently, when she returned from a visit to Manila, Philippines.

The Custom Officer had insisted that the English Bibles had to be sent to the Internal Security Ministry’s Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts (Bahagian Kawalan Penerbitan dan Teks Al-Quran), for clearance .

The Council of Churches is flabbergasted that such acts are happening in our country with such frequency and impunity.

We want to state categorically that the Bible is Holy Scripture for Christians. No authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their Bibles.

The Council of Churches calls for the immediate release of the Bibles with an official apology by the Custom Department of Malaysia.

We call upon the Prime Minister, who is also the Internal Security Minister to make a clear and unequivocal statement to assure Christians in the country that they will not be subject to such harassment and that their holy books will not be subject to the scrutiny of the Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts of the Internal Security Ministry.

For a country that has celebrated, cultivated and sustained fifty years of religious freedom and harmonious living between all faith communities, this latest episode is another example of how the unilateral actions of certain government agencies are undermining the government’s stated claims of protecting religious freedom in the country.

(signed)
Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri,
General Secretary
Council of Churches of Malaysia
4th February 2008.

Bibles confiscated

Malaysia's online newspaper, Malaysiakini, runs a very disturbing news today. I am reposting the news here. Is this another clear and unmistakable indication that freedom of religion as enshirned in our Federal Constitution is now slowing but surely eroding away?

Bibles confiscated by Customs Dept
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz Feb 4, 08 7:19pm

A seizure of English bibles by Customs Department officials has left a bitter taste in the mouth of a Malaysian Christian and led the Council of Churches Malaysia to decry the increasing incidence of such acts by the authorities.

It comes on the heels of a spate of legal suits following similar seizures of Christian materials by the authorities earlier this year and late last year.

On Jan 28, missionary Juliana Nicholas returned from a trip to the Philippines carrying with her two boxes containing 32 bibles meant for her church group.

Upon arrival at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Kuala Lumpur, she was told to declare and open the contents of the boxes.

Having done so - and despite showing them a letter from her parish priest stating the texts were for use by the church - Nicholas was shocked to be hear subsequently that the bibles would be “referred" to the Internal Security Ministry’s Publications and Al-Quran Texts Control Division.

Protestations that they could check the bibles there and then without the inconvenience of referring them to the ministry fell on deaf ears, said Nicholas.

“When I objected as these were English bibles, the ministry official I spoke to said, ‘Oh, we do this even with the Qurans that come through this way’. But these are not Qurans, these are English bibles!” Nicolas said when contacted.

As to when the bibles can be returned to her “would depend on those people at the division”, Nicholas said she was told further.

After a follow-up call today to the ministry, Nicholas said she was informed she could now pick up the bibles from the division office located near the airport.

Official apology needed

She insisted, however, that the ministry issue to her an official apology for the inconvenience caused and a letter of assurance that the incidence would not recur.

“They cannot allow such things to happen again. How can they do this to you?” asked an indignant Nicholas.

Echoing her demand today, Council of Churches Malaysia general secretary Dr Hermen Shastri said it should be known categorically that “the bible is Holy Scripture for Christians.”

“No authority on earth should deny Christians the right to possess, read and travel with their bibles,” he said in a statement.

“We call upon the prime minister, who is also the internal security minister, to make a clear and unequivocal statement to assure Christians in the country that they will not be subject to such harassment and that their holy books will not be subject to the scrutiny of the Control Division of Publications and Al-Quran Texts of the Internal Security Ministry.

“For a country that has celebrated, cultivated and sustained 50 years of religious freedom and harmonious living between all faith communities, this latest episode is another example of how the unilateral actions of certain government agencies are undermining the government’s stated claims of protecting religious freedom in the country,” said Shastri.

Legal suit

Earlier this year, the Internal Security Ministry confiscated English language Christian children’s books said to contain offensive caricatures of prophets from several bookshops in three states.

Last year, a Sabah church filed a suit against the government and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his capacity as internal security minister for not allowing the import of Christian literature from Indonesia containing the word ‘Allah’.

Sabah Sidang Injil Borneo (SIB) Church president Pastor Jerry Dusing filed the suit on behalf of the church at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Dec 10 after six titles for their Sunday school education for children were banned from being imported.

In 2006, about 1,000 copies of bibles in Bahasa Indonesia were seized in Port Klang and had remained in Customs’ possession.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz had earlier told Parliament that the government prohibited the distribution of bibles in Bahasa Malaysia.

The prime minister however stated that Bahasa Malaysia bibles are not banned but must be labeled with the words 'Not for Muslims’.

Special TEE Course by Dr Peter O’Brien

In colaboration with Church Based Theological Education (CBTE), STM is pleased to announce a special Theological Education by Extension ( TEE) Course by Dr Peter O’Brien on "Justification in the Paul's Epistles."

This course will explore the development and presentation of the theme of justification in the letters written by the Apostle Paul. In view of recent scholastic studies that offer a “fresh interpretation” of the doctrine of justification, this course will be a timely reminder of the biblical view of how God justifies us while we were still enemies with him.

Dates: March 1 (Sat), 4 (Tue), 6 (Thu), 7 (Fri), 8 (Sat), 11 (Tue), 13 (Thu), and 14 (Fri)

Time: Tue, Thu and Fri: 8.00-10.30pm; Sat: 9.00am-5.00pm

Venue: First Baptist Church; Lot 8, Jalan Pantai 9/7, 46000 Petaling Jaya

About the Instructor

Dr Peter T. O'Brien is Senior Research Fellow at Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia where he was formerly Vice-Principal. He has also been the Professor of New Testament and Academic Dean of Union Biblical Seminary in Yatvatmal, India.

Dr O’Brien is a noted NT scholar with special interests in Pauline theology and missions. Among his noted works include commentaries on Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary), Philippians (New International Greek New Testament Commentary) and Colossians/Philemon (Word Biblical Commentary). He is currently writing a commentary on Hebrews for the Pillar series. Other works include ‘Consumed by Passion: Paul and the Dynamic of the Gospel’, ‘Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission’ (written with Andreas Kostenberger) and ‘Justification And Variegated Nomism’ (two volumes edited with D. A. Carson and Mark A. Seifrid).

Course Registration
For STM and TEE students only, please contact Ruth Tee
Seminari Theoloji Malaysia
Lot 3011, Taman South East, Jalan Tampin Lama Batu 3, 70100 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
Tel: 06 - 6322815

Fax: 06 - 6329766

email address: ruthtee@stm.edu.my

For those who are not STM students, please contact the CBTE Registrar, Doreen Chan, via doreen28@tm.net.my or 016-238-0918

Review of Biblical Literature: Feb 2, 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature:

Stanisław Bazyliński
A Guide to Biblical Research: Introductory Notes
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5286
Reviewed by Jeremy Punt

Douglas A. Campbell
The Quest for Paul's Gospel: A Suggested Strategy
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=4794
Reviewed by Matt Jackson-McCabe

Gordon D. Fee
Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5820
Reviewed by Don Garlington
Reviewed by Matthew Montonini

Anthony Grafton and Megan Williams
Christianity and the Transformation of the Book: Origen, Eusebius, and the Library of Caesarea
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5556
Reviewed by Claudio Zamagni

Pieter W. van der Horst
Jews and Christians in Their Graeco-Roman Context: Selected Essays on
Early Judaism, Samaritanism, Hellenism, and Christianity
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=6056
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke

Hans Hübner
Wer ist der biblische Gott? Fluch und Segen der monotheistischen Religionen
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5498
Reviewed by Sven Petry

Garrett C. Kenney
Translating H/holy S/spirit: Four Models: Unitarian, Binitarian, Trinitarian, and Non-sectarian
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5770
Reviewed by Tony Costa

Jaclyn L. Maxwell
Christianization and Communication in Late Antiquity: John Chrysostom and His Congregation in Antioch
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5778
Reviewed by David Brian Warner

Patrick D. Miller
The Way of the Lord: Essays in Old Testament Theology
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5862
Reviewed by Walter Brueggemann

Pekka Särkiö
Kuningasajalta: Kirjoituksia Salomosta ja rautakauden piirtokirjoituksista
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5719
Reviewed by Pekka Pitkänen

W. Dennis Tucker
Jonah: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text
http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5703
Reviewed by Karl Möller

Biblical Women and their Afterlives: New Testament Characters

The Centre for Reception History of the Bible is organising a conference on "Biblical Women and their Afterlives: New Testament Characters"

Venue: Trinity College, Oxford

Date: 16-18th March 2008

This interdisciplinary conference is part of an AHRC-funded project, in collaboration with Boston University, exploring the reception history of biblical women.

Following on from the successful conference in Boston in 2007, which examined the afterlives of women from the Hebrew Bible, our 2008 conference will focus on the afterlives of New Testament characters in art, music, literature and theology.

Speakers include:
Prof Heidi Hornik (art history)

Prof Diane Apostolos-Cappadona (art history)

Prof Ruth Steiner (music)

Prof Peter Loewen (music)

Fiona Maddocks (music)

Prof Christopher Rowland (theology)

Dr Sarah Jane Boss (theology)

The programme also includes the specially commissioned poem ‘To cast a stone’ by the acclaimed Irish poet John F. Deane.

For the complete conference programme click here. For the booking form click here.