suggested reading: theology / bible translation

 

 

Evil and the Justice of God by N.T. Wright

Recommended by Donnell Wyche

 

Why does evil persist in a world created by a good God? And why does the church seem so feeble in counteracting evil? Wright, a New Testament scholar who is Anglican bishop of Durham, addresses these questions in a readable and compelling plea to renew the church's compassionate mission in these challenging times.

 

 

 

Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace by Miroslav Volf

Recommended by Ray Befus

 

Miroslav Volf draws from popular culture as well as from a wealth of literary and theological sources, weaving his rich reflections around the sturdy frame of Paul's vision of God's grace and Martin Luther's interpretation of that vision. Blending the best of theology and spirituality, he encourages us to echo in our own lives God's generous giving and forgiving.

 

 

New Testament History by F.F. Bruce

Recommended by Ken Ritz

 

This book recounts the Roman and Jewish context of New Testament times - the lives of John and Jesus, and the history of the first two generations of the Church. It's very readable and packed full of interesting facts and stories.

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism by George M. Marsden

Recommended by Ken Wilson

 

In this historical overview of American fundamentalism and evangelicalism, Marsden provides an introduction to the growing religious movements and a deeper analysis of two themes that have been especially prominent and controversial in these traditions—views of science and views of politics.

 

 

 

Exclusion & Embrace by Miroslav Volf

Recommended by Rich Nathan

 

Life at the end of the twentieth century presents us with a disturbing reality. Otherness, the simple fact of being different in some way, has come to be defined as in and of itself evil. Miroslav Volf contends that if the healing word of the gospel is to be heard today, Christian theology must find ways of speaking that address the hatred of the other.

 

 

 

The New Testament and the People of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God, vol. 1 by N.T. Wright

 

In this volume Wright trains a penetrating historical and theological spotlight on first-century Palestinian Judaism. By describing the history, social make-up, worldview, beliefs, and hope of Palestinian Judaism, Wright familiarizes the reader with the 'world of Judaism' as situated within the world of Greco-Roman culture.

 

 

 

Jesus and the Victory of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God, vol. 2 by N.T. Wright

Recommended by Emily Swan

 

N.T. Wright brilliantly surveys the field of Jesus scholarship in the twentieth-century, presenting Jesus firmly within the political and social setting of the first-century--as a Jewish apocalyptic prophet.

 

 

 

 

The Resurrection of the Son of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God, vol. 3 by N.T. Wright

 

This book highlights the fact that the early Christians' belief about the afterlife belonged firmly on the Jewish spectrum, while introducing several new mutations and sharper definitions. This forces the historian to read the Easter narratives in the Gospels not simply as late rationalizations of early Christian spirituality, but as accounts of two actual events: the empty tomb of Jesus and his 'appearances.'

 

 

New Testament Exegesis by Gordon Fee

 

This indispensable, stimulating guide provides a practical method for a thorough, careful exegesis of the New Testament. It gives step-by-step analysis of the exegetical procedures, a brief guide to exegesis for sermon preparation, and resources for further study. This volume reflects many changes since the first edition was published, opening up new ways of hearing the New Testament.

 

 

 

The Art of Biblical Poetry by Robert Alter

 

Robert Alter provides a fresh interpetation of the Old Testament and a lucid, original account of how biblical poetry works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slaves, Women, & Homosexuals by William J. Webb

 

Webb leads you through the maze of interpretation that has historically surrounded understanding of slaves, women and homosexuals, and he intelligently evaluates various approaches to these and other biblical-ethical teachings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood ed. by Wayne Gruden

 

This book offers the counter arguement to William Webb's book (above) and demonstrates how some views of manhood and womanhood tamper with our understanding of God’s character and why the extremes of male domination and feminism destroy the beauty of our sexual differences—differences that celebrate the excellence of men and women as God created us.

 

 

Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson

Recommended by Rich Nathan

 

Updated explanations of the "sins" of interpretation teach sound grammatical, lexical, cultural, theological, and historical Bible study practices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Heart of Christianity by Marcus J. Borg

 

We're 99.9% sure you'll disagree with what Borg thinks the heart of Christianity is, but it's worth a read since he's the leading voice in the Jesus Seminar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religous Revolutionary by Marcus J. Borg

Recommended by Don Bromley

 

This thought-provoking text presents a full and historical portrait of Jesus as a charismatic, spiritual and deeply political prophet and healer. What emerges is a man living in the power of the spirit, a man who sought the transformation of his social world.

 

 

 

The Book of God by Walkter Wangerin, Jr.

 

Here is the story of the Bible from beginning to end as you've never read it before. The Book of God reads like a fine novel, dramatizing the sweep of biblical events, making the men and women of this ancient book come alive in vivid detail and dialogue.

 

 

 

 

 

The Powers That Be by Walter Wink

Theologian and biblical scholar Walter Wink helps us reformulate our ancient concepts - such as God and Satan, angels and demons, principalities and powers - in light of what we now know. Wink's theology is shaped as much by his study of the Bible as by his involvement in the civil rights movement and the fight against apartheid in South Africa. The result is nothing less than a new worldview.