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In these wide-ranging studies, Stephen Barton shows that Christian theology and the Christian scriptures have a vital contribution to make to contemporary wisdom about our common life. The subjects he addresses are relevant to the concerns of many people today. What he has to say about the family, sexuality, community and biblical interpretation is both informative and creative. Running through the book is the issue of the appropriate use of the Bible: how the sacred text may speak in ways which are life-giving. Stephen Barton claims that questions about the interpretation of the Bible have to be set in the larger context of what it means to be the church. A central argument i that the Bible is the kind of text the truth of whose witness is discovered above all in the lives of individuals and communities seeking to share by grace in the life of the Trinity.
Authoritative chapters chart new developments of gospels interpretation in four main areas: background, content, interpretation and impact.
Probably no other works of ancient literature have had a greater influence on religious life and thought than the Four Gospels. Certainly no other works have been the subject of such intense study by those determined to learn more about the Gospels' central, often enigmatic, figure. And yet, despite the bewildering variety of scholarly approaches, few have sought to interpret the Gospels in terms of the distinctive spirituality that each contains and seeks to evoke in its readers. That is the aim of this important new book -- to help today's readers explore what each Gospel has to offer when viewed by its own right as a classic of Western spirituality. Written in a clear, non-technical style, the fresh perspectives this work presents will open new vistas on the familiar stories about the life, teaching, and ultimate significance of Jesus.
In his letters Paul speaks often of his emotions, and also promotes certain feelings while banishing others. This indicates that for Paul, emotion is vital. However, in New Testament studies, the study of emotions is still nascent; current research in the social sciences highlights its cognitive and social dimensions. Ian Y. S. Jew combines rigorous social-scientific analysis and exegetical enquiry to argue that emotions are intrinsic to the formation of the Pauline communities, as they encode belief structures and influence patterns of social experience. By taking joy in Philippians and grief in 1 Thessalonians as representative emotions, and contrasting Paul's approach with that of his Sto...
It is generally assumed that science and religion are at war. Many now claim that science has made religious belief redundant; others have turned to a literalist interpretation of biblical creation to reject or revise science; others try to resolve Darwin with Genesis. "The Nature of Creation" addresses this complex debate by engaging with both modern science and biblical scholarship together. Creation is central to Christian theology and the Bible, and has become the chosen battleground for scientists, atheists and creationists alike. "The Nature of Creation" presents a sustained historical investigation of what the creation texts of the Bible have to say and how this relates to modern scientific ideas of beginnings. The book aims to demonstrate what science and religion can share, and how they differ and ought to differ.
Michael Lakey explores the theological significance of the rituals of Baptism and the Lord's Supper in Pauline theology, with the argument culminating in an analysis of the significance of ritual dining in 1 Corinthians 10:14-22 and the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. By contrast with 'social world' forms of comparison between rituals in the Pauline communities and other communities in antiquity, this study focuses primarily upon the theologically integrating function these rituals perform in relation to Paul's theology and ethics. Lakey builds upon Clifford Geertz's systemic understanding of religion by showing how, for Paul, Baptism and the Lord's Supper facilitate specific connections between his metaphysics on the one hand, and the form or pattern of life he enjoins upon his churches on the other. This volume considers precisely what - given his theological and ethical premises - Paul's underlying beliefs regarding these ritual events may have been, allowing for a preliminary discussion of specific lines of post-interpretation in the early patristic period.
The essays in this volume present a state-of-the-discipline snapshot of current and recent research into the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. The contributions showcase wide range of methods and perspectives on Gospels study. The Gospels are viewed from a traditio-historical perspective, and with an eye on history of interpretation. Literary and social-scientific analysis of the Gospels, as well as theological and spiritual readings are also presented. The collection presents chapters by experts in the field of Matthean, Markan, and Jesus studies that freshly examine the core texts. The list of highly distinguished contributors includes: James D.G. Dunn, Francis Watson and Donald Hagner.
This extract from the Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible provides Barton’s introduction to and concise commentary on First Corinthians. The Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible presents, in nontechnical language, the best of modern scholarship on each book of the Bible, including the Apocrypha. Reader-friendly commentary complements succinct summaries of each section of the text and will be valuable to scholars, students, and general readers. Rather than attempt a verse-by-verse analysis, these volumes work from larger sense units, highlighting the place of each passage within the overarching biblical story. Commentators focus on the genre of each text—parable, prophetic oracle, legal code, and so on—interpreting within the historical and literary context. The volumes also address major issues within each biblical book—including the range of possible interpretations—and refer readers to the best resources for further discussions.
The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context. To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections: Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context. Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the world of the Bible and the world of today, built by discerning what is timeless in the timely pages of the Bible. Contemporary Significance. This section identifies comparable situations to those faced in the Bible and explores relevant application of the biblical messages. The author alerts the readers of problems they may encounter when seeking to apply the passage and helps them think through the issues involved. This unique, award-winning commentary is the ideal resource for today's preachers, teachers, and serious students of the Bible, giving them the tools, ideas, and insights they need to communicate God's Word with the same powerful impact it had when it was first written.