Comments on www.joshgelatt.com - Biblical reflections on faith, life, and culture: BOOK OF THE YEAR - 2007

Enjoyed reading both of your comments. Wonderful t...

2007-12-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed reading both of your comments. Wonderful to see such balanced thoughts.

I've only read Witherington's commentaries, which ...

2007-12-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

I've only read Witherington's commentaries, which I have found very valuable.

By the way (sorry to post again), Yoder's book sho...

2007-12-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

By the way (sorry to post again), Yoder's book should be read by all Christians I believe. Growing up in a right-wing fundamentalist reformed southern baptist church caused me really have an unbalanced view of pacifism and war. Yoder's book is brilliant.

One author I forgot to mention is Ben Witherington. Though a bit too prolific (it seems like he writes too much and thus the quality of some of his books may be sub-par), he is an excellent scholar coming from an Arminian perspective. He has great insights and offers good refutations to the extreme reformed view of the biblical text. Many of his social science commentaries are good, as well as his "New Testament History". I highly admire Dr. Witherington b/c he is not afraid to write what he believes. He is conservative, but doesn't seem to have an agenda of constantly defending theological systems, catechisms, and doctrinal statements. Something I personally admire.

God bless you Josh

Josh,

Thank you for responding. I think Go...

2007-12-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

Josh,

Thank you for responding. I think Goldingay is amazing. He goes a little too far on some things (God not knowing everything in the present, it seems like he denies any affect of the Adamic fall, et al), but he is brilliant and has a lot to offer nonetheless. His 2 OT theology volumes are absolutely amazing. When reading them, I feel like I am listening to a wise old sage that has incredible insight.

I have also benefited from a more liberal Lutheran named Terence Fretheim. His book called "The Suffering of God" is an absolute must (unless you believe in impassibility!). A book that has possibly had the most impact on me is Kenneth Bailey's "Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes". Though I don't think he would be considered as liberal, he is certainly not an extreme reformed conservative. His culture studies on the Gospels are simply outstanding (though he takes his method a little too far sometimes).

Personally, I think James Dunn is amazingly brilliant. Say what you want about the new perspective, but this guy has profound insight. His Theology of Paul the Apostle book is sure to become a classic in Pauline studies (and helps clarify certain Pauline terminology that we commonly misunderstand). Also his "Unity and Diversity" is simply outstanding.

Other authors I enjoy reading (both conservative and moderate) are Ralph Martin, John Hartley, Walter Brueggemann (though I'm not his biggest fan), N.T. Wright, Darrell Bock, Brad Young, and Gordon Fee. I have read about 4 Piper books, but honestly find him the most redundant author I have ever read and simply refuse to purchase any more of his books b/c of this.

Also, something that has helped me out alot is Bruce Malina's works over the social sciences. His insights and methods have much light to shed on the biblical text ("New Testament World", his Social Science commentaries, etc.)

I appreciate your candor and wish there were more reformed individuals like you. Your eclectic approach is very healthy and I admire it.

Alex,

I would covet your thoughts on Yoder'...

2007-12-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

Alex,

I would covet your thoughts on Yoder's book. I've "almost" book it four times on Amazon (it was even in my Shopping Cart and everything). But....my wife does keep a watchful eye on my book-buying habits....

What did you think of the book?

Thanks for sharing. I've still got two more b...

2007-12-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks for sharing. I've still got two more books to finish (Kite Runner & Paul and Palestinian Judaism) but here's my favorite list so far of what I've read this year that didn't necessarily come out this year...

1. We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch

2. The River of Doubt by Candice Millard

3. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

4. New Testament Textual Criticism: A Concise Guide by David Alan Black

5. Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot

6. The Politics of Jesus by John Howard Yoder

7. Exclusion and Embrace by Miroslav Volf

8. The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

9. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

10. Commentary on Romans by N.T. Wright

Your so right. For example, some of the best lang...

2007-12-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

Your so right. For example, some of the best language and historical background scholarship comes from Liberal minds. There are also many Catholic commentators who are of immense value (Joseph Fitzmyer and the beloved Raymond Brown). NT Wright is incredibly profound, and has challenged my thinking in many ways. The Post-Liberal moment out of Yale has added a much needed dimension to the ongoing theological discussion.

The West is just beginning to wake up to the Eastern Orthodox authors, and hopefully their will be a resurgence of interest in Rabbinic Judaism (especially with the reprinting of the multi-volume Babylonian Talmud).

Probably one of the most influencial books on how to be a pastor (since I just finished my first year in ministry) was "Leaves From The Notebook Of A Tamed Cynic" by Reinhold Niebuhr. Classically liberal, yet undeniably brilliant.

I would value your book recommendations. Sadly, I see an unnread copy of Goldingay's "Models of Scripture" sitting on my self. I know him only by name.

Point well taken bro, I just gathered from what I ...

2007-12-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

Point well taken bro, I just gathered from what I had read on your blog and the books you recommend that these were the only people you ever read.

So I'm sorry to have this misconception about you. In fact, it makes me have a great deal of respect for you that you read other writers outside of the reformed camp, and not just for the sole purpose of refuting them through a sermon or book review, but to actually learn from them!

I wish more Christian leaders were like you in their reading choices, b/c I think it's a big mistake to never read authors outside of reformed, conservative, evangelical Christianity. As I'm sure you know, even liberal scholarship has a great deal to offer on the biblical text and have things we can learn from. Being in reformed circles all my life has caused me to become bitter to them at times b/c all they read are Piper, Luther, Calvin, Augustine, Edwards, Warfield, Spurgeon, Macarthur, Sproul, etc. Then if they ever read an author like James Dunn or John Goldingay, it's only to make a point of how wrong they are or how liberal we are becoming.

Keep it up bro, you are certainly somebody I can learn from

You mean men and women like:

Philo
Josep...

2007-12-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

You mean men and women like:

Philo
Josephus
Augustine
Clement of Alexandria
John Cassian
Eusibius
Athanasius
John Arndt
John Climacus
Bonaventure
Anselm
Aquinas
Ockham
The Wesley Brothers
Watchman Nee
John Stott
Toxer
Robert Webber
Cymbala
J.I. Packer
Richard Foster
St. Francis of Assisi
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dallas Willard
J.B. Phillips
James Dunn
John Schneider
Brian McLaren
Thomas Oden
Benedict
St. Basil
Cyril of Jerusalem
Hans Kung
Gordon Fee
Vladimir Berzonsky
James Beck
Stanley Grenz
Bruce Wilkinson
Rodney Clapp
Rob Bell
John Eldredge
Sally Morgenthaler
Vanhoozer
Bruce Metzger

..just to name a few.

I never said I didn't read anything other than Puritans and Reformed guys. In fact, the vast majority of my 3,500 volume library are non-reformed writers.

A number of years ago I was deeply influenced by Richard Foster's "Streams of Living Water", where he challenges Christians to read widely in all "streams" of Christianity. I have made this my life's practice, and read widely & deeply in Catholic, Arminian, Pentecostal, Liberal, Agnostic, Eastern Orthodox, Rabbinic, and (yes) Reformed streams.

With all that said, I choose to interact most closely with the Reformed vein on this blog because I believe this system of thought is the most biblical.

Furthermore, I would encourage you to interact with a broader reading horizon, while simultaneously feeling the freedom to choose a particular path of belief.

You know there are other people who are Christians...

2007-12-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

You know there are other people who are Christians, contribute to Christianity, and are deep and profound besides the Puritans, Luther, Calvin, Augustine, Piper, and Spurgeon. Just throwing that out there. You really limit yourself on your reading.

Paul, it is great to hear from you. A warm hello ...

2007-12-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

Paul, it is great to hear from you. A warm hello from all of us to you and your family.

As for the Commentary you mentioned below, I admit it is inexcusable that I have not yet read (or even purchased) this work. My mouth has been watering for some time just thinking about it, but the Puritans have been consuming my book buying budget lately.

I would add for consideration Commentary on th...

2007-12-13T06:49:00.000-08:00
I would add for consideration Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament edited by Beale and Carson. I believe this book will contribute greatly to the current discussion on hermeneutics.

Hi Josh:
You are visible to worlds way beyond t...

2007-12-13T05:28:00.000-08:00
Hi Josh:
You are visible to worlds way beyond the upper lower peninsula! I found your site via a Justin Taylor link. Looks like you have put a lot of work into this. I will check it out.

Hope you are all well. Say hi to all for us.
Paul Johnston