searching books

This will sound a bit dunce, but I am just now figuring out how to search books on Amazon... so with that I have been enjoying searching through Harold W. Hoehner's Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. One problem, if the wifey figures this out...no more book (or commentary) buying! :( (or it will be harder to convince (or justify to) her of such.

New book on Revelation 19

There is a new book out on Revelation 19 - Revelation 19 in Historical and Mythological Context (Peter Lang Publishing, 2008) - it is a dissertation by one of my professors from AGTS, David A. Thomas (PhD from SBTS) visiting professor of missions theology and lead astor of the Orange County Worship Center, in Santa Ana, CA.

Book Description (cut and pasted from the Amazon website):

Revelation 19:11–21 is a passage rich in symbol and allusion, much of which proves elusive for interpreters restricting themselves to Old Testament references. However, when Greco-Roman history and mythology are examined, new possibilities are discovered. Revelation 19 in Historical and Mythological Context analyzes the Roman triumph and the Parthian threat as sources for the colorful imagery in Revelation 19, ultimately exploring the Nero redivivus myth as the nexus between the two and a key for unlocking the passage. Paradox and parody are important themes in this technical though theological study of the climax to the drama that is the Apocalypse.

Review Comment (cut and pasted from the Amazon website)

"David Andrew Thomas’s work is fascinating, well-organized, well-researched, and well-argued. It brings new light to some old puzzles on a passage to which commentators (including myself) have often given insufficient attention. Thomas deeply explores proposed backgrounds of Revelation’s imagery, providing further investigation for some and completely new ground for others. By avoiding the fallacy of unnecessary either-ors he achieves a new synthesis that many students of Revelation will find intriguing." Craig Keener, Palmer Theological Seminary, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

Yeah, it is pricey - all dissertation publications typically are - still I think it will blow your socks off!

Top Ten Books on my Shelf(s)

In no particular order:

1: Stanley Grenz' Theology for the Community of God, (Eerdmans 2000). Even though he does not agree with Pentecostalism and says so in this book, the rest of it is really good and his strongest contribution, in my opinion, is implications of the Trinity for the Community of Faith.

2. Gordon Fee's God's Empowering Presence: the Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul, (Hendrickson, 1994). This is hands down the best book on Pauls views and understanding of the Holy Spirit.

3. George Eldon Ladd's A Theology of the New Testament, Revised Ed, (Hendrickson, 1993). It might be a bit dated now, but is still considered a top level NT Theology. I'd like to complement it eventually with I. Howard Marshall's NT Theology.

4. Luke Timothy Johnson's The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation, (Augsburg Fortress Publishers; Pap/Cdr edition, 2002). Johnson takes a more thematic approach in this NT intro and makes and awesome complement to the more standard or technical NT Intro such as R. Brown or Carson Moo Morris.

5. Richard Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, (Eerdmans, 2006). The best out on Jesus and its fun to listen to everyone scrambling for cover as their anonymous communities theories of the Gospels comes crashing down.

6. John Stott's The Cross of Christ, IVP, 1986. I have to confess, most of what John Stott writes just makes my heart sing. What else could be better than reading on the cross?

7. Arthur Glasser's Announcing the Kingdom: The Story of Gods Mission in the Bible, (Baker Academic, 2003). This is a great overview of the Bible from the viewpoint of salvation history and the role of God's mission in the Bible.

8. F.F. Bruce's Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free, (Eerdmans, 2000). Who else better to read on Paul than Bruce? This more or less follows from Paul's conversion to the end. Still a standard on Paul.

9. C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, (Touchstone Books edition, 1996). Couldn't leave this one out - Lewis what not a theologian but seemed to "get it" better than most theologians in in my opinion.

10. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship, (Touchstone; 1 edition, 1995). This is the classic on discipleship to Jesus and should be read regularly in my estimation.

Comments?

Christmas dilemma...

A relative asked what I want for Christmas and mentioned he thought of just getting me something off my amazon wish list - now my mind is reeling. which one book would I most want when there are several I would like to have right now. Know what I mean? Oh, what to do??!!

I'd really like to have Bruce Waltke's new Old Testament Theology or his commentary on Proverbs
I'd really like to have Gordon Fee's Pauline Christology
I'd really like to have John Stott's Living Church or his The Incomparable Christ
I'd really like to have Richard Bauckham's The Testimony of the Beloved Disciple
I'd really like to have Gary Burge's NIVAC commentary on John or The Letters of John
I'd really like to have J.A. Moyter's The Prophecy of Isaiah
I'd really like to have G.E. Ladd's Gospel of the Kingdom
I'd really like to have Grant Oborne's commentary on Revelation (BECNT)
I'd love check out Jaco J. Hamman's new work Becoming a Pastor

I mean the list goes on and on...

ah well, such is life for a poor pastor (/scholar wannabe) ;)

New Books!

I got some new books lately that I am excited to read. As I wrote in my last post my wife Debbie and I are co-pastoring a church in the Grand Canyon National Park. So far things have been going well. However, I admit I kinda went over academic in my masters program at aGts and did not take a "how to be a pastor" class per se. So I went ahead and ordered some books I thought would help me in this area.

The first is Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry by Thomas C. Oden from Drew University. This book is written specifically for those studying for ordained ministry and or those in ministry needing some review of pastoral ministry. He breaks it down into five different sections: Becoming a Minister; The Pastoral Office; What Clergy Do and Why; Pastoral Counsel; and Crisis Ministry. So, it looks to give a fairly broad scope of Pastoral Theology and I am looking forward to getting into it. It is a bit dated (1983) but I had trouble finding anything else remotely related to it that had the same breadth of coverage.

The next book is: The Competent Pastor: Skills and Self Knowledge for Serving Well by Ronald D. Sisk out of NABS in South Dakota. This book takes a slightly different approach from Oden. Instead of giving a broad scope of what pastoral ministry is about, Sisk focuses on specific aspects of what it takes to gain competency in ministry. He wants the reader to gain some insight into how a competent minister functions. One key issue in the book is understanding how one's family of origin and one's role in the family effects one's role as a pastor. They can deal with anything from how one handles conflict, how one deals with the dynamics of family life, whether tends to take a back seat or disengages when trouble arises or if one tends to overfunction and try to do too much. Even family history and family health can effect one's ministry. Other issues Sisk helps the reader gain competency are in self motivation, time management, stress management, communication skills, spiritual development, and professional development. I think it is going to be an interesting and challenging read.

The next pastoral book is a biblical theology of pastoral traditions called: Shepherds after My own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bible by Timothy S. Laniak out of GCTS. This books is apart of the series called New Studies in Biblical Theology. I accidentally discovered this book at the Phoenix Seminary Library one day and after thumbing through it decided I wanted to get it. It basically traces the shepherding motif through the scriptures starting with Moses and David as the main proto-types. He then goes to Isaiah and moves on through the NT to show Jesus as the ultimate type and model as the ideal shepherd/pastor and the http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifdifferent dynamics involved. He ends in the book of Revelation with Jesus as the slain lamb and ruling Shepherd. I am thinking it is going to be quite a good read.

One last book is called Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions About God by Dan B. Allender and Tremper Longman III. This book tackles the subject of emotions and how they give us a glimpse of the true nature of God (and ourselves). These guys start with the Psalms and explore what the Bible says about our darker emotions and how in an attempt to control them - far from an attempt to be Christlike - are really a form of rebellion against God or an attempt to flee from him. I am thinking this book will help the reader understand the role of emotions in the spiritual life and for Pastors in particular how to deal with them so they do not disrupt one's ministry or one's ability to be effective in ministry.

One last book! I like study of the Gospels so I couldn't resist getting Richard Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. This book pretty much puts the final nail in the coffin of supposed scholarly claims of the Gospels being compilations and collections of "anonymous communities" and not actual eyewitness accounts of Jesus of Nazareth (contra Luke 1). I have only read a few pages so far and can already hear the anonymous communities advocates scampering across the floor and ducking for cover as their paradigm comes crashing down. It should be a fun and interesting read!

Well, I better get reading!