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17 pages, 299 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Religion, Politics, and New Testament Theology: Contesting Relevance and a Constructed Category

by Timothy W. Reardon

Religions 2022, 13(7), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13070579 - 22 Jun 2022

Viewed by 2214

Abstract

It has been suggested by some, since the time of William Wrede, that biblical theology should align itself with the scientific study of religion. More recently, these appeals have been linked to a concern for the relevance of the discipline within modern universities [...] Read more.

It has been suggested by some, since the time of William Wrede, that biblical theology should align itself with the scientific study of religion. More recently, these appeals have been linked to a concern for the relevance of the discipline within modern universities and amid a secular, Western world. However, the category “religion” is itself complicated, and the implications of its use are not innocent. This article investigates the socially constructed nature of religion and the political discourse that shapes it in order to assess how the appropriation of this constructed category pertains to the relevance of New Testament theology as a discipline in particular, as well as how this category has already shaped New Testament studies more generally. I suggest that, rather than aiding biblical theology’s relevance, this category obscures a larger discourse that has sought to order social and political space in the modern Western world and beyond and that relevance should be sought elsewhere, including in the dialogue on alternative conceptual constructs that center those stories and persons that have been traditionally marginalized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

14 pages, 390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Description or Truth? A Typology of New Testament Theology

by Seth Heringer

Religions 2022, 13(6), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060546 - 14 Jun 2022

Viewed by 2595

Abstract

This essay develops a typology to divide the overcrowded disciplinary space of New Testament theology into eight approaches based on subject matter. After describing and analyzing the approaches, it argues that descriptive New Testament theology becomes unworkable due to internal tensions. Next, it [...] Read more.

This essay develops a typology to divide the overcrowded disciplinary space of New Testament theology into eight approaches based on subject matter. After describing and analyzing the approaches, it argues that descriptive New Testament theology becomes unworkable due to internal tensions. Next, it evaluates a recent proposal by Robert Morgan for “implicit” theological interpretation in New Testament theology. After finding Morgan’s approach to insufficiently distinguish itself from a descriptive history-of-religions account, it argues that the future of New Testament theology must consist in a move away from description and toward a search for truth. It encourages Christians to read the New Testament in ways consistent with their own beliefs. The essay concludes by arguing that the future of New Testament theology is one of self-sacrifice in order that something better may appear. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

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9 pages, 230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Testament Theology: Too Theological, Too Difficult, and Too Repetitive?

by Michael F. Bird

Religions 2022, 13(6), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060518 - 6 Jun 2022

Viewed by 3038

Abstract

This essay argues that New Testament Theology (NTT) is an indispensable mediating discipline between historical exegesis and systematic theology. It defends NTT against claims that: (1) NTT should be replaced by the study of early Christian religion; (2) The NT is too diverse [...] Read more.

This essay argues that New Testament Theology (NTT) is an indispensable mediating discipline between historical exegesis and systematic theology. It defends NTT against claims that: (1) NTT should be replaced by the study of early Christian religion; (2) The NT is too diverse and disparate to sustain any unifying theology; and (3) NTT has been over-done so that there is nothing new to be said. The essay proceeds to the defense of NTT by contending that theology is part of the substance and significance of the NT. In addition, the NT contains several varieties and unities that can simultaneously challenge and aid theological reflection. Finally, the essay proposes a fresh approach to explicate the theological texture and religious impetus of the NT with a view to renewing living faith communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

12 pages, 234 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is New Testament Theology Sufficiently Theological?

by Thomas Andrew Bennett

Religions 2022, 13(6), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060508 - 2 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1721

Abstract

In this essay, I assess contemporary New Testament Theology against six values or aims of academic theology as espoused classically by St. Anselm and, recently, by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen. I find New Testament Theology to excel in the first three, with contributions being coherent, [...] Read more.

In this essay, I assess contemporary New Testament Theology against six values or aims of academic theology as espoused classically by St. Anselm and, recently, by Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen. I find New Testament Theology to excel in the first three, with contributions being coherent, historical, and engaged with contemporary contexts. It is with the second three theological trajectories—being confessional, constructive, and collaborative—that I find some standout hopeful examples that, should they become ubiquitous within the disciple, would lead to New Testament Theology becoming sufficiently theological and ultimately, would help to collapse the divide between biblical studies and theology altogether. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

18 pages, 4121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Johannine Ethics: An Exegetical-Theological Summary and a ‘Desiderative’ Extension of Mimesis

by Paul Anthony Hartog

Religions 2022, 13(6), 503; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060503 - 1 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2533

Abstract

If we consider the Johannine literature to have primarily espoused an exemplary (rather than an imperatival) ethical paradigm, our understanding of its moral teaching becomes much richer. The Gospel of John does not provide a moral grammar primarily by conveying a set of [...] Read more.

If we consider the Johannine literature to have primarily espoused an exemplary (rather than an imperatival) ethical paradigm, our understanding of its moral teaching becomes much richer. The Gospel of John does not provide a moral grammar primarily by conveying a set of commands or prohibitions, but through conformity to a moral example (Jesus Christ himself). More specifically, this paper initially approaches the issue by surveying the uses of the imperative in the Gospel of John, the appearances of ὀφείλειν and καθώς, related moral themes, the descriptions of the two Johannine commandments, and the statements of John 13:14–15. The essay then focuses particularly upon the recent work of Cornelis Bennema on the imitative or “mimetic” ethics of John. Bennema has emphasized the “cognitive mimesis” and “performative mimesis” of Johannine ethics, engendered and enabled by the Paraclete. Finally, through an exposition of John 8 and other relevant texts, this essay contributes to the conversation by adding “desiderative mimesis” to Bennema’s proposed framework. As one’s identity (who I am) is transformed, one’s desiderative inclinations (what I desire) are renewed, resulting in changed behavior (how I act). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

20 pages, 384 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metaphors and New Testament Theology: The Temple as a Test Case for a Theology of New Testament Metaphors

by Jonathon Lookadoo

Religions 2022, 13(5), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13050436 - 12 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2870

Abstract

Researchers within New Testament Studies have attempted in recent years to articulate the multifaceted identity of a broad discipline. The place of New Testament Theology (NTT) remains disputed within the guild. Some would like to remove NTT from fields of research undertaken within [...] Read more.

Researchers within New Testament Studies have attempted in recent years to articulate the multifaceted identity of a broad discipline. The place of New Testament Theology (NTT) remains disputed within the guild. Some would like to remove NTT from fields of research undertaken within Arts and Humanities departments, while others argue that the New Testament cannot be properly understood without an eye to its theological claims. This article employs the ongoing tension as a starting point from which to argue that metaphors provide a fruitful field of study within NTT. The study of metaphors allows readers of the New Testament to draw upon broader research within the Humanities, while wrestling with the theological claims of New Testament texts. The article outlines recent studies of metaphors in a range of fields before exploring metaphorical uses of temple imagery within the Gospel of John, the Pauline letters, and Revelation. Temple metaphors employ the same image with multiple referents so that the study of metaphors may also illustrate unity and diversity within the New Testament. The study of metaphors deserves further consideration within NTT, since multiple avenues for exploration open when undertaking such research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

10 pages, 1620 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Incarnational Pneumatology Based on Romans 8.18-30: The Spirit as God’s Solidarity with a Suffering Creation

by Matthias Wenk

Religions 2022, 13(3), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13030191 - 23 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2948

Abstract

In this article, I argue that scholars of the field of New Testament theology need to be familiar with and listen to the various voices in the discourse of contemporary Christian spirituality in order to give voice to the ancient texts, as well [...] Read more.

In this article, I argue that scholars of the field of New Testament theology need to be familiar with and listen to the various voices in the discourse of contemporary Christian spirituality in order to give voice to the ancient texts, as well as hear them in new ways. Based on Romans 8.18-30, I want to illustrate how the field of New Testament theology can contribute its voice to the contemporary (western) discussion on ecology, social justice, and power and at the same time enrich a spirituality of solidarity. For this purpose, I will contrast those voices within “pneumatological discourse” in Christian spirituality, which associates the work of the Spirit mainly with the improvement of one’s personal life, to Romans 8.18-30, a text central for Pauline pneumatology. I will argue that it represents a cosmic and eschatological outlook and fosters a Christian ethos of walking with the Spirit; taking side with a creation longing and groaning for redemption. This aspect has not received much attention, but is vital for a robust Christian spirituality, especially in regard to an ecological theology and a more nuanced understanding of power. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

22 pages, 313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Future of New Testament Theology, or, What Should Devout Modern Bible Scholarship Look Like?

by Douglas A. Campbell

Religions 2021, 12(12), 1072; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12121072 - 3 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3658

Abstract

Consideration of the nature of New Testament Theology (NTT) necessitates an account of theology or “God-talk”. Karl Barth grasped that all valid God-talk begins with God’s self-disclosure through Jesus and the Spirit, which people acknowledge and reflect on. Abandoning this starting point by [...] Read more.

Consideration of the nature of New Testament Theology (NTT) necessitates an account of theology or “God-talk”. Karl Barth grasped that all valid God-talk begins with God’s self-disclosure through Jesus and the Spirit, which people acknowledge and reflect on. Abandoning this starting point by way of “Foundationalism”—that is, resorting to any alternative basis for God-talk—leads to multiple destructive epistemological and cultural consequences. The self-disclosure of the triune God informs the use of the Bible by the church. The Bible then functions in terms of ethics and witness. It grounds the church’s ethical language game. Creative readings here are legitimate. The New Testament (NT) also mediates a witness to Jesus, which implies an historical dimension. However, it is legitimate to affirm that Jesus was resurrected (see 1 Cor 15:1–9), which liberates the devout modern Bible scholar in relation to history. The historical readings generated by such scholars have value because the self-disclosing God is deeply involved with particularity. These readings can be added to the archive of scriptural readings used by the church formationally. Ultimately, then, all reading of the NT is theological (or should be) and in multiple modes. NTT focuses our attention on the accuracy of the God-talk operative within any historical reconstruction, and on its possible subversion, which are critical matters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

14 pages, 1006 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hope for the Future of New Testament Theology

by Rodney K. Duke

Religions 2021, 12(11), 975; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12110975 - 8 Nov 2021

Viewed by 2124

Abstract

This paper presents the author’s hope for changes in New Testament (NT) theology particularly as currently experienced in American Christian culture. Those changes are based on exegetical work that seeks to place the NT texts into their Jewish first-century thought world. The first [...] Read more.

This paper presents the author’s hope for changes in New Testament (NT) theology particularly as currently experienced in American Christian culture. Those changes are based on exegetical work that seeks to place the NT texts into their Jewish first-century thought world. The first part of the paper presents examples of theological concepts that have crept into NT exegesis, translations, and Christian thinking, concepts that appear to be foreign to or contrary to that original-audience thought world. The second part of the article seeks to present a reading of Rom 3:21–26 that better represents Paul’s thinking than what is found in some English translations that read the text through the lenses of some of the foreign concepts mentioned in Part 1. The resulting vision for the future of NT theology is twofold: for NT theologies to self-critically rid themselves of the infiltration of foreign concepts, and for the field to better ground its work in exegesis and translations that better respect the Jewish thought world of the texts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

13 pages, 286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Leading Many Sons to Glory”: Historical Implications of Exclusive Language in the Epistle to the Hebrews

by Amy Lauren Peeler

Religions 2021, 12(10), 844; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12100844 - 8 Oct 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1558

Abstract

This study examined Hebrews’ use of gender-exclusive language for the purpose of understanding the author of the Epistle’s perspective on women and their role the religious community. The study used both broader historical research and exegetical analysis to support theological conclusions about Hebrews’ [...] Read more.

This study examined Hebrews’ use of gender-exclusive language for the purpose of understanding the author of the Epistle’s perspective on women and their role the religious community. The study used both broader historical research and exegetical analysis to support theological conclusions about Hebrews’ treatment of women. Despite the use of gender-exclusive language, the epistle does not suggest a bias against women. On the contrary, in the author of Hebrews’ hand, gendered language becomes a vehicle for understanding the implications of the gospel message for the Christian community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

16 pages, 279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology

by Timo Juhani Eskola

Religions 2021, 12(9), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12090776 - 16 Sep 2021

Viewed by 2653

Abstract

Focusing on semantics and semiotics, this article will suggest new and renewed approaches to studying the construction of New Testament theology. First, the relation between Saussure and Peirce will be analyzed because the interpretation of their relationship is crucial for understanding the process [...] Read more.

Focusing on semantics and semiotics, this article will suggest new and renewed approaches to studying the construction of New Testament theology. First, the relation between Saussure and Peirce will be analyzed because the interpretation of their relationship is crucial for understanding the process of signification. A critical stance will be taken towards Derrida and Eco’s interpretation of signification and towards deconstruction. Applying Benveniste’s development of Saussure’s semantics will introduce a discursive theory. Linguistic signs are not simply linguistic units as such. A sign is about conditions and functions. A sign as a role is a manifestation of participation. For anything to serve as a sign entails participation in a web of relations, participation in a network of meanings, and adoption of a set of rules. In the act of encoding there are elements that resist the free selection of components in encoding, such as narratives and metaphors. Therefore, they also become a means of appropriation: the construction of the sentence is not spontaneous but constrained. When, for instance, the metanarrative of enthronement directs the construction of a Christological statement, the basic theme dominates the process and becomes compelling for the ancient author. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 258 KiB

Open AccessReview

New Testament Theology and the Production of Theological Commentaries: Trends and Trajectories

by W. Ryan Gutierrez

Religions 2021, 12(11), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12110949 - 1 Nov 2021

Viewed by 4730

Abstract

The past two decades have witnessed an explosion of new theological commentary series and theological commentaries. As we near the end of the second decade of theological commentary production, it is beneficial to take a step back to evaluate the contributions of each [...] Read more.

The past two decades have witnessed an explosion of new theological commentary series and theological commentaries. As we near the end of the second decade of theological commentary production, it is beneficial to take a step back to evaluate the contributions of each theological commentary series and how the commentary genre continues to be a helpful form for the development of NT theology. This paper reviews and evaluates four commentaries from each of the Belief, Brazos Theological, and Two Horizons New Testament commentary series according to (1) the aims and goals of the series, and (2) how each commentary attempts to actualize the stated ends of the series. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

13 pages, 233 KiB

Open AccessReview

Is New Testament Theology Still Having an Identity Crisis? A Review of Five Recent Contributions

by Joshua Strahan

Religions 2021, 12(8), 636; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12080636 - 11 Aug 2021

Viewed by 2872

Abstract

This article reviews five recent contributions to the field of New Testament theology. More accurately, three NT theologies will be examined alongside two biblical theologies, given that some regard NT theology as inherently deficient apart from OT theology. These five works are notable [...] Read more.

This article reviews five recent contributions to the field of New Testament theology. More accurately, three NT theologies will be examined alongside two biblical theologies, given that some regard NT theology as inherently deficient apart from OT theology. These five works are notable not only for their diversity of methodology but also their diversity of cultural perspective—one book by a Finn (Timo Eskola’s A Narrative Theology of the New Testament), one by two Germans (Reinhard Feldmeier’s and Hermann Spieckermann’s God of the Living: A Biblical Theology), one by a Canadian (Thomas R. Hatina’s New Testament Theology and its Quest for Relevance: Ancient Texts and Modern Readers), one by an American (Craig L. Blomberg’s A New Testament Theology), and one by a native Briton (John Goldingay’s Biblical Theology). Along the way, this review article will consider how these works navigate the tricky and contested terrain of NT (or biblical) theology, particularly vis-à-vis matters of history, canon, synthesis and diversity, and contemporary relevance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)

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