Does the New Testament have anything to say about ethics today?- Jan van der Watt

Soort activiteit: Oratie

Datum: Donderdag 16 september 2010

Tijd: 15:45

Locatie: Academiezaal Aula, Comeniuslaan 2, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen

Faculteit: Faculteit der Religiewetenschappen

Sprekerde heer prof. dr. J.G. van der Watt
Titel oratie: ‘Thou shalt… do the works of God?!’ Does the New Testament have anything to say about ethics today?

Beschrijving:  Kan het Nieuwe Testament, tweeduizend jaar geleden geschreven in een compleet andere wereld, serieus worden genomen in huidige ethische debatten? Zelfs veel christelijke ethici beantwoorden die vraag ontkennend. Hedendaagse studies naar de ethiek van het nieuwe testament gaan verder dan de traditionele lijst van geboden die theologen vaak gebruiken.

Jan van der Watt, hoogleraar Exegese van het Nieuwe Testament en Bronteksten van het Christendom aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, beargumenteert in zijn inaugurele rede dat de vorming van ethisch handelen te maken heeft met identiteitsvorming, waardebepaling, principes en daaruit resulterende acties. Ethiek is niet te beperken tot specifieke acties, maar hangt samen met de presentatie van een persoon als geheel, als ‘ethische agent’ (agent in de zin van handelend persoon). Door ethiek in het Nieuwe Testament zo te benaderen, is ze ook toepasbaar in discussies over ethische kwesties van vandaag.

http://www.ru.nl/religiewetenschappen/actueel/agenda/@778857/oratie-hoogleraar/

The Resurrection of Jesus - A New Historiographical Approach

InterVarsity Press is to publish a major new monograph on the Resurrection of Jesus in November. It is by Mike Licona (PhD) and entitled: The Resurrection of Jesus - A New Historiographical Approach, and comprises 718 pages. The endorsements include the likes of Gerd Theissen, Stanley E. Porter, Craig Evans, Paul Meier and Richard B. Hays. With this in view, this work is a must-read for anyone working on the resurrection of Jesus. Pre-orders can be placed here http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/review/code=2719

About the Book

The question of the historicity of Jesus' resurrection has been repeatedly probed, investigated and debated. And the results have varied widely. Perhaps some now regard this issue as the burned-over district of New Testament scholarship. Could there be any new and promising approach to this problem?

Yes, answers Michael Licona. And he convincingly points us to a significant deficiency in approaching this question: our historiographical orientation and practice. So he opens this study with an extensive consideration of historiography and the particular problem of investigating claims of miracles. This alone is a valuable contribution.

But then Licona carefully applies his principles and methods to the question of Jesus' resurrection. In addition to determining and working from the most reliable sources and bedrock historical evidence, Licona critically weighs other prominent hypotheses. His own argument is a challenging and closely argued case for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Any future approaches to dealing with this "prize puzzle" of New Testament study will need to be routed through The Resurrection of Jesus.

Reviews & Endorsements:
"At first glance this book is very provocative even for a theologian who is convinced that the Easter faith is based on an authentic encounter with God. But at second glance I became aware that Michael Licona is not dealing with the 'resurrection faith' but more modestly with the 'resurrection hypothesis'--in other words, with those aspects of the resurrection faith that are accessible to historical arguments. It is fascinating to follow his arguments step by step in his investigation of the resurrection of Jesus as a unique event in history. I once learned that historiography is limited to events with analogies, immanent causality and sources that must be criticized. These are, according to Ernst Troeltsch, the great theologian and philosopher of historicism, the three principles of modern historical research. Must we revise these principles? Must we reformulate them? Perhaps! In any case, it is refreshing to be confronted with quite another approach that evaluates carefully the historical data, discusses respectfully the arguments of opponents and demonstrates a humility concerning the results, claiming only historical degrees of plausibility for its own hypothesis. Many arguments are valuable also for readers who do not agree. It is a necessary book, and I recommend it to all who are interested in a responsible way to interpret the Bible and the Christian faith."

—Gerd Theissen, University of Heidelberg

"The resurrection of Jesus is--in many ways--too important a topic to be left to theologians! In this thoroughly researched and well-argued volume, Mike Licona brings the latest in discussion of historiography to bear on the question of Jesus' resurrection. In a discipline that is often overwhelmed by theological special-pleading, it is refreshing to have this sober and sensible approach to the resurrection that evaluates the historical data and the arguments of many of the scholars writing on the subject. There are few biblical scholars who will not learn something from this important book."
—Stanley E. Porter, president, dean and professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College

"This book is the most thorough treatment on the resurrection and historiography to date, useful also to those studying the intersections of philosophy of science, history and theology. Drawing masterfully from a wide range of disciplines, Licona builds a coherent case showing that the best explanation for our evidence involves Jesus' historical resurrection. Licona's research also makes clear that the frequent skepticism about this claim in much of the academy reflects not serious historiographic consideration but the mere inheritance of outdated philosophic assumptions."
—Craig S. Keener, professor of New Testament, Palmer Theological Seminary

"This rich volume is not only a storehouse of valuable information pertinent to the historical credibility of the resurrection of Jesus, but also an important contribution to the discussion of the historiographical problems raised by the investigation of so singular an event. Licona rejects the pessimism that characterizes many historical Jesus scholars with respect to a resolution of these problems. He explodes the myth of a postmodern historiography while recognizing the ineluctability of personal horizons. As a friend of Mike Licona, I know how mightily and honestly he wrestled with the issue of his own horizons in tackling the question of Jesus' resurrection. The result is as objective an assessment of the evidence as one might reasonably demand."
—William Lane Craig, author of Is God Real? and contributing editor, God Is Great, God Is Good

"What Licona calls a new historiographical approach is nothing of the sort. Rather, it is an old, time-honored approach still found among the great majority of historians. What is new is the application of genuine, rigorous historical investigation--methods and theories as defined by professional historians, not biblical scholars--to the question of whether Jesus was raised from the dead. He leaves no stone unturned in his examination of the evidence, and engages those with different views fairly yet with a tour de force that unmasks their lack of explanatory adequacy concerning the resurrection. "The book is clear and logical, written in an irenic, respectful tone, yet with passion, self-criticism and an engaging style. In short, Licona models what a true historian should do as he investigates the evidence for Jesus' resurrection. He has succeeded in making a compelling case with which all biblical scholars, as well as any who are concerned with whether Jesus was raised from the dead, must wrestle. When it comes to the resurrection of Jesus, the metanarrative of our lives hangs in the balance. But that metanarrative goes beyond what Licona has presented. An unbiased reader (if there were such a thing!) will have to work out the implications for him- or herself."
—Daniel B. Wallace, executive director, Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts, and professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

"Treatments of the resurrection from various angles have become fairly common in recent years, though careful assessments are rare. But efforts that place the resurrection of Jesus against the meticulous backdrop of historiographical principles are perhaps the rarest of all. The brilliance of Mike Licona's approach is his attempt to look far beyond his own discipline of New Testament studies in an effort to develop a rigorous method by which he could analyze and evaluate a historical claim such as the resurrection. His approach is original, and accompanied by painstaking honesty regarding the prospects of arriving at the best answer on this matter. Those who take the time to work through the various conclusions will, in my opinion, be rewarded by a cautious, thorough and painstaking study that could scarcely be outdone. I can vouch for the extent of Mike's gut-wrenching level of soul-searching before and during this time of study, and can attest that it was a real effort to come to grips with a final conclusion, wherever that might lead. There is no question that the reader is the one who will benefit from this process. This is simply required reading for anyone who wants to master this subject."
—Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor, Liberty University and Theological Seminary

"The most important event in the story of Christian beginnings is the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, who was widely believed by his followers to be the Messiah of Israel and the very Son of God. Their conviction that Jesus was such a being was confirmed by the resurrection. Without the resurrection of Jesus there really are no grounds for Christian faith. Consequently, there is no topic more important than this one and this is why Michael Licona's book on the resurrection of Jesus is so welcome. Licona demonstrates expertise in every field that is germane to the question. He knows the philosophical arguments inside and out, as well as the relevant historical, biblical, cultural and archaeological data. This is the book for believers and skeptics alike."
—Craig A. Evans, Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Acadia Divinity College, Nova Scotia, Canada

"No episode in the life of anyone in history is more important than the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Vehemently denied or vigorously defended, it has intrigued the world for twenty centuries. A host of scholars have addressed the phenomenon, so what more could be said? In The Resurrection of Jesus, Michael Licona tells us indeed. In brilliant detail, he begins with the anomaly that I, as an ancient historian, have noted for years: that secular historians often have a much higher regard for the New Testament as source material than do many theologians and scholars of religion. The latter tend to overlay their research with preconceived and hopelessly subjective opinions, often ignoring the basic rules of historiography. Licona corrects all this in showing how the research and writing of history ought to be done objectively, especially in dealing with Jesus. I warmly commend this book to all who want to know if the resurrection of Jesus really happened."
—Paul L. Maier, Russell H. Seibert Professor of Ancient History, Western Michigan University

"Licona has tackled his subject energetically, with near-obsessive thoroughness. He concludes that if one approaches the sources without an a priori commitment to the impossibility of resurrection, the 'Resurrection Hypothesis' is the interpretation that most adequately accounts for the evidence. Thus, the book boldly challenges the naturalistic presuppositions of post-Enlightenment historical criticism. At the very least, Licona has shown that the usual naturalistic explanations of the resurrection tradition are, on the whole, weak, speculative and often tendentious. "I am not aware of any scholar who has previously offered such a thorough and fair-minded account of the historiographical prolegomena to the resurrection question. Furthermore, Licona's discussion of the 'bedrock' historical evidence is appropriately nuanced and carefully modulated, not claiming more than can be supported by the consensus findings of qualified scholars. This lends credibility to his conclusions. Licona has presented a fair and vigorous case for his position. No doubt many readers will be unconvinced by his arguments, but no one can accuse him of naiveté or of ignoring counterarguments. "This study spans fields that are too rarely brought into conversation: New Testament studies and historiographical theory. Licona is to be commended for this undertaking and for producing a study that has both wide range and significant depth."
—Richard B. Hays, George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament and dean, Duke Divinity School

"With impressive erudition, Licona marshals all possible evidence of Jesus' resurrection and considers its significance in a careful, methodical way. He then compares several alternative explanations of the disciples' faith in the resurrection, judging them according to important criteria, and concludes that Jesus' bodily resurrection provides the best explanation of their conviction, and so is worthy of belief. This is an astonishing achievement and a major contribution to the ongoing debate. It is clearly written and full of fresh insights and arguments that will enrich discussion for years to come."
—C. Behan McCullagh, author of The Logic of History

Bedrock of our common faith? 1 Corinthians 6:14 added later?

"There can be no question . . . of the centrality of Jesus' resurrection for Paul . . . the references he does make to it show how fundamental it was to the gospel and to his faith. And not just to Paul's own theology. This was the bedrock on which the common faith of the first Christians was built. The resurrection of Christ by God was where and how it all begun." (James Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle, 1998, p237).

Dunn lists dozens of important texts where Paul articulates the fundamental importance of the resurrection - including 1 Cor 6:14 which states:

But God raised up the Lord, and he will raise us up also through his power.

Udo Schnelle, in a 1983 article believes this verse to be a "nachpaulinische Glosse" (NovT, p217-219) - thus, a later redactional addition. I still need to go deeper into this claim but at this stage of my research, it seems that Schnelle's hypothesis is not generally accepted by the majority of New Testament scholars.

I had a fascinating discussion with professor Schnelle in May 2010 here in Nijmegen. He is a serious scholar whose work needs to be taken serious - even if one wants to disagree with him.

Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food - will God destroy both?

I am wrestling through 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20 at the moment. Verse 13 states:

"Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food. And God will destroy both one and the other". Virtually all commentators agree that the first part (13a) is a Corinthian slogan Paul is quoting to make a point. The difficulty comes in with 13b: "And God will destroy both one and the other". Is this part of the Corinthian slogan, or is it Paul's response to it?

Richard B Hays comes up with the following suggestion: "[I]t is the Corinthians, not Paul, who contend that God will destroy the merely physical elements of the self . . . this has to be the correct way to interpret the passage, for the idea that the physical body is unimportant is precisely the point that Paul is trying to refute" (Richard B Hays, First Corinthians, 1997, p103). Does this make sense?

Deze stoffelijke, tasbare en zichtbare wereld is toch schepping van God?

Does it really matter how we live in our bodies here and now? Connected to this: how should we treat the material world around us? Is the body (and the material world around us) not doomed for eternal destruction? It seems that the New Testament writers are unanimously saying "no". With the hope of a future resurrection, believers are called by God  to glorify Him in their bodies, and also care and nurture His earth. I stumbled across a lovely quote by the well known Dutch theologian AA van Ruler (1908-1970 - he studied in Groningen and became professor in Utrecht), in which he takes issue with those who, (based on 1 Cor. 15.50) think our resurrection (and the renewal of creation) will only be "spiritual" and thus provide for a complete disembodied (immaterial and ghost-like) state.  

"Is de apostel geen realist? Moeten we niet verder gaan en vragen: is de apostel geen materialist? Ligt die materialistische trek niet heel diep ingegroefd in all bijbelse en christelijke denken en spreken? Deze stoffelijke, tasbare en zichtbare wereld is toch schepping van God? En als er verlossing is, dan gaat deze toch, ook in een uiteindelijke zin, ook over deze wereld, die wij nu hebben en zijn? De mens is toch voor de Heer, zoals de Heer is voor het lichaam (1 Cor. 6:13)? De apostel laat toch in zijn opstandingsgeloof de lichaamelijkheid van de menz niet schiet? Daar komt juist alles voor hem op aan: dat er echte opstanding is en dat deze opstanding uit de dood is en dat deze opstanding uit de dood betrekking heeft op de werkelijke, de complete mens" (Van Ruler AA, De Dood word Overwonnen, 1965, p146) See the following link for the AA van Ruler webpage: http://www.aavanruler.nl/

Christians and non-believers believe in resurrection?

As I entered our large cafeteria here in Nijmegen last week, my eye caught a group of about 20 young students sitting in a circle. In the middle sat a girl who held a framed picture of a student friend in her hands. Also on the table were flowers, and a burning candle. The atmosphere was cold and sombre. A few girls cried softly while others recalled special moments they shared with their friend in the picture. It took me seconds to realize that these students were gathered to pay tribute to a friend who passed away. This unforgettable “picture” made me  think (as so often!) about life, death and life beyond death. Will there really be a resurrection one day? Did Jesus really rise from the dead as his followers believed? If so, how should or could that be translated for 21st century Europeans?

Anton Wessels (to the right), emeritus professor of Missiology and Religion at the Free University of Amsterdam, wrote a thought provoking book in 1994 called: EUROPE: Was it Ever Really Christian? (translated by John Bowden from the Dutch Kerstening en Ontkerstening van Europa. Wisselwerking tussen Evangelie en Cultuur). In chapter V under the heading The Interaction between the Gospel and Present-Day European Culture, he attempts to discuss (among other topics) “Death and resurrection” in such a way as to bridge the gap between traditional Christianity on the one hand and modern Europe on the other. For this he quotes an excerpt from George Steiner’s work, Real Presence:

“To the Christian, that day [Sunday] signifies an intimation, both assured and precarious, both evident and beyond comprehension, of resurrection, of justice and a love that have conquered death. If we are non-Christians or non-believers, we know of that Sunday in precisely analogous terms. We conceive of it as the day of liberation from inhumanity and servitude. We look to resolution, be they therapeutic or political, be they social or messianic. The lineaments of that Sunday carry the name of hope” (p190-1).

I did not read Wessels’ whole book but the impression I got from the sections I did read was that he tries to “develop an eye for . . . truth [in] myth”; he wants to translate the gospel for modern Europeans; and reveal the “mystery of the Christian faith” (p162).

I am certainly not in a position to give an informed analysis of a volume in the field of Missiology. As for the resurrection of Jesus, and its implications for humanity (within the field of New Testament exegesis) several critical questions could be asked following Steiner and Wessels’ deductions. That I leave for another day. Only one question for now: Is it really so that “non-Christians . . . know of that Sunday in precisely analogous terms” as followers of Jesus Christ do?

Herman Ridderbos and Jan du Rand on the resurrection

I had a facsinating discussion with prof Jan du Rand (from Johannesburg South Africa) here at Tyndale House, Cambridge today. I was surprized to find out that prof Herman Ridderbos (arguably the most prolific Dutch New Testament scholar of his generation) was the external examiner for prof Du Rand's doctoral dissertation (prof Du Rand got a distinction for it).

One thing these two scholars have in common is their belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. In his still cogent work Paul. An Outline of His Theology, 1975, Ridderbos discusses Paul's understanding of the resurrection body (see p 537-551). Prof Ridderbos has a very nuansed discussion on the whole issue of continuity and discontinuity of the future resurrection body. It is certainly worth reading. One point in particular was very helpful for me:

"What establishes the connection between life before and after the resurrection and what 'passes over' from the one into the other is the Spirit and being under the rulership of the Spirit . . . What 'abides' is faith, hope, and love (1 Cor. 13:13). That undoubtedly presupposes the human mode of existence, a future 'ontological' structure of man, in virtue of which even after the resurrection he can believe, hope, and love. On that account the resurrection of the body pertains to the inalienable content of the Christian kerygma" (p 551).

God's forgiveness without the empty tomb? E Schillebeeckx and NT Wright

Even though I disagree with Edward Schillebeeckx about important theological issues, I have to agree that he is probably the most famous theologian who held a chair here in Nijmegen where I am studying. I came across the following significant disagreement between him and NT Wright. It is worth the read:

‘Edward Schillebeeckx . . . declares that when the disciples went to the tomb their minds were so filled with light that it did not matter whether there was a body there or not. What happened in the Easter appearances was a conversion to Jesus as the Christ, who now came to them as the light of the world, and this was the “illumination” by which the disciples were “justified”(Jesus: An Experiment in Christology, Huber Hoskins, trans. New York: Crossroad, 1979, 384). Schillebeeckx fits out Bultmann’s suggestion with a more precise one; that the dicsiples, who were overcome by deep feelings of guilt at having run away and let Jesus down, experienced on Easter morning a wonderful sense of the forgiveness of God and the continuing presence of Jesus. This then became the start of the characteristically Christian experience knowing the forgiveness of God and/or knowing the presence of Jesus (380-397).

The trouble with this is that if you had said to a first-century Jew that you had had a wonderful experience of the forgiveness (or the love and grace) of God, she or he would have been delighted for you. But if you had gone onto say that the kingdom had come, that a crucified leader was the Messiah or that the resurrection had occurred, they would have been deeply puzzled if not downright offended. This language is simply not about private experiences, even communicable private experiences, of forgiveness. It is about eschatology, about something happening within history that resulted in a world being now a very different place. Neither Bultmann nor Schillebeeckx can explain from the texts the rise of Christianity as we know it’ (NT Wright, “Christian Origins and the Resurrection of Jesus: The Resurrection of Jesus as a Historical Problem” [Originally published in Sewanee Theological Review 41.2, 1998]).

Worship that makes sense to Paul - Nijay K. Gupta

I thought it appropriate to make mention of an academic book by De Gruyter our library just received here in Nijmegen. It is by Nijay K. Gupta with the title: Worship that makes sense to Paul. A new approach to the Theology and Ethics of Paul's cultic metaphors.

I got to know Nijay during my MA studies in Durham. I will never forget November 6th, 2008, when we helped clear professor James Dunn's loft in Durham. I also had a fascinating talk with Nijay about his spiritual journey in high school. Nijay is a true scholar - if I recall correctly, during his three year study at Durham, he did more than 100 book reviews! I wish Nijay all the best in Seattle where he will start teaching in September.

The back cover of the book states:

"This book explores the apostle Paul's temple, priesthood, sacrificial, and worship language with special interest in how metaphors are powerful vehicles for theological transformation. The methodology of this study combines perspectives from cognitive linguistics, the social-sciences, and rhetorical criticism. In the final synthesis, it is discovered that common factors among Paul's cultic metaphors include an interest in devotion to God, the significance of the body, and the potential for the reshaping of the mind and perception."

I will definitely have to read this book!

Moving house...to Hardwick, Cambridge

Moving house with two young children is not as easy as I thought. So many boxes.. Some dear friends helped us move. We now live in Hardwick, a little village just outside Cambridge, UK (the sunset is over Hardwick). We had our first "punting" experience the other day at the River Cam.... (picture below).

Having been doing research in Cambridge (at Tyndale House) for several months now, one thought has been with me for some time: Why am I doing academic research? For what purpose? Am I doing it to be recognized by the guild (of which there is no shortage here..) first and foremost? Of course serious study is integral to what I'm busy with! But what difference does it make in this world? Does it give glory to Jesus Christ?  May God help me to always strive to do the latter through His grace and power.

David Horrell at the Mainz Moral Meeting

I was privileged to have had supper with proff David Horrell, Ruben Zimmermann, Jan van der Watt etc in Mainz last night. Prof Horrell shared with me some fascinating aspects of his theological development since he finished his PhD in the early 1990's in Cambridge.
Today he participated in the Mainz Moral Meeting with a paper entitled "Soma as a Basis for Ethics in Paul". In it he compared Paul's use of the body metaphor in 1 Corinthians 12.12-31, with Dionysius' Roman Antiquities 6.86. As my research focuses on the implications of the bodily resurrection for moral behavior in 1 Corinthians, his paper was extremly important to me.

See the link below for the program:
http://www.ev.theologie.uni-mainz.de/Dateien/Einladung_MMM_3_Tagung.pdf

There are amazing churches in Mainz. The one to the left was built around 975 CE.

An Evangelical giant? Martin Hengel and the 2010 Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Study Group

Words fail to express the significance of the papers, informal discussions and personal testimonies shared at this year's New Testament study group. Fortunately all the papers will be published in due course. One of the requiring issues that stood out for me was Martin Hengel's uncompromising Evangelical faith on the one hand, and his ruthless insistence on historical research on the other. One person commented that Hengel once said that he is an Evangelical because he is a Christian and a liberal because the truth will set you free.

Much much more needs to be said (and will be said!) but I go away from this conference with the lasting impression of an Evangelical giant whose life and work will continue to challenge both Evangelicals and Liberals alike to take both faith and history serious. Any thoughts from others who also attended the conference?

I had the privilege of meeting the great (and humble!) prof Howard Marshall who used to teach at Aberdeen in Scotland.

Renowned Evangelical Scholars at the Tyndale Fellow NT Study Group

I hope to blog about some of the papers being delivered here at the NT Study Group which is this year commemorating Martin Hengel. It is such an honour to rub shoulders with influential Evangelical scholars here. I place a few pictures below (I wonder whether someone knows all their names?):

A Liberal and Evangelical battle - the Story of Lexington and Asbury

Ryan Chivington from Ohio, USA, is doing a PhD on suffering in the Epistle to the Hebrews here at Nijmegen. He told me this morning that he did a masters degree at Asbury Theological Seminary some years ago. As we talked I remebered an interesting article I read some years ago relating to some rivalry between Lexington and Asbury seminaries since the 1960's. Asbury is well-known for its biblical studies department where Ben Witherington III teaches New Testament.

Check out the link below for the Lexington/ Asbury issue:

http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2002/march11/1.46.html

Ryan, hope you'll have a great time here in the Netherlands with us!

Check out the link below for more details about Ben Witherington:

http://www.asburyseminary.edu/faculty/dr-ben-witherington-iii

Remembering Martin Hengel

The 2010 Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Group meeting:

Chair: David Wenham

Secretary: Michael Bird

The Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Group will be meeting in Cambridge on 7-9 July 2010. This years theme is "Remembering Martin Hengel". It features a number of invited speakers from the USA, UK, and Germany who will provide papers that interact with areas related to Martin Hengel's work. Richard Bauckham will be presenting the annual Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Lecture on "Eyewitnesses in the Gospel of Mark". Sadly, we are not accepting any papers as we have a full programme already. Any further questions about the group and its programme for this year should be forwarded to mbird@bcq.qld.edu.au.

Wednesday - 7 July

2-4 pm Registration

4.00 pm Coffee

4.30 pm Welcome David Wenham

5.00 pm Session 1: Roland Deines (Nottingham University)

Christology between Pre-existence, Incarnation and Messianic Self-understanding

6.30 pm Supper

8.00 pm Session 2: Andreas Köstenberger (Southeastern Baptist

Theological Seminary)

"John's Transposition of the Synoptic Pattern: Retelling the Story of Jesus in Another Key."

Thursday - 8 July

8.45 am Prayers

9.30 am Session 3: Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Lecture

Richard Bauckham (Emeritus St. Andrews University)

"Rome and the Gospel of Mark"

11.00 am Coffee

11.30 am Session 4: Donald A. Hagner (Emeritus Fuller Theological Seminary)

"The Parting of the Ways" Once More

1.00 pm Lunch

Afternoon Free
4.00 pm Coffee

5.00 pm Session 5: Grant Macaskill (University of St. Andrews)

The Atonement and Concepts of Participation in the

New Testament

6.30 pm Supper
8.00 pm Session 6: Rainer Riesner (University of Dortmand)

Jesus and the Synoptic Gospels

Friday - 9 July

8.45 am Prayers

9.30 am Session 7: Armin Baum

"The Epilogue (Joh 20:30-31), the Colophon (Joh 21:24-25) and

the Last Chapter of John's Gospel. Observations Against the

Background of Ancient Literary Conventions"

11.00 am Coffee

11.30 am Session 8: Seyoon Kim (Fuller Theological Seminary)

"Son of God"

1.00 pm Lunch

2.00 pm Session 9: Seminar Discussion: "Martin Hengel: An Evangelical

Appreciation"

Peter Head & David Wenham.

3.00 pm Planning for TF 2010, "Preaching the NT".

4.00 pm Afternoon Tea

6.30 pm Dinner

(not included in cost of conference; must be booked as an extra)

Transformations and perceptions of the Early Christian monuments of Ravenna

I stumbled across a Nijmegen PhD which was published recently. I haven't studied it but the short abstract seems quite interesting.

Candidate: Mariëtte Verhoeven

Dissertation title: ‘‘Nothing perishes, everything changes’: transformations and perceptions of the Early Christian monuments of Ravenna’

Promotor: Prof Sible de Blaauw

Summary

A dozen ecclesiastical buildings in the Italian town of Ravenna, dating from the end of the fourth until the sixth century, constitute the starting point of this research. It focuses on the transformations these monuments underwent during fifteen centuries of continuous use and tries to contextualize these changes. At the same time the research aims at establishing the relationship between the material vicissitudes of the buildings and the perceptions of the Early Christian past of Ravenna. The intended result is to give a representative picture of Ravenna’s attitude towards its cultural heritage and especially of the influence of the mental perception and reception of the Early Christian past on it.

[Picture: Mosaic of Emperor Justinian in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna ca. 547 A.D.]

Bible and Church Conference in London a great success?

I was fortunate enough to attend part of the 2010 Bible and Church Conference held at the magnificent St Helen's Church in the heart of London recently. Check out the short YouTube of last year:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TyndaleHouse1

One GCSE teacher e-mailed me the following response after attending the conference:

"I'm so grateful I could attend the 2010 "Bible and Church Conference." It is refreshing to encounter empirical data backing up the authenticity of the canonical gospels. Already, last year's DVD of the "Bible and Church Conference" is a tremendous supplement to my teaching. The package is engaging, professional, enthusiastic and easily absorbed, yet retains academic profundity."

Any feedback from others who attended is welcome!

South African PhD students watching World Cup from Nijmegen!

We are three PhD students from South Africa currently here in Nijmegen for research. We will therefore miss the soccer in South Africa and follow events on TV.

Our hope for our own team is not that high, though we obviously hope they will at least progress through the first round..

We are extremely proud of our country and its people who managed to finish all the stadiums in time. Let's hope and pray everything will go smoothly.

Left is Rev Dirk Venter, working on the Spirit and Identity in Romans 8; middle is Dr Jaco Putter working on Pastoral concerns in 1 Thessalonians; right is Rev Johnson Thomaskutty from India working on Dialogues in the Gospel of John.

Dirk, Johnson and myself attended a PhD research day at Utrecht University yesterday. In the picture below, from left to right is: proff Erik Eynikel, Bart Koet, Jan van der Watt and Adelbert Denaux.

Jewish continuity and Christian discontinuity? Daniel Block and Donald Hagner in Cambridge

     I had a great talk with two respected Evangelical scholars in Cambridge recently. To the left is dr Daniel Block, professor of Old Testament at Wheaten College and to the right is dr Donald Hagner, emeritus professor of New Testament from Fuller Seminary.

An interesting issue came up during our discussion. Block comes from a Menonite, Lutheran tradition which at times focussed too strongly on radical discontinuity between the Jewish character of the Old Testament (focusing on Law), and an all new era in the New Testament. With this in view, Block is trying to focus on the continuity between Old and New Testament - particularly between the Torah and the New Testament.

On the other hand, for some decades Hagner operated in a context within which the Jewish character of the New Testament was so dominant (probably from EP Sanders-) that he is trying to focus on the discontinuity between the Old and New Testament. He will be presenting a paper on this theme in July - I might blog about it then.

Two fine and humble Christians scholars.

"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" RB Hays on 1 Cor 15:32

This poster on a Graffiti wall in Nijmegen made me think of a crucial text I am wrestling with for my PhD here at Radboud University. It is 1 Cor 15:32b which states:

                         If the dead do not rise, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.

It is worth quoting Richard Hays on this text:

"If Paul's own apostolic labors provide a positive example of how one should live in light of the promise of resurrection, the behaviour of some of the Corinthians illustrate the opposite possibility (v. 32b). Paul suggests that their skepticism has led them to act like the frenzied inhabitants of Jerusalem who faced siege and anninilation at the hands of the Assyrians (Isa. 22:12-14): instead of facing their fate with repentance and weeping, they decided to  'party like there was no tomorrow', as the colloquial English expression has it. The slogan 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die' (quoted from Isa. 22:13) is a devastatingly apt characterization of these resurrection-denying Corinthians, whose own misbehavior has much to do with eating and drinking..." (First Corinthians, Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for for Teaching and Preaching, 268).

And man made (artificial and synthetic) life - The Economist

       I'm not a biologist; I'm a student doing research on the resurrection of Jesus and believers in the future. But the recent events surrounding two American biologists who've made a bacterium that has an artificial genome - creating a living creature with no ancestors, has caught my eye. The technical stuff surrounding the whole project is quite difficult to comprehend, but one part of the project in particular intrigued me. It is claimed in The Economist that apart from all the positives this new technology can bring, there are also significant dangers. There is talk of the breading of malicious biological inventions, which could spell disaster for the integrity of species, including the human race, should the technology fall into the wrong hands. This made me think of some New Testament texts I am currently studying as part of my research. At least in the New Testament, God promises an awesome, holy, perfect resurrection body to all believers when Christ return. There is no danger of a malicious evil force that can ruin this plan of God (do you agree or disagree with me?). I share just to verses:

Jesus Christ will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

CS Lewis: "Young ladies, put down your pens!"

Today, I had the privilege of listening to the amazing stories of Dr Martin Lloyd Jones' daughter here at Tyndale House, Cambridge. Lady Elizabeth Catherwood (as she is known) shared fond memories of her childhood and adult life, and the impact her father and others like CS Lewis had on her. I share some quotes I took down during the talk:

As mentor: "I'm glad he was my father in Christ and also my father in flesh".
What he would say about the Bible in academic study: "It's the Word of God, not just a textbook".
Why the 1904 Welsh Revival eventually failed: "People lived off the experience and stopped preaching".
How Mrs Lloyd Jones saw herself: "To keep him (ML Jones) in the pulpit".
One interesting fact about her studies under CS Lewis at Oxford:  Professor Lewis always said: "Young ladies, put down your pens!" when they wanted to make notes during lectures. Nobody was allowed to take any notes during his classes. He encouraged them to write down their memories after class at home. Lewis' Christian books had a profound impact on her life. Interestingly, she also told the story of how, after the publication of his first Christian book, Lewis became somewhat depressed, for the book did not do that well. Dr Lloyd Jones encouraged him to go on... as we today know that he did...

The Authentic Gospels: New (exciting!) Evidence

I'm living in a country where the status quo (at least in some quarters) would have it that the New Testament Gospels are stacked with legends and later church embellishments. That's why I'm so excited about The Authentic Gospels: New Evidence conference to be held on 12 June 2010, at St Helen's Bishopsgate, London.

The speakers are three incredibly talented young scholars from Cambridge. Any person wanting to get to grips with the very latest archaelogical finds and cutting edge evidence with regards to the New Testament Gospels SHOULD be there! Register at: http://www.bibleandchurch.com/

The speakers:

Dr Simon Gathercole is Editor of the influential Journal for the Study of the New Testament and holds degrees from Cambridge and Durham, UK. He is Senior Lecturer in New Testament at the University of Cambridge.

Dr Dirk Jongkind is a Dutch biblical scholar who finished his PhD at Cambridge on the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. He has done work for the British Library on the latter and is also Research Fellow in New Testament Text and Language at Tyndale House, Cambridge.

Dr Peter Williams is the youngest ever Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge. He received his PhD at Cambridge studying ancient languages in the context of Old Testament texts. Before joining Tyndale House he taught at Cambridge University and the University of Aberdeen.

First ever world-class debate on the resurrection in South Africa?

A friend brought it to my attention that there was a significant debate held at the University of Pretoria on Wednesday 12 May 2010. The speakers where William Lane Craig and Mike Licona arguing for the authenticity of Jesus' bodily resurrection, over against Sakkie Spangenberg and Hansie Wolmarans arguing against it. Craig and Licona regard themselves as evangelical Christians, whereas Spangenberg and Wolmarans are part of the New Reformation Movement in South Africa, with links to the Jesus Seminar in the USA.

I wish I could've been there! Will be nice to get some feedback from folks who attended the debate. How many people attended? What were the main arguments? Who did best? Why?

Papers presented at the Ethics in the Johannine Literature conference in Nijmegen

We had a fascinating conference! Have a look at the program below.

Monday 3 May

10.15-11.00 The place and use of the Bible in Christian ethics

Jean-Pierre Wils (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Facilitator: Jan van der Watt
11.30-12.15 Johannine ethics: an overview of the current state of research

Michael Labahn (University of Halle)

Facilitator: Ruben Zimmermann

12.15-13.00 What is “Ethics in John”? Ethical Devices in the Gospel of John

Ruben Zimmermann (University of Mainz)

Facilitator: Jan van der Watt

14.30-15.15 The Qumran background of Johannine Ethics

Erik Eynikel (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Facilitator: Reka Valentin

15.15-16.00 Wisdom literature as possible framework for Johannine ethics?

Andrew Glicksman (University of Dallas)

Facilitator: Erik Eynikel

Short papers:

16.15-16.35 Ethics by Using the Scripture with regard to John 2

Karl Weyer-Menkhoff (University of Mainz)

Facilitator: Susanne Luther

16.35-16.55 Ethics of Life in the Gospel of John

Mira Stare (University of Innsbruck)

Facilitator: Jörg Röder



Tuesday 4 May

9.00-9.45 Law and ethics in John’s Gospel

William Loader (Murdoch University)

Facilitator: Gilbert van Belle

9.45-10.30 Ergon, eleutheria and agathon – some underestimated norms for John’s Ethics

Hermut Löhr (University of Münster)

Facilitator: Gilbert van Belle

11.00-11.45 The flipside of ethics: The devil and ethics in John

Jan van der Watt (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Facilitator: Ulrich Busse

11.45-12.30 Semeia conveying ethics in John

Christos Karakolis (University of Athens)

Facilitator: Ulrich Busse

14.00-14.45 ‘Abide in Me’. The New Mode of Relationship between Jesus and His Followers as a Basis of Christian Ethics (John 15)

Chrys Caragounis (University of Lund)

Facilitator: Glen Lund

Wednesday 5 May

9.00-9.45 Die ethische Theologie des 1 Johannesbriefes

Udo Schnelle (University of Halle)

Facilitator: Ruben Zimmermann

9.45-10.30 Cain the Jew the AntiChrist: Collective Memory and the Johannine Ethics of Loving and Hating

Tom Thatcher (Christian University Cincinnati)

Facilitator: Ruben Zimmermann

11.00-11.45 Discernment-Oriented Leadership in the Johannine Situation— Abiding in the Truth versus Lesser Alternatives

Paul Anderson (George Fox University)

Facilitator: Maarten Menken