Index of Books Reviewed

Abstract

Author Title Reviewer Page Bates, M. W. The Hermeneutics of the Apostolic Proclamation: The Center of Paul’s Method of Scriptural Interpretation Matthew Novenson 149 Belousek, D. W. S. Atonement, Justice, and Peace: The Message of the Cross and the Mission of the Church Bradley M. Penner 150 Bingaman, B., & Nassif, B. (eds) The Philokalia: A Classic Text of Orthodox Spirituality Deborah Casewell 151 Bovon, F., & Matthews, C. R. (trans) The Acts of Philip Julia Snyder 136 Brenner, A., & Yee, G. A. (eds) Exodus and Deuteronomy Kerry Lee 136 Carter, W. Seven Events that Shaped the New Testament World Paul Foster 137 Chen, K. Eschatological Sanctuary in Exodus 15:17 and Related Texts Seth M. Ehorn 138 Eberhart, C. A. The Sacrifice of Jesus - Understanding Atonement Biblically Brian Nail 139 Boring, M. E. An Introduction to the New Testament: History, Literature, Theology Jane Heath 140 Gericke, J. The Hebrew Bible and Philosophy of Religion Philip Davies 141 Gritsch, E. W. Martin Luther’s Anti-Semitism: Against His Better Judgment Andrew Kloes 142 Hanneken, T. R. The Subversion of the Apocalypses in the Book of Jubilees Kevin Sullivan 142 Hethcock, W. How To Get Your Sermon Heard: Preaching to Win Minds and Hearts Geoffrey Stevenson 143 Homer, P. L. On Kierkegaard and the Truth Simon D. Podmore 144 Howson, C. A Just Church: 21st Century Liberation Theology in Action Chelsea Williams 145 Matthews, V. H., & Moyer, J. C. The Old Testament: Text and Context Kurtis Peters 146 McNary-Zak, B., & Peters, R. T. (eds) Teaching Undergraduate Research in Religious Studies Seth M. Ehorn 152 Pahl, M. W. The Beginning and the End: Rereading Genesis’s Stories and Revelation’s Visions Frank Dicken 146 Painter, J., & deSilva, D. A. James and Jude Jane Heath 155 Phillips, E. Political Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed Christopher Craig Brittain 123 Robinson, J. M. The Story of the Bodmer Papyri: From the First Monastery’s Library in Upper Egypt to Geneva and Dublin Paul Foster 133 Runia, D. T. (ed.) Philo of Alexandria: An Annotated Bibliography 1997-2006 Jane Heath 122 Schröter, J. (ed.) The Apocryphal Gospels within the Context of Early Christian Theology Paul Foster 152 Schultheiß, T. Das Petrusbild im Johannesevangelium Christina Kreinecker 149 Smith, J. K. A. Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works A.D.R. Hayes 116 Spence, A. J. Justification: A Guide for the Perplexed Bradley M. Penner 147 Woodward, J., Gooder, P. & Pryce, M. Journeying with Luke: Lectionary Year C, Bringing the Gospel alive for groups and individuals Jennifer Strawbridge 148

Paideia Commentary – James and Jude

John Painter and David A. deSilva, James and Jude (Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament; Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2012. pp. xiv + 256. ISBN: 978-0-8010-3634-7).

The Paideia commentary series has grown steadily since 2007, and has quickly gained a high reputation. Designed for students with theological and pastoral interest, it distils the fruits of scholarship for that audience, offering both exegetical commentary and reflective discussion on the relationship of the text to the modern world. This commentary on James and Jude is a fine addition to the series. Like other Paideia volumes, it is written by renowned scholars, who have contributed significantly to the debate on these texts in academic circles: Just James: The Brother of Jesus in History and Tradition was published by John Painter in 1997, with a second edition in 2005; The Jewish Teachers of Jesus, James, and Jude by David deSilva in 2012.

In their commentary, the two authors highlight especially the Jewish dimension of these epistles, while drawing out their relevance for Christian biblical readers today. The latter will date the book more quickly than otherwise, but is nonetheless a significant part of the distinctive contribution that this volume makes. The epistles of James and Jude often suffered neglect in church and academy after Luther’s strongly-worded denigration of both; a renaissance in research on the Catholic Epistles has been a recent phenomenon, and the monographs cited above by Painter and deSilva belong to that scholarly discussion. In their Paideia commentary, however, both authors begin with bold, personal statements about the abiding value of these books for the Christian life; Painter is specific, recollecting the power of one verse above all for him during the past half century, since hearing a sermon on it in Australia: ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights’ (Jas 1:17). This coincides with an early emphasis of the most renowned modern theological reader of James – Søren Kierkegaard, who published three discourses in 1843 entitled, ‘Every Good and Perfect Gift is from Above’.

In observing this resonance with Kierkegaard, however, I do not intend to suggest that these commentaries are primarily theological works. Their authors are historical critics with expertise in ancient theological texts, and this is where they excel. Rightly, then, the contemporising theological discussions are relatively brief and are placed after the exegetical sections; correspondingly, the combination of fresh insight and intentionally economical debate is most powerful in the historical rather than the theological comment. This fine, short commentary deserves to be valued by a wide audience.

JANE HEATH Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University