Illness theodicies in the New Testament

The New Testament writers advocate or at least mention six different religious explanations for the origin of sickness. First, Satan may thus victimize the innocent. Second, God may send sickness as a punishment for the sufferer's sins. Third, God may send sickness to punish one's parents' sins. Fourth, God may so punish one's own sins committed in a previous life. Fifth, God may inflict illness in order to show his power by subsequent healing. Sixth, God may inflict illness in order to show his power by sustaining the sufferer through the illness instead of healing it.     

Palestinian Archaeology and the New Testament

A review article on J. Finegan, The Archaeology of the New Testament, Princeton, 1969 (pp. 273, figs. 296; preface, indices, chronological guides)     

New Testament studies in the 20th century

Considered diachronically, NT studies in the twentieth century is a story of vigorous scholarship. Especially after World War II, there is increasing diversification in approach and in the makeup of scholars, with a noticeable shift of centre to English-speaking settings (especially North America), and greater involvement of Roman Catholic, Evangelical, and Jewish scholars, a growing prominence of women, and a proliferation of approaches.     

Salvation: Its Forms and Dynamics in the New Testament

Abstract : Salvation takes several forms in the New Testament, including earthly‐historical saving acts by the earthly Jesus and eschatological salvation by God's saving work in Christ. The dynamics of salvation can be considered from both anthropocentric and theocentric approaches. In the former salvation is by works, faith, or grace, but issues can be raised about each. In the latter salvation is spoken of as the act of God in Christ (a theopractic approach) or by the act of Christ on God's behalf (a Christopractic approach). Issues arise concerning canonical contexts, whether something happened at the cross effective for humanity and the cosmos, and the scope of redemption.     

Recent Books in ... New Testament Studies

Books reviewed Gerd Lüdemann, Virgin Birth? The Real Story of Mary and Her Son Jesus C. E. B. Cranfield, On Romans and Other New Testament Essays Joseph A. Fitzmyer, To Advance the Gospel Walter Schmithals The Theology of the First Christians William J. Larkin Jr and Joel F. Williams (eds), Mission in the New Testament: An Evangelical Approach     

The Politics and Ethics of Introductions to the New Testament

Book reviewed in this essay: Lane Ryo Hirabayashi, (ed.) Teaching Asian America: Diversity and the Problem of Community Ellen T. Charry, By the Renewing of Your Minds: The Pastoral Function of Christian Doctrine Lynne Celli Sarasin, Learning Style Perspectives: Impact in the Classroom     

Jesus as an exemplar of faith in the New Testament

Roman Catholic theologians long denied that Jesus had faith in God, and Jesus having faith in God seems in conflict with traditional claims that Jesus is fully divine (Section II). What the New Testament means by “faith” is explored (Section III), and in light of this we consider arguments from orthodox Incarnation theory to the conclusion that Jesus did not have and could not have had faith in God (Section IV). Relevantly, the New Testament clearly asserts in five ways that Jesus had faith in God (Section V). This exposes problems for traditional Incarnation theories, some of which are addressed by recent “Kenosis” accounts. But these too are problematic (Section VI).