Welcome to the March 2015 Biblical Studies Carnival!
In honor of March’s patron saint (Patrick) and in lieu of what would have been a terrible attempt at an April Fool’s Day joke, start off your morning by (re)visiting the classic “St. Patrick’s Bad Analogies of the Trinity.”
Before delving into this month’s suggested articles, I would like to thank Phil Long for asking me to host this carnival. Looking forward to future Carnivals, Jeff Carter will be hosting April’s Carnival. The May Carnival will be hosted by Claude Mariottini, Professor of Old Testament at Northern Baptist Seminary. In June, Cambridge doctoral candidate William A. Ross will be moderating this forum. There are plenty of open Carnival spots for the rest of the year, so if you are interested in hosting, contact Phil Long.
Without further ado, then, check out this month’s selection of posts below (and be sure to look over the “News” section for some exciting ongoing/upcoming events in the world of Biblical Studies).
Over at The Female Bible Scholar, Tiffany Webster reflects on the methodology of contextual reading and offers two readings on 1 Samuel 28 by a Witch and a Wiccan High Priestess. A fascinating read if you’re interested in some non-standard perspectives.
Continuing his series through 2 Chronicles, James Pate offers three thoughts/questions on Second Chronicles 24.
As part of his ongoing five-year project to read the Hebrew text and transform it into music and semantic domain analysis (fascinating stuff), Bob MacDonald recaps his progress during the month of March. He also examines the six days of creation in Genesis 1:1-31, looks at the poetry of Job, and rereads part of the Song of Songs.
BSCL interviews Stephen L. Cook on his new book, Reading Deuteronomy: A Literary and Theological Commentary.
(Video) Craig Keener asks if Rebekah was positively characterized in her decision to accrue Isaac’s blessing for Jacob.
At CSTT, Ville Makipelto argues that the Septuagint can no longer be ignored by redaction criticism.
On Scot McKnight’s blog, RJS engages the question of whether or not the Old Testament is true from Iain Provan’s Seriously Dangerous Religion. (This post also includes some thoughtful remarks on crafting a theology of nature of God and humanity.)
May’s Carnival host Claude Mariottini composed a fascinating two-part series on some of the notable “Great-Grandmothers of Jesus.” (Part One) (Part Two)
Seraphim Hamilton suggests Five Principles for Reading the Old Testament, including my favorite: Read It!
William Brown argues for a contextualized examination of Holiness in Leviticus 5:1-4, concluding that the laws of this passage directed the Israelites toward the absolute importance of people and God.
Scot McKnight asks about the “Old Perspective on Paul” as outlined in Carl Trueman’s Luther on the Christian Life.
Megan Sauter examines how Jesus’ tomb may have been sealed in light of Second Temple-period Jerusalem tombs.
Ben Witherington III wonders if Luke and Matthew were on the same ancestry page when composing Jesus’ genealogies.
James McGrath outlines the debate on whether or not Luke intended to write a third volume (and then a few debates break out in the comments section).
Nijay Gupta summarizes Richard Hay’s process of reading backwards and offers some questions to evaluate Hay’s process of reading Old and New Testament’s together.
Craig Keener looks at Biblical and historical evidence concerning the Sabbath day, also sharing some of his personal experience with the importance of Sabbath rest.
Tony Burke reflects on the apocryphal urge in CNN’s Finding Jesus (Episode One) series. And Mark Goodacre responds to Burke’s post.
James Snapp provides an outstanding overview of the Armenian Versions of the Gospels.
Andrew McGowan challenges the tradition that Jesus was a welcoming host at the meals recorded in the gospels.
Jim West discusses the James Ossuary as portrayed on CNN’s “Finding Jesus.”
As many of you undoubtedly know, Phil Long has been working through the Acts of the Apostles nearly every day this month. In addition to serving as an superb coordinator for these Biblical Studies Carnivals, Phil also does a masterful job drawing out textual, historical, and theological insights in his writing. Don’t miss this month’s selections from Reading Acts:
Acts 13—Prophets and Teachers in Antioch | Acts 13—Why Cyprus? | Acts 13:8-12—Symbolic Blindness | Acts 13:12-43—At Pisidian Antioch | Acts 13—Paul and the Interpretation of Scripture | Acts 13:42-53—Reaction to Paul’s Sermon | Acts 14:1-7—In Iconium | Acts 14:8-10—A Healing at Lystra | Acts 14:8-10—Preaching to the Pagans | Acts 15—The Significance of the Jerusalem Temple | Acts 15—Defining “Christian” | Acts 15:7-11—Putting God to the Test | Act 15:13-21—James Emerges as a Leader | Acts 15:37-40—A Parting of the Ways: Part 1 | Acts 15:37-40—The Parting of the Ways: Part 2 | Acts 16:3—Was Paul a Hypocrite? | Acts 16:13-15—Lydia of Thyatira | Acts 16:16-18—The Spirit of Python | Acts 17:6—Turning the World Upside Down | Acts 17:22-28—Quoting the Philosophers? | Acts 18—Success Breeds Jealously | Acts 18—What Went Wrong in Corinth? | Acts 19—The Ephesus Residency
One peril of asking someone who takes seriously Christopher Tuckett’s call for the coordination of New Testament Studies and Early Christian Studies to host a Biblical Studies Carnival is that he will expose you to some links on early Christianity. So enjoy these links.
Philip Jenkins continues his series on Gnosticism with reflections on the relationship between Gnosticism and centers of early Christianity and the role of Gnostic thinkers during the period between the First and Second Jewish Wars.
Peter Head links some of the most notable online images of manuscripts from the Vatican Library and offers an introduction to Greek Lectionaries.
Peter Kirby dispels the Myth of Nag Hammadi’s Carbon Dating with some detailed analysis of scholarship on the library. He also carefully examines radiocarbon dating for the Gospel of Judas and attempts to date the NHL Codex VII.
James Snapp reflects on the origins and usefulness of Nomina Sacra in New Testament manuscripts.
Simon Joseph offers some post-CNN reflections on the Shroud of Turin and its value for Biblical Studies.
Dieter Roth offers three posts on Marcion: the first a response to Markus Vinzent’s new book, Marcion and the Dating of the Synoptic Gospels; the second outlining the issues involved in reconstructing Marcion’s gospel; and the third on reading the sources for Marcion.
Larry Hurtado reflects on some mysteries of the “Mysteries of the Bible—Jesus”, apparently one of those Easter-time television “specials.”
Michael Bird opens an inter-blog dialogue on Why Jesus Died on the Cross (and just in time for Good Friday).
King James sets the blogging world straight with a single picture.
Scot McKnight reflects on inaccurate approaches to historical inquiry, especially those who claim their opponents stand on the “wrong side of history.”
Ben Witherington III presents a multi part series on “Learning to Think Biblically.”
Daniel Gullotta interviews Eliska Havelkova (ThD student, Charles University, Prague) as part of the “Advice for Future Bible Scholars: A Student and Scholar Spotlight Interview” series. Eliska has some great thoughts on the state of Biblical scholarship and I, for one, look forward to her thesis project (Development of the Semantic Field of αγιος in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers).
Barney Aspray outlines the Rise and Fall of the Biblical Theology movement of the mid-20th century.
Joseph Kelly talks with John Dominic Crossan about his new book, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian.
James McGrath reflects on if churches are safe spaces or self-destructing temples in light of Paul’s view as expressed in 1 Corinthians.
Peter Enns talks about the “five words” which describe his approach to interpreting the Bible.
Ben Witherington III offers a series on what he considers to be the “Best Books”, the influences and books which have made the biggest impressions on his life and thought: Early Influences, Seminary Books, New Testament, C.K. Barrett, James D.G Dunn, John M.G. Barclay, and N.T Wright (the series is ongoing and quite insightful; be sure to continue following his progress).
Karen Keen shares some of the private thoughts on faith and academia, tracing her faith journey and relationship with scripture.
Anthony LeDonne demolishes The Lost Gospel: Decoding the Ancient Text that Reveals Jesus’ Marriage to Mary the Magdalene in his review via the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Phil Long reviews Peter T. O’Brien’s Hebrews Pillar New Testament Commentary.
Daniel N. Gullotta reviews Andreas Kostenberger’s and David Croteau’s (eds.) Which Bible Translation Should I Use?
Steve Walton briefly reviews Anthony Thiselton’s A Lifetime in the Church and the University.
As part of the Patheos Book Club, James McGrath reviews John Walton’s The Lost World of Adam and Eve.
Phil Long reviews Reading Acts Today: A Festschrift for Loveday Alexander.
Jill Firth outlines Ernst Würthwein’s The Text of the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Biblia Hebraica (3rd Edition).
Jennifer Guo reviews Grant Macaskill’s Union with Christ in the New Testament.
Chris Tilling offers a two-part review of N.T. Wright’s Paul and the Faithfulness of God.
William Ross reviews Brian Peterson’s The Authors of the Deuteronomistic History.
Continuing his review parade, Phillip Long reviews Andy Chamber’s Exemplary Life: A Theology of Church Life in Acts.
Michael Bird reviews the New Theological Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Ed. Moises Silva).
Kurtis Peters reviews Anson F. Rainey’s The El-Amarna Correspondence: A New Edition of the Cuneiform Letters from the Site of El-Amarna based on the Collations of All Extant Tablets.
William Brown also reviews John Walton’s The Lost World of Adam and Eve.
James Pate “writes up” Robert M. Price’s The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man in an incredible reflective post.
Jim West reviews Mark, Manuscripts, and Monotheism: Essays in Honor of Larry W. Hurtado.
And the fine folks at Conciliar Post offer my review of Andrew McGowan’s Ancient Christian Worship.
Abram K-J introduces iPhone users to the “Say&Go” app for recording thoughts and ideas on the fly.
Daniel Gullotta outlines several helpful Resources for Bible Geeks (that are free!).
Peter Head directs readers toward the always helpful Internet Bible Catalog.
Over at the Biblical Studies Blog, hundreds of (old) Journal of Theological Studies articles are available online for your reading and research pleasure.
Bryan Bibb suggests the Scapple App as an aid for visual thinkers in the formulation of arguments.
Passing of Charles Cranfield (1915-2015)
Nancy A. Hardesty Memorial Scholarship
Call for Papers: The Bible in Modern Culture
Montreat Conference Center Lecture Series with Mark Goodacre and Ziony Zevit
Postgraduate Conference on ‘Good and Evil in Biblical and Post-Biblical Traditions’
Freebie Alert: The Text of Galatians and Its History (Stephen C. Carlson)
Leiden Summer School in Papyrology and Greek Papyri
Dead Sea Scroll Exhibition in Los Angeles from March until November
Pursuing Veritas 
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