This article looks at an emerging research trend in biblical studies: Jesus and film. Within the past two decades, New Testament scholars have been attracted to the numerous films about Jesus not merely as a source of illustrations, but as an avenue to interpret the New Testament Gospels—or as Larry Kreitzer proposes, ‘reversing the hermeneutical flow’. With a growing interest in this new discipline to the task of biblical interpretation, it has become an accepted critical approach to the study of Jesus and the Gospels. This article surveys some various ways in which scholars have explored Jesus films, such as with a view to provide refreshing insights into difficult scholarly issues (e.g. the Synoptic problem). Furthermore, the article examines how scholars have begun in recent years to function as critics of controversial Jesus films and also as consultants for new film projects.
This blog you are reading is officially an “elite” blog! Somehow I have managed to earn the number 3 spot on the Biblioblog Top 50 for July 2009. (This is only my second month on the Top 50.)
So who are the shakers and movers in biblical studies blogging for the month of July 2009? V. Henry T. Nguyen (Punctuated Life) enters the elite top 3 …
I need to find time to publish some posts amid my busy life this summer! I also need to figure out what I’m doing with this blog!!
Using my expertise in New Testament, I would like to reflect briefly on another critical issue of our day: Would Jesus Twitter or Facebook?
I deduce that Jesus would likely have a Facebook account because he loves to be friends with people (especially tax collectors and sinners; cf. Matt 11.19) – he would probably even send friend invites.
But would Jesus use Twitter? He does like to talk about “birds” (cf. Matt 6.26; 8.20; 13.4, 32). However, although Jesus would have a multitude of “followers”, I am not sure he would “follow” anyone.
For those who don’t read the journal Political Theology, the first half of the latest issue is devoted to our birthday boy, John Calvin. Consider it a perfect compliment to my previous, popular post on must-have Calvin memorabilia.
Political Theology, Vol 10, No 3 (2009) John Calvin and Political Theology
‘John Calvin and the Jews: A Problem in Political Theology’
—David C. Steinmetz
ABSTRACT: Although John Calvin rejected the angry invective of Martin Luther against the Jews, he nevertheless agreed with him that Christian biblical interpretation was a more reliable guide to the mind of the patriarchs in Genesis than the exegesis of Rabbinic Judaism. The Hebrew Bible was therefore properly understood as Christian Scripture and had always been addressed to the Church as well as to ancient Israe
‘Calvin and Natural Rights’
—David Little
ABSTRACT: This article applauds the recent rise of scholarly attention to studying the relation of religion to natural rights in general and Calvinism in particular. Against the strong belief in some quarters that appeals to nature, including the idea of rights, do not play a significant role in Calvin’s thought, the article concurs with recent (and some not so recent) work to the contrary, arguing that such appeals do occupy an important, if ambiguous, place for Calvin. However, the article resists explaining the variations in his thought as the result of changing interpretations over time. Rather, it is contended that these matters were a source of tension throughout Calvin’s career. He struggled not so much with the question of the natural knowledge of rights, but of the ability to choose to act on that knowledge. In conclusion, the article hints that Calvin’s ambivalence on this issue sowed the seeds for significant divergence among his descendants.
‘Calvin’s Legacy for Public Theology’
— Richard J. Mouw
ABSTRACT: Many thinkers, of whom Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a prominent example, have expressed ambivalence regarding John Calvin’s contribution to our understanding of a healthy civic order: while Calvin’s political genius is undeniable, he and his followers are also known for intolerant attitudes and practices. Thus the image of “two Calvins” by a recent biographer of the Reformer. In this essay I lay out some relevant tensions in Calvin’s political thought, while also identifying underlying themes that were later developed by his followers. Special attention is given to the ways in which the “neo-Calvinist” movement, initiated in the nineteenth century by Abraham Kuyper, both corrected and expanded upon Calvin’s theology of public life. It is noted that while Kuyper’s thought also influenced the Afrikaners’ apartheid ideology, Reformed opponents of apartheid also appealed to elements in Kuyper’s theology of public life. Although the results have been mixed, Kuyper and others did demonstrate the ways in which some basic elements of Calvin’s thought can be used to address issues that are being given sustained attention today in broad ranging explorations of what makes for a flourishing civil society characterized by a variety of “mediating structures.
‘What Reformed Theology in a Calvinist Key Brings to Conversations about Justice’
— Douglas F. Ottati
ABSTRACT: This essay distinguishes John Calvin’s participatory stance toward civil government and society from Peter Rideman’s Anabaptist view. It outlines three theological frames that Reformed theology in a Calvinist key brings to conversations about justice. And, in distinction from some other trajectories in Reformed theological ethics, for example, Karl Barth, Miroslav Volff, it tries to retrieve a Calvinist emphasis on natural equity and human moral sensibility with the help of philosophers such as John Rawls and Michael Walzer.
Today marks the 500-year anniversary of John Calvin’s birth. Rather than posting random smart quotes by the smart guy, I list SEVEN must-have items for the die-hard Calvin enthusiast. Collect them all!
1) Calvin 500 Commemorative Gold Alloy Coin. Very limited edition! (Also comes in bronze and silver.)
Many have mentioned the wonderful news of the public release and availability of all the images of Codex Sinaiticus, the oldest surviving Greek Bible, on the internet. After seeing some of the earlier images of the Codex on the site this past year, I have been anticipating this full availability. Here is the link to the site.
There is an audio news report by NPR. And here is a video from Reuters:
I also want to highlight a recent monograph on the Codex by my friend, Dirk Jongkind, Scribal Habits of Codex Sinaiticus (Gorgias Press, 2007). Dirk had the privilege of being employed by the British Library in London to work on the curatorial preparation of the Codex Sinaiticus Digitisation Project. Here is an abstract of his published dissertation:
Codex Sinaiticus is the oldest manuscript containing the complete text of the New Testament. Besides the New Testament, this codex from the fourth century also contains large parts of the Greek Old Testament, though quite a large part of this section did not survive. Codex Sinaiticus is much more than simply a particular instance of the Greek text of the Bible. At least three different scribes copied the text out by hand, and these scribes were faced with many decisions in the process of writing: How many letters do I put on this line? Will I contract this word as a nomen sacrum or will I spell it out in full? What do I do when I spot an error in the text I have just copied? What is the right spelling of this word? Is it time for a new paragraph? How do I fit the text I have copied to that of my colleague?
This book studies a wide variety of textual and non-textual phenomena of Codex Sinaiticus. Thus we not only learn more about this important biblical manuscript, but are also able to discern much about the individual scribes. The Codex Sinaiticus is not a homogenous book, but the product of individuals with their own habits and different qualities. This study shows that it is possible to rate the scribes of the New Testament according to their individual copying ability.
No, my undefined blog has not become a blog about tattoos. But to stay one more time with the theme of interesting and bizarre tattoos, I felt compelled to post this. And this is my first and last post on the MJ-mania. Click here to see a list of 16 weird tattoos commemorating the weird guy.
In light of my previous post on Scripture tattoos, I should show you a self-incriminating photo that one of my Greek students has posted on his Facebook page. Some get tattoos of their favourite Scripture in Greek, or their favourite Greek word; but not my students. They love the language so much they get tattoos of the whole Greek alphabet. Looks like someone is ready for tomorrow’s quiz — too bad it’s not on the Greek alphabet!
Too bad the image is too small to be able to correct it.
Here are two more tattoos that bewilder me. Why, people, why??!! Just memorize the verses instead, it’s not that difficult.
#1) Not a lovely tattoo about love! Funny how the person did not forget the verse numbers. Sorry to be pedantic, but perhaps it should read 1 Cor 13:4-8a!
#2) Why not just go for Psalm 119? At least the person chose center alignment for the text rather than left, right, or justified text alignment. Also, I would have gone with the singular “Psalm 1″; besides, not getting that extra “s” would have alleviated a few seconds of pain.
9.22am – Finally accepted Jim West’s friend request on Facebook. (For background info, see here and here)
9.23am – Jim West chatted me on Facebook to thank me for accepting his request and to threaten me: “Friday is for de-friending.”
9.27am – Faced with a choice:
9.28am – Made my decision. Sorry, Jim, Monday is for de-friending!!
This act of revenge was performed on behalf of all those who has expressed to me the pain they’ve suffered from Jim West’s psychological disposition to de-friending innocent, friendly people.
December 17th, 2009 | Category: 
No, my undefined blog has not become a blog about tattoos. But to stay one more time with the theme of interesting and bizarre tattoos, I felt compelled to post this. And this is my first and last post on the MJ-mania. Click 
