N.T. Wright, Michael F. Byrd, Scott McKnight, E.P. Saunders, Etc.

by Aaron Eldridge 3 Replies latest jw friends

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  Aaron Eldridge

  These are some of my favorite New Testament scholars. All of these guys and many others fall within the "Jesus is the restoration of Israel" court of New Testament studies. Obviously these are not the only ones, there are many others but these are my favorite thus far. Just wondering if anyone else out there has read their works or have any thoughts about them.

  I just finished reading the third bookin the Christian origins and the question of God series of books, by Wright.

  Next up is Michael Bird's Jesus and the origins of the Gentile mission. Looks to be quite good and if reading his other books (in particular Crossing over land and sea:Jewish missionary activity in the second Temple Period) are any indication this will be fantastic.

  thoughts, comments, suggestions, hate and discontent?…
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  Band on the Run

  I like reading a combo of different views. N.T, Wright is impressive. I also read Elaine Pagels, Karen Armstrong, Marcus Borg, Crossan. If you have an academic database, and search for your particular topic, you can find scholary journal articles addressing the issues in more details. I downloaded many articles on Constantine and Jesus' Trial. I almost prefer this to a book b/c there is such diversity in the journal articles. I don't think anyone knows the "truth." Besides the truth, the implications for worship for followers abound. It gives a nice sampling.

  I love Thomas Merton, Wisdom of the Desert, plus his personal books, C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L'Engle. I knew Elaine Pagels and Madeleine L'Engle personally not b/c I had any great insight on their work but through attending school on Morninside Heights in NY, where Columbia is.

  Union Theological Seminary, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and Riverside Church exposed me to so much.

  I also used to attend workshops at an Episcopal convent --and Orthodox churches.

  It is amazing that just as I left the Witnesses, I stumbled upon these resources. While I was at Columbia, I would walk past the largest cathedral in the world and never noticed it. Columbia campus was all that mattered. Finally, I walked past the cathedral one more day and noticed a small portion of it. It changed my life.
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  Aaron Eldridge

  I do like reading a variety of views. However, at the moment these type scholars that I mentioned above are of the most interest to me.

  I've read Elaine Pagels but did not find her to suit my taste. She seems to be highly biased in her view, without realizing that she is highly biased. Someone along the same line of thinking as Pagels that I do like is Robinson. To me he is much more engaging and less inflammatory/biased in his views. I guess in the end I see Pagels as being somewhat disingenuous, in the same sort of category as Bart Ehrman. They seem to say outrageous things in popular level books that would never fly in scholarship, seemingly they do this to sell more books. But that's just my two cents.

  Borg and Crossan are both very enjoyable to read. Of all the Jesus seminar scholars these two are definitely my favorite. Meeting Jesus again for the first time was a very good book and a refreshing change of pace for the popular level books.

  As far as truth is concerned, I guess I'm somewhat postmodern. I do believe in absolutes, I just question our ability to fully know them.

  I'm completely unaware of Thomas Merton. Just look him up on Wikipedia and he does look thoroughly interesting. Many thanks for the suggestion.
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  Sulla

  Merton was at Columbia when he decided to become a monk.

  Read NT Wright's book on the Resurrection: double plus good. I also read some of Pagels back in the day. I found her criticism of Irenaeus' decisions about the gnostic gospels to be very compelling in exactly the opposite direction she meant. Her book made me sure that Irenaeus was exactly right to be hatin' so much on the gnostics.