Carl R. Holladay

Ethics in Contexts

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“An informative, exegetically rich collection of essays exploring a range of ethical issues by relating the biblical text to its historical, social, and ecclesial contexts. This will be a valuable asset to serious biblical interpreters who practice their craft in classrooms and pulpits, and it honors a scholar who has excelled at both.”

Jesus, the New Testament, and Christian Origins

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Jesus, the New Testament, and Christian Origins is an impressive multi-authored work that combines several discrete subdisciplines: the history of New Testament scholarship; the political, social, and literary milieux within which early Christianity originated and developed; New Testament introduction and theology; early church history; and methods of biblical interpretation. Although a collective effort, the work is clear and coherent, reflecting strong editorial leadership. Special strengths include comprehensive reviews of current scholarly thinking on major interpretative issues such as Life-of-Jesus research, the ‘new perspective’ on Paul, the ‘parting of the ways,’ and the delineation of six identifiable streams of early Christian thought. Ample bibliographies, along with numerous diagrams, tables, and boxes of supplementary material, enhance its pedagogical value. A remarkable synthesis that deserves to become a ‘pull-down’ book for biblical scholars, theological students, and pastors.”

Opening Paul's Letters

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“A superb guide to Paul's letters, impressive in its command of the relevant ancient sources and current scholarly debates. Gray's exposition reflects a gifted teacher's instinct for connecting with students through astute use of popular culture and classic literary texts while giving due attention to the fascinating complexity of Paul's ancient context.”

Paul on Identity

Theology

“A probing, provocative reading that captures Paul’s affinities with ancient Stoic philosophy while also exploring the nuances of his Jewish self-understanding as redefined by a distinctive form of ‘Christ faith’—all this viewed through the interpretive lens of identity, both ancient and modern. A thoughtful contribution to the current debate about identity politics.”

Reading the Old Testament with the Ancient Church

Theology

“This book fills a gap in the history of biblical interpretation. The work is comprehensive in scope, yet it provides carefully crafted, succinct treatments of major patristic writers that reflect close, informed reading of the primary sources. Only someone who has lived with these patristic authors and pored over their writings could produce such a lively, sympathetic treatment. Both specialist and nonspecialist readers will benefit from this richly detailed exposition.”

Reflections on My Life

History & Biography

“Tom Olbricht has taught several generations of students, church members, and colleagues that the best antidote to spiritual lethargy is intellectual depth; that it is not shameful to know more; that the greater shame is to know less; and the greatest shame of all is to know more and love less; that vital faith makes us probe the mystery of God more deeply; it makes us think harder, argue better, and write more clearly.”

Sex, Then and Now

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Years of careful scholarly research distilled into one volume of clear, engaging prose written for nonspecialists; an ideal resource for schools and churches who want straightforward, balanced discussion of the complex set of issues related to gender and sexuality in the Bible, and how these should be understood in our time.”

Shaping the Past to Define the Present

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Combining several previously published but substantially revised essays with some new essays, Sterling has produced a tightly argued, exegetically rich monograph that further strengthens his argument for locating Luke-Acts within the tradition of apologetic historiography that had been honed in the East as an alternative to Greek traditions of history-writing. Clear, methodical argumentation, command of the ancient sources, energetic engagement of recent classical and biblical scholarship, and intimate familiarity with key interpretive questions relating to Luke-Acts ensure that Shaping the Past will take its place alongside other field-defining works (Dibelius, Dupont et al.).”

The Divine in Acts and in Ancient Historiography

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“How 'the divine’—whether understood as a single deity, multiple deities, transcendent spirit, or some impersonal providential force—functions within Greek and Roman, along with Biblical and Jewish, historiography is a question of long-standing scholarly interest, especially for the interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles. In this comprehensive, methodical, nuanced investigation, Scott Shauf compiles the relevant texts, examines them critically, and synthesizes his findings in masterly fashion. It will be a 'must-read' for students of Luke–Acts, for scholars who deal with ancient historiography in its multiple forms, and for all who struggle to understand the relationship between history and theology.”

The Sermon on the Mount

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“A theologically rich exposition of Jesus’s provocative “sermon” in both its Matthean and Lukan versions. Through rigorous exegesis and spirited dialogue with the vast scholarly literature, ancient and modern, Estrada achieves a remarkable synthesis that will benefit serious students of early Christianity at every level.”