Who knew? Noteworthy conservative critics such as William F. Buckley, Jr., Russell Kirk, Allan Bloom, and Roger Kimball no longer stand alone in their critique of American higher education (for dismantling core curricula that stand at the headstream of Western tradition, desperately seeking to be politically correct, emphasizing the trendy over the proven, and allowing liberal thought to have a stranglehold over the academy). James Pierson’s recent article, “What’s wrong with our universities?” (The New Criterion) examines three recent liberal assessments of the state of the American University, and prospects for the future.[1] The liberal critique is interesting, according to Pierson, precisely because it joins critiques long-held by conservatives.

Pierson first discusses Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus, Higher Education? How Colleges Are Wasting Money and Failing Our Kids­­–and What We Can Do About It (Henry Holt & Co., 2011).  This book is written with “the premise that higher education has lost its internal compass and can no longer fulfill its basic obligations to the rising generation of Americans” (19). Writing from the standpoint of the pre-1960s view (old-school liberalism) that democratic education and liberal arts should operate in tandem, the authors observe several ills in American higher education: emphasis on faculty research rather than on teaching, the multiplication of superfluous administrative posts, and the depreciation of the liberal arts. Although the authors’ observations are helpful, Pierson argues, the authors do not offer much evidence to substantiate their claims (20). Nonetheless, the book provides an interesting indictment of American higher education and offers some controversial proposals for remedying the ills.

Second, Pierson treats Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa, Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses (U. of Chicago Press, 2011). Arum and Roksa claim, in the light of a good deal of complex data, that “college students are studying and writing less and learning far less than their peers of a generation ago, while our competitors are passing us by in measures of achievement and rates of college graduation” (22). As Pierson states, “though burdened by the social science excess of data and methodology, Academically Adrift is a serious effort to find out if colleges and universities are delivering on their promise to educate all students” (22). Although the authors’ diagnosis of higher education is nothing new, their proposals for improvement are focused and helpful.

Third, Pierson discusses Mark C. Taylor, Crisis on Campus: A Bold Plan for Reforming Our Colleges and Universities (Knopf, 2010). Taylor published this work as an expansion of his 2009 op-ed in The New York Times. In line with other critics, Taylor is troubled by the emphasis on faculty research at the expense of classroom instruction. The primary distinction of Taylor’s book is his analysis of the impact of the “Great Recession” on America’s universities (25). The negative of the book, according to Pierson, is that it does not provide a robust constructive proposal.

[Editor’s Note: This post is the first installment of a new series at BtT. “Briefly Noted” will consist of brief notes about ideas, literature, and events that might be of interest to our readers.]

The aim of this book is to pry inside the motivations of the man who gave us The Pilgrim’s Progress. As such, a 54-page biographical essay, which includes the main aspects of Bunyan’s piety, is followed by selections from Bunyan’s other writings. Thirty-one excerpts from works such as Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, The Jerusalem Sinner Saved, The Acceptable Sacrifice, and his sermons and letters provide a rich sampling of Bunyan’s theological and devotional emphases. These excerpts are organized by seven sections: 1. Christ Our Advocate; 2. Christ Jesus the Merciful Savior; 3. Hope for Sinners; 4. True Humility; 5. Christian Ethics; 6. The Gospel Applied; and 7. Warnings.

Within these sections, the excerpts are given in short chapters which make excellent material for devotional reading. For example, chapter 3, “Things Related to the Promises of Christ Our Advocate” excerpted from The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, begins:

There are many things relating to the promises, as to the largeness and narrowness of words, as to the freeness and conditionality of them, that we are not able so well to understand, and, therefore, when Satan deals with us about them, we quickly fall to the ground before him. We often conclude that the words of the promise are too narrow and rigid to comprehend; we also truly think that the conditions of some promises do utterly shut us out from hope of justification and life. But our Advocate, who is for us with the Father, He is better acquainted with and learned in this law than to be baffled out with a bold word or two or with a subtle piece of hellish sophistication (Isa. 50:4). He knows the true purport, intent, meaning, and sense of every promise and piece of promise that is in the whole Bible. He can tell how to plead it for advantage against our accuser, and He does so (p. 67).

Phil Newton is Senior Pastor of South Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, and a SEBTS Ph.D. student in Applied Theology, Christian Missions with a concentration in North American Missiology. He and Dr. Duke have done us a great service by brining Bunyan’s other writings to the attention of pastors, students, teachers and any Christian seeking to grow in the knowledge of grace and truth. This book is therefore recommended for those in any of these groups.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself, your family, and your ministry.

I’ve taught at Southeastern for 15 years and have directed our Ph.D. program for over a decade. My wife Marny and I have 4 children, 3 of whom are teenagers, which is at once a great joy and a serious God-given responsibility. I love teaching, writing, and, yes, administration! I also serve as Director of Acquisitions for B&H Academic and edit the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. If you want to know more, or simply keep up, please check out my new, updated website at http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/or follow me on Twitter @akostenberger.

2. What was the impetus for writing this book? And why did you feel the need to write it?

Interpreting the Bible accurately is one of the most important responsibilities every Christian has, and is especially important for those who teach and preach God’s Word to others. Ever since I became a Christian, God has given me a burden to excel in this area and to pass on what I’ve learned to others, especially to those entrusted with the preaching ministry in our local churches. Too often, I’ve sat in the pews and have seen preachers fall short in this area. In my years of teaching biblical interpretation at the college, graduate, and doctoral levels, I’ve had a hard time finding a book that’s fully congenial to the way I teach and students best learn in my experience. Invitation to Biblical Interpretation is the product of 10 years of work in collaboration with my contributor, Dick Patterson, who is a seasoned Old Testament scholar and one of the wisest, godliest, and most erudite men I know.

3. What is the primary argument of the book?

In the book, we teach that, no matter what the type of literature you’re dealing with, you should look at the passage’s historical background, literary context, and theological message. I call this the “hermeneutical triad”—history, literature, and theology. When exploring the “literature” aspect of the triad, I recommend that students look at the canonical, genre-related, and linguistic features of the passage.

4. What, above all, do you wish for readers to know and/or do because of the book?

I would encourage them to adopt the hermeneutical triad as their basic method of study—looking at the history, literature, and theology found in a given passage. To that end, the final chapter of the book (thanks to my colleague and friend Scott Kellum) provides practical tips on how to preach from the different biblical genres and guidance on what the best biblical studies tools are and how to use them. On the Kregel website, there will also be chapter quizzes, a study chart, and a set of PowerPoints for teachers who will be using Invitation to Biblical Interpretation in the classroom.

Finally, we would like to point our readers to a sample reading of Invitation (including its endorsements) here, graciously made available by Westminster bookstore.

Unfortunately, every healthy trend sometimes includes unhealthy elements—such is to live in a fallen world. We gospel-centered types need to be reminded of our own shortcomings. In fact, there’s something profoundly gospel-centered about understanding the depths of your own sin so that you can rest anew in the good news of all that God has done through the person and work of King Jesus.

In his excellent book Gospel: Rediscovering the Power That Made Christianity Revolutionary (B&H, 2010), pastor J.D. Greear includes a helpful appendix titled “A Gospel-Centered Warning to Young Zealous Theologians.” Like me, J.D. is a thirty-something Southern Baptist who talks about the gospel all the time. He’s also the pastor of a megachurch whose membership is largely comprised of gospel-centered collegians and young professionals. J.D. also teaches adjunctively at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a school blessed with a student body that, on the whole, very much wants to be gospel-centered. All this to say, his convicting words should be read and heeded by everyone who regularly visits the Gospel Coalition website, follows Tullian Tchividjian on Twitter, reads Jerry Bridges books, and soaks up Tim Keller sermons. You know, people like me and J.D.

J.D. and our friends at B&H Books have kindly granted me permission to make “A Gospel-Centered Warning to Young Zealous Theologians” available online. I’ve reprinted it below. I hope you find this material as helpful as I have. I also hope it encourages you to purchase a copy of Gospel and read the whole book. For those of you who are pastors or other ministry leaders, Gospel would make a great book for a church staff to read and discuss together.

“A Gospel-Centered Warning to Young Zealous Theologians”

By J.D. Greear

I’ve noticed that many of us who grasp this concept of “gospel-centeredness” can have a tendency to be more excited about the “theory” of gospel-centeredness than we are about the gospel itself. At least I’m that way. I have gotten pretty good at identifying non-gospel-centered preaching, and can pretty ably point out the shortcomings of certain ministries. The point of gospel-centeredness, however, is not the shrewd ability to critique others. The point of gospel-centeredness is to adore God and worship His grace.

Many of us who love to talk about gospel-centeredness seem to possess very little of the humility that should go along with it. You can see that in how self-promoting we are and how ungracious we are with others. It always amazes me that we can be proud because we understand the very things that should lead us to humility.

My mind has often burned hotter with the latest theological trend than it has passion for the God who gave Himself for me at the cross. Knowledge that does not lead, ultimately, to love and humility is “worthless,” Paul would say. What really counts, he says, is not knowledge by itself, but the love that our knowledge of the gospel should produce (1 Cor. 12:1–3).

One of my fears in writing this book is that it might contribute to a growing self-righteousness among younger theologians who feel like understanding gospel-centeredness makes them more special in the eyes of God (oh, the irony!) than those who can’t articulate it, and who judge everyone else by whether or not they use the same terms that they do.

Recently, I talked with a little old lady who had been my Sunday school teacher at the very traditional church in which I grew up. She said, “You know, as I lose more and more friends to heaven, I often wonder what it is really like up there and what I should be looking forward to. I know they say there are streets of gold, but that doesn’t seem to excite me very much. The one thing I really want to do is see Jesus.” This lady has never heard of John Piper and has no idea what the Gospel Coalition is, but she has been changed by the gospel. She loves Jesus, and that is the whole point of gospel-centeredness.

There are many little old ladies serving in church nurseries who may not understand how to articulate the theories of gospel-centeredness or have the ingenuity to dazzle our minds with psychological insights, cultural observations, and Christocentric interpretations of obscure Old Testament passages. Their hearts, however, burn with love for Jesus and overflow with gratefulness for His grace.

Their humble, gospel-rich love for God is worth more than all the books you or I can write on this subject.

So don’t be quick to judge them. Be humbled by them. Mastering the theory of gospel-centeredness is not the point. Loving the God of the gospel is.

See J.D. Greear, Gospel: Rediscovering the Power That Made Christianity Revolutionary (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2010), pp. 253–55.

Doug has served in overseas missions for 14 years, primarily among Central Asian Muslims with the IMB. Coleman is also author of “The Agents of Mission: Humanity,” in Theology and Practice of Missions: God, the Church, and the Nations edited by yours truly.

Great is Thy Faithfulness? thus aims at rigorous interpretation and application of Lamentations. As such, the main contents of the book fall in two main parts. Part 1 address issues in hermeneutics and in reading the text in its canonical context. Heath Thomas discusses the subject of reading Lamentations as “Holy Scripture” (ch. 1) and Paul R. House explores the theology of Lamentations (ch. 2). Part 2 discusses the application of Lamentations: coeditor Robin Parry addresses the use of Lamentations in Christian worship (ch. 3), and Ian Stackhouse provides pastoral thoughts on the work of Lamentations in shaping our church cultures (ch. 4). In between, Great is Thy Faithfulness? features essays on the Jewish, Messianic Jewish, Christian, and Artistic and Contemporary reception of Lamentations. Jacob Neusner (Bard College), Paul Joyce (Oxford University), David Hogg (Beeson Divinity School, Samford University), Richard Harvey (All Nations College) and many others contribute to these helpful sections.

1. Dr. Thomas, tell us a bit about yourself, your family, and your ministry.

First, thank you very much for this kind invitation. It is a delight to share a little bit of my story and I always enjoy talking about my family! My wife, Jill, grew up in Texas and that is where we met. I was working on my master’s degree in theology and she was working on her nursing degree. We met through a mutual friend, dated, and then married. Our children (Harrison, Isabelle, Simon & Sophia) are so much fun. We are always tired – four is a lot of work – but it is a very happy and satisfied kind of tired. I spent some time with my grandparents in the mountains of east Tennessee (where they live) a few weeks ago, and asked them how they managed to raise SIX children and still made out alive. My grandfather laughed and said that he couldn’t really remember…but he and my grandmother are still here…so that gives Jill and me hope!! My parents are from that region of the world as well, but now live in Texas. I grew up in a wonderful home. My father was a pastor for forty or so years and now mentors pastors and works as President of C3 Global, a network that provides community, training to pastors and leaders, and facilitates mission efforts, most recently in Haiti.

My academic training took me to Oklahoma, Texas, and then the United Kingdom. I had the privilege of working in the UK with fantastic scholars from the Universities of Gloucestershire and Oxford. My wife and I found that experience to be incredibly rewarding, as the Lord challenged and changed us. We lived and worked in a context far removed from the confines and familiarity of the USA. We saw a different world, serving two churches while there, one a city church and the other a village church. Both, however, were gifts of God. I had served in two churches prior to moving to the UK, one in Oklahoma and the other in Texas, and it was absolutely incredible to see the same God at work in his world—from the Midwest of the US to the Midlands of the UK. Christ calls all people and all nations to himself.

When the Lord moved us to Southeastern Seminary, needless to say it was a big change. We had never lived in this context, and there were so many new things to learn. I had to re-acclimate myself to a context so filled with Christians and churches. But ironically, this was a real challenge. When I lived and taught in the UK, there was not a kind of “cultural Christianity” that marks so much of the US, especially the southern-fried-religion so talked about in the South. I found this kind of “cultural Christianity” in North Carolina. And I also found that some Christians were blissfully unaware of the challenges of the Christian faith — how it really does present a different worldview than the culture in which we live. It has been a joy to see the authentic Christianity on display in the lives of the students in the Seminary, in my neighborhood, and in my home church. I am passionate about seeing the life of the church align with the radical message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is something very true when we say that Christ’s message confronts and invades the culture. It will not easily “mesh” with the culture of America without some serious distortion or compromise of the gospel.

2. What was the impetus for writing this book? And why did you feel the need to write it?

This book is the fruit of about six years of labor. It began when I was still living and working in England. I had a friend who was living up the road in Worcester, and he was writing a commentary on the book of Lamentations. We spoke fairly regularly and discovered separately and then together that this book…which of course is part of Holy Scripture…was virtually omitted from the life of our local churches. And when we began to reflect more deeply upon this, we discovered that it was not just our churches that had avoided or abandoned this portion of God’s Word, it was widespread in Evangelical churches. Well, this is, to say the least, a problem. If we embrace the Scriptures, in their totality, as God’s Word for the life of the church, then why have we played favorites? Why do we tend to lean on, say, Paul’s letters, the prophets, or the gospels to the neglect of other portions of Scripture? In this way, we discovered that the time was ripe to think deeply about hearing Lamentations as Sacred Scripture once again. When we read and preach this book, how do we do so? What do we need to hear from this book to hear the whispers of God’s Spirit in the ears of the church – rebuking her, directing her, or comforting her? We simply attempted to provide a way to access Lamentations so as to hear God’s address. We found that this is not an easy task.

The reason why such a book is important is because it takes seriously the role that the Scriptures —all the Scriptures – have in the life of the church. And it helps us think about how we understand the work and ministry of Christ in light of the testimony of the Old Testament. Personally, I found that this job could not be done by one person alone. So my coeditor and I began to think about how Lamentations has been heard through the centuries. We wanted to see what the church had to say about this book throughout the ages: in the patristic period, in the medieval period, in the Reformation, and in today’s church. We also wanted to see how others have read this book, including Jewish reception, its reception in the arts, worship, and music. We also wanted to make note of more recent trends as well. In so doing, we could zero in on the distinctive contributions of this book in history, and how it might make a distinctive contribution in today’s church.

3. What is the primary argument (thesis) of the book?

The primary argument is quite simple: Lamentations is a neglected book in the Scripture, but one that needs to be heard by the church for her life and ministry. The volume aims to demonstrate that by taking Lamentations as Holy Scripture and learning what it means within its own horizons, as a theological text, and in the life of the church. So, we have an introductory chapter discussing what it means to call Lamentations “Holy Scripture” followed by a chapter observing Lamentations within its Old Testament Horizons. The next major chapters include a theological interpretation of Lamentations and a pastoral reading of Lamentations from a Baptist pastor from Guilford, England. Interspersed between these major chapters are a series of “soundings” of Lamentations reception in history, including Lamentations’ reception in the Septuagint, in the Targum, in Rashi, in Jewish worship, in the patristic period, in the medieval period, in the Reformation, and in today’s church. There are other things addressed as well. The book concludes with new translations of the Targum Lamentations, the Septuagint of Lamentations. So there it is a kind of one-stop shop for what you need to know about this powerful little book.

4. What, above all, do you wish for readers to know and/or do because of the book?

Read the Bible…all of it!! Including the bits that are difficult to deal with like Lamentations. If we believe the Bible to be God’s Word, and a good word, that needs to be heard in the Church, then we must submit ourselves to all of its teaching. Lamentations has deep, vast, resources that will help and equip us for every good work in Christ Jesus. Second, I would say that it is very helpful to hear how others have received and read this book. Third, hopefully this book provides some helps on how Lamentations can be read and received in such a way to equip the Church in its service to Christ.

And, thank you for having been about to ask. Yours truly did contribute several essays to the Encyclopedia, including those on Hans Frei, Stanley Hauerwas, George Lindbeck, James McClendon, David Tracy, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.

The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization looks to be an essential reference tool for scholars, students, pastors, and others, on the historical and sociocultural significance of Christianity. Understanding one’s place in the world helps one better reach the world for Christ. This work will forward that endeavor.

For any of the three types of folks above, a good book might be the perfect gift. For those in category one, why not introduce them to the joys of reading? For those in category two, why not help them read with a plan? And for those in category three, why not feed their addiction? With this in mind, I’m offering a short list of books to buy for Christmas, in case any of you need something to stimulate your thinking. Because the list will be short, I’ll have to leave out more than a few good gift ideas. Please leave a comment telling us the one or two best gift ideas that I left off the list.

Introducing a Friend to Christ

C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity is a powerful little 20th-century classic treatment of the Christian faith. Lewis writes in a lucid and compelling manner that will hold the attention of any person who is reasonably interested in the subject matter. Plus, Lewis’ street cred as a writer and scholar (Oxford and Cambridge) provides the book a measure of advance credibility.

Tim Keller’s Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters is an exploration of the things that we tend to trust as our functional saviors/gods (sex, money, and power), which are actually false saviors and gods. They cannot save. Only Christ can save.

John Stott’s Basic Christianity is a brief, well-written and concise introduction to, umm, basic Christianity. Stott writes the book for people who are “hostile to the church, but friendly to Jesus Christ.”

Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life is a #1 New York Times bestseller, having sold over 30 million copies. Publisher’s Weekly calls it “the bestselling nonfiction hardback book in history.” It is structured as a 40-day introduction to the Christian life. Warren asks the reader to read only one chapter per day in order to “have time to think about the implications for your life.”

Tim Keller’s The Reason for God is a 21st-century version of Lewis’ Mere Christianity. He demonstrates that even skeptics have beliefs and “faith,” then presents the basic Christian faith, answers skeptical questions, and does so in a manner that is compelling for 21st century inquirers and skeptics.

Introducing a Friend to the Bible

Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen’s The True Story of the Whole World. This slim little 170-page volume presents the Bible as a unified and coherent narrative that is the true story of the whole world. For a more in-depth treatment by the same authors, see The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. The former book is best given to interested laypeople and undergrad students. The latter is a good gift for thoughtful undergrad and grad students. I find Bartholomew  and Goheen’s narrative exposition to be a powerfully effective way of unfolding the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Christian Scriptures.

Introducing a Friend to Theologically-Driven Devotional Reading

J. D. Greear’s Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary. This is the perfect book for Christians who need some theological and devotional “caffeine” and even more importantly, who need to rediscover the blazing center of the Christian life—the gospel. This book is maybe your best one-stop purchase for all of your believing friends.

John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life is like J.D.’s Gospel, in this respect: if you are looking for a Christmas book for a believer, then buy it. There’s no reason to hesitate. Life-changing book.

C. J. Mahaney’s Living the Cross-Centered Life is a concise little book that shows us how to center our day on the life-giving reality of the gospel, and how to avoid the life-sapping temptations of legalism, condemnation, and feelings-centered Christianity.

David Platt’s Radical is an unsettling book. Like Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life, it challenges the reader to be shaped more by Jesus’ call to discipleship than by the American dream. Be careful with this book—it is dangerous.

C. S. Lewis’ The Weight of Glory is a collection of sermons and essays by Lewis. I’ll admit I’ve read only one chapter in the book, but it is the sermon “The Weight of Glory” for which the book is named, and it is one of the most elegant and powerful essays I have ever read. IMHO, this is the single best essay/sermon/book that Lewis wrote. From it, we get his classic statement that “it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased” (26).

Introducing a Friend to Some Classic Christian Writings

C. S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces is a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, a tale of two princesses (one beautiful and one unattractive) and of the struggle between sacred and profane love. IMHO, this is his best work of fiction.

G. K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man are two must-reads for young theologians. Chesterton was a British journalist (and armchair theologian and philosopher) who possessed a top-shelf mind and one of the sharpest wits of the past two centuries. Orthodoxy is a circuitious, witty, and ultimately compelling account of why he rejected his early agnosticism in favor of Christian orthodoxy. The Everlasting Man is Chesterton’s argument that the Incarnation is the key to unlocking world history. A smart and witty book.

Pascal’s Pensees. I recommend Peter’s Kreeft’s edited version of the Pensees, entitled Christianity for Modern Pagans. In the book, Pascal provides a brilliant and elegant argument for the Christian faith.

Concluding Thoughts

Determining what to read is more than a little important. Of the many books in any given library or bookstore, most can be left unread without any fear of intellectual or moral deprivation. Even (and sometimes especially) the bestsellers are not necessarily worth reading. For this reason, I’ve tried to help provide some helpful gift books for this Christmas. As I close out this blog installment, I want to mention a few reasons why you should consider buying books as Christmas gifts.

First, reading books sharpens the mind. For Christians, reading gives us the chance to interact in the world of ideas, giving theological critique of what you read. It is one way to practice thinking Christianly. If I am reading a work of fiction, I ask a series of questions: Who is the hero, and why does the writer want me to admire him? Who is the adversary in this story, and what does the author think is so bad about him? Does this story provide a note of redemption, and if so, in what is the redemption found? If I am reading a theological text, I critique it in light of the Scriptures and the best of the Great Tradition. If I am reading one of the great philosophers, I question his presuppositions and look into the logical coherence, empirical adequacy, and existential viability of his theories. Reading prepares us to think in a distinctively Christian manner.

Second, reading exercises the mind. It forces us to increase our skills of concentration, memory, and reasoning. It requires that we focus on, remember, and assess arguments, plots, themes, characters, facts, and figures. Reading improves vocabulary. Without reading regularly, I would have never known, inter alia, such susquapedalian words as “pervicacious” or “stultiloquence.” :) Further, reading makes us better writers. (Just think how much worse this blogpost would be if I didn’t read regularly.)

Third, reading gives one something about which to converse. If I have read Ghost Wars, I can make a meaningful contribution when conversation turns to Afghanistan. If I have read The World is Flat or The Clash of Civilizations, then I can make conversation with about any number of global issues. If I have read Mere Christianity, I have some idea how to make theological conversation with a skeptic. If I read Wildlife in the Kingdom Come, I will be well-equipped to poke fun at theologians.

Fourth, reading allows one to “travel” to other times and places. Although I might not have the time or money to travel to Iran right now, I can read about it in The Ayatollah Begs to Differ or The Shia Revival. I may never be able to interview Abraham Lincoln or Jonathan Edwards, but I can read their biographies. Although I was never able to converse with one of the famous atheists, I am able to read Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil and Bertrand Russell’s Why I Am Not a Christian.

Fifth, reading reduces stress. Researchers at the University of Sussex have shown that the best way to relieve mental and physical stress is to read a book. In their study (which Al Mohler pointed out in his blog on 4/3/09), reading caused a 68% reduction in measurable stress, topping other stress reducers, such as listening to music (61%), sipping tea or coffee (54%), and taking a walk (42%).

Sixth, reading is an inexpensive and low maintenance form of entertainment. Compared to the cinema, for example, books don’t cost much. Most books cost $10-$30, which is approximately the same as 1-3 movie tickets, and give more pleasure over a longer period of time. Library books do not cost a dime. Imagine the money I can save if I can one day get my baby daughter hooked on reading (and convince her not to marry).

Finally, reading is an inherently humane and theological activity. The Triune God created through the Word and speaks through the Word. Indeed, the Trinity is a model of accomplished communication, as God the Father speaks, God the Son is the Word, and God the Spirit enables and illumines the reception of the Word. Further, God created us in his image and likeness, with part of that likeness being our rational and imaginative capacities, which are precisely the capacities needed to read. May we use our capacities in a manner that glorifies Him.

I write the present installment because two monographs in Old Testament Theology have recently brought themselves to my attention, both of which are edited collections with essays by an impressive array of European and American scholars, and both of which contain essays by our very own Heath Thomas. Dr. Thomas is a brilliantly prolific polymath who serves at SEBTS as an Assistant Professor of OT and Hebrew and as editor of Southeastern Theological Review.

The first essay, “ Hearing the Book of the Twelve,” is in Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address (Eerdmans), a forthcoming volume on theological interpretation of the Old Testament edited by Craig G. Bartholomew and David J.H. Beldman. Dr. Thomas’ work is featured alongside Stephen Dempster, Tremper Longman III, Gordon Wenham, Christopher J.H. Wright, and others.

The second essay, “‘I Will Hope in Him’: Theology and Hope in Lamentations” is published in A God of Faithfulness: Essays in Honour of J. Gordon McConville on his 60th Birthday (London: T&T Clark). This book is a festschrifft published on the occasion of J. Gordon McConville’s 60th birthday in recognition of the outstanding contribution that he has made to the field of Old Testament studies over the last 25 years. The collection incorporates 12 essays written by colleagues, friends and former research students along with an introduction and complete list of McConville’s publications. Dr. Thomas studied under Dr. McConville at the University of Gloucestershire.

Along with these book chapters, Dr. Thomas has published various articles this year in highly respected scholarly journals, including contributions in Vetus Testamentum, Tyndale Bulletin, and Bulletin for Biblical Research. Finally, he has a good number of books completed or in the works:

1. Heath Thomas and Robin Parry (eds.) Great is Thy Faithfulness? Reading Lamentations as Sacred Scripture (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2011)
2. Heath Thomas, “Until He Looks Down and Sees”: The Message and Meaning of the Book of Lamentations (Cambridge, UK: Grove, 2009)
3. Heath Thomas, Poetry & Theology in Lamentations: The Aesthetics of an Open Text (forthcoming)
4. Habakkuk: A Commentary, in Two Horizons Commentary Series (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, forthcoming)
5. Heath Thomas, Paul Copan, and Jeremy Evans (eds.) Old Testament Holy War and Christian Morality (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, forthcoming).
6. Heath Thomas and Craig Bartholomew, The Old Testament Minor Prophets: A Theological Introduction (under contract with IVP Academic).

And, for those of our readership who are potential students: yes, Southeastern offers several degrees with a focus on the Old Testament. The Bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies with a minor in Biblical Studies introduces undergraduate students to the knowledge and skills central to the work of pastors, particularly in the area of Old and New Testament competency. The Master or Arts (Biblical Languages) prepares students to serve as translators and as field supervisors for Bible translation teams. The Master of Arts (Old Testament) provides serious students with an opportunity for advanced study beyond the Master of Divinity or baccalaureate degrees.

The M.Div. with Pastoral Ministry prepares students for pastoral ministry in the local church with and is grounded in study of the Old and New Testament. The M.Div. with Christian Ministry offers the same strong core education while giving one freedom to pursue elective courses in the area of Old Testament and Hebrew. The M.Div. with Advanced Biblical Studies offers the greatest opportunity for focus in Old Testament and Hebrew exegesis, preparing one for a pastoral or teaching ministry.

The Th.M. in Biblical Studies equips post-M.Div. students who want to enhance their theological training, either for preparation for doctoral study or as an advanced degree for service in the church. Students can take the thesis or non-thesis tracks under the supervision of a professor in the area of Old Testament. Finally, the Ph.D. in Biblical Studies with a concentration in Old Testament prepares students to teach Old Testament, Hebrew, and other courses to college or seminary students, and to write about the interpretation and theology of the Old Testament.

We invite you to come study with Dr. Thomas and the rest of our Old Testament Faculty in the B.A., M.A., M.Div., Th.M., or Ph.D. programs of Southeastern. For more info visit our website (http://www.sebts.edu/) and check out the Admissions and Academics links.

The Winter 2011 volume (vol. 2, no. 2) of STR has now been issued with the theme “Mission, Discipleship, and Hermeneutics.” The contents and contributors are:

“Mission, Discipleship, and Hermeneutics: Introducing the Current Volume” by Heath Thomas, STR Editor (Assistant Professor of Old Testament, SEBTS)

“A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story,” STR Interviews Michael Goheen

“A Review Essay of Michael Goheen, A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story” by Bruce Riley Ashford (Associate Professor of Theology and Culture, SEBTS)

“Theology in Action: Paul, the Poor, and Christian Mission” by Jason B. Hood (Scholar-in-Residence and Director of Christ College residency program)

“How to Do Things with Meaning in Biblical Interpretation” by Richard S. Briggs (Lecturer in OT and Director of Biblical Studies at Cranmer Hall, St. John’s College, Durham)

“Isaiah 6 in Its Context” by Robert L. Cole (Associate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, SEBTS)

STR also features several concise, critical book reviews in each issue. Between the Times will keep you updated on the new issues when they come out. But in order to fully appreciate its contents, we invite you to check out the STR website, here, and subscribe to the journal. We think your ministry in and for the church will be encouraged as a result.