My copy of Thomas R. Schreiner’s New Testament Theology arrived last night, and I have been feasting on it with great delight! I cannot recommend this book highly enough. My advice is to quit reading this right now, go to Amazon.com, and order your copy at their 34% discounted price. Then come back and read the rest of this (since you have some time before your copy arrives. If you already have a copy, quit reading this post and crack open Schreiner’s New Testament Theology–it will be a lot better for you than this post!).
Those of you who are back from ordering your copy, while you’re waiting for it to arrive, let me urge you to give yourself to the meditative reading of the Bible.
In addition to that, let yourself enjoy a guided tour of the themes of New Testament Theology with one of with ablest interpreters of our times.
C. S. Lewis once said that the best devotional books were the ones that seriously interpret the message of the Bible. He’s right. And that means that Schreiner’s New Testament Theology is not only, in the words of Simon Gathercole, “A magnificent acheivement!” in terms of its scholarship, it’s also one of the best devotional books you could hope to find.
G. E. Ladd’s A Theology of the New Testament was published in 1974, and it has been the standard text on New Testament Theology since that time. In my opinion, the starting place for New Testament Theology is now Schreiner’s volume rather than Ladd’s.
I think every scholar, pastor, student, and Christian layman would do well to put this volume at the top of the summer reading list and enjoy!
Jim,
Schreiner replaces Ladd, I dunno about that one! I’d be more inclined to say that Schreiner replaces Guthrie as the best NT Theology resource for pastors. I’m not sold on the thematic approach and I’d probably still pick Ladd over Schreiner in that sense.
Just curious, what are your thoughts on Thielman’s and Marshall’s NTTs? Thanks.
Aaron,
Thanks for your note. Both Thielman and Marshall take the book by book approach, and I find that those approaches help me most when I’m actually working in the books being covered.
So, right now I’m working on a book on the center of biblical theology, and I’m in the OT. I’ve been “saving” Thielman and Marshall for when I’m working in the NT. My plan is to read the sections of their books that correlate to the parts of mine that I’m working on as I get to them. . .
I expect to find great insight in them both!
Hope this helps,
JMH
Dr. Hamilton,
That’s funny… just today I was reading Hasel’s “OTT: Basic Issues in the Current Debate” about a center or lack thereof in OTT. Since you mentioned it, what Old Testament theologies do you recommend? I know that von Rad and Eichrodt are the giants of the 20th century, and I know that Waltke has recently published one in the same series as Theilman’s NTT. Any suggestions? Thanks, Tim
Tim,
My favorites, in this order, are:
1) Stephen Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty
and
2) Paul House, Old Testament Theology
Waltke’s is good too. . .
Enjoy!
JMH