New Testament Theology: Too Theological, Too Difficult, and Too Repetitive?

Thanks to Joel Green for acting as a guest editor for the journal Religions and inviting me to contribute to a special issue on New Testament Theology. I’m pleased to say that my article “New Testament Theology: Too Theological, Too Difficult, and Too Repetitive?” is now available and free access online.

Here’s the blurb:

This essay argues that New Testament Theology (NTT) is an indispensable mediating discipline between historical exegesis and systematic theology. It defends NTT against claims that: (1) NTT should be replaced by the study of early Christian religion; (2) The NT is too diverse and disparate to sustain any unifying theology; and (3) NTT has been over-done so that there is nothing new to be said. The essay proceeds to the defense of NTT by contending that theology is part of the substance and significance of the NT. In addition, the NT contains several varieties and unities that can simultaneously challenge and aid theological reflection. Finally, the essay proposes a fresh approach to explicate the theological texture and religious impetus of the NT with a view to renewing living faith communities.

I have an older article too called “New Testament Theology Re-Loaded: Integrating Biblical Theology and Christian Origins” from TynBul (2009) which is also available for free access online.

This study examines the problem of balancing the historical and theological components of New Testament Theology. It presents acritique of both Biblical Theology and Christian Origins and finallyargues for a ‘Theology of the New Covenant’ where theology emergesout of the interface of canon and community.

I’m working on-and-off on a prolegemena to a NT theology and hope to one day finally get around to writing a NT Theology such as I’ve mapped out in the above two articles.