I teaching NT theology next semester, and it’s that time of year to order textbooks around here. I’ve been going through various texts that people here have used and that I’ve got on my shelf, but I’ve not found anything that just clicks for me. The current prof is using Frank Matera’s New Testament Theology, which is what I might default to myself. The biggest problem that I’m finding is that most New Testament theologies are written for seminary level students and are thus detailed and long. I want to kindle a fire of interest in the topic not beat them to death with reading. At the same time, I’m a fan of having outside texts–articles and relevant selections from key works–as assigned “seminar” reading so student learn to analyse and discuss arguments. So, a huge textbook squeezes out the ability of assigning this other reading.
My questions to the blogging world are these: 1) What NT theology(ies) are your favorites and why? 2) Would you recommend it/them for undergrads or just grad students?
Monday, 15 October 2012 at 7:12 pm
For a brief evangelical treatment, you might consider Howard Marshall’s “A Concise New Testament Theology” (InterVarsity, 2008) — an abridgement of his larger volume. I’ll email you my TBR review of it.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012 at 12:18 am
Hello, Ben,
Although not covering the NT comprehensively, each of these paperbacks is reasonably accessible, engaging, and thought provoking for undergraduate students:
Bassler, Jouette M. *Navigating Paul: An Introduction to Key Theological Concepts*. Louisville/London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007. 139 pages.
Colijn, Brenda B. *Images of Salvation in the New Testament*. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2010. 335 pages.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012 at 2:27 pm
After looking around, I’m close to using Richard Hays’ Moral Vision for my NT Theology class. The first 200 pages or so are really just exposition of the main themes of different NT texts, and therefore give a concise and engaging account of the material. That will give me plenty of pages left to assign more targeted reading around covenants, canonical issues, use of OT in NT, etc. Plus, this is one of the books I think every NT student should read, so this is as good a place as any to assign it for students.