Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Friday, November 15, 2013

W.G. Kummel's "Theology of the New Testament:" Save Your Money

Kummel, Werner Georg. The Theology of the New Testament. Nasheville, TN: Abington, 1978. 

This 350-page volume and 1996-enlarged edition is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Testament-Werner-Georg-Kummel/dp/0687055768/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377027178&sr=8-1&keywords=werner+georg+Kummel

Two words come to immediate view here: dreariness and weariness. Other words would obtain: avoid, typical, presuppositional disseverance of faith from history (or effort therein), German liberal, and more. A phrase comes to mind: "Save your money."  Or, "Don't bother, unless a scholar."

He offers a mere three page bibliography. The dominant names: Bultmann, Bornkamm, Dibellius and—my favorite—old Norm Perrin, once of Chicago University and later Southern Methodist. Ah yes, old Norm.  I’ve run up these lanes and down these roads years back, especially that old favorite, Rudolph Bultmann. I spent about 2 years reading the liberals.  Yes, near-wise 2 years.  Been there, done that, and have the T-shirt and coffee mug too. Tractoes and Costalists are more easily tolerated that these liberals. Can one learn from liberals? Of course. Must one, as a professional, read the liberals? Why of course. That’s old Princeton: reading and answering the liberals. For one thing, I’ll be forever glad for the schooling in old Westminster. I'll be forever glad that I was never schooled in any (TEC) Episcopal school; see the present-day evidence in leadership. Can one learn one’s catechism from them? Horrors no. By the way, that’s all one gets. A 3-page bibliography. We read this back in 1980 and, for completion, will make the re-tour. Save your money. When I’m done, this will be used to start the fire in the fireplace. (I’m running out of room around the house and can’t see myself selling this to anyone.)

Chapter 1: The Proclamation of Jesus According to the First Three Gospels

1. The problem of the historical Jesus

A. The Question of the Sources
B. The Theological Problematic

2. The Kingdom of God

C. John the Baptist—imminent judgment, conversion and baptism, coming of the “Mightier One,” the baptism of Jesus
D. Jesus—imminence of the kingdom of God, the presence of the kingdom of God

No comments: