Review: The Dawn of Christianity

The Dawn of Christianity (Thomas Nelson, 2017) by Robert J. Hutchinson. Weaving Scripture, tradition, and archaeology together, Hutchinson creates a tapestry that shows how a ragtag group of fishermen, soldiers, and prostitutes—led by a rabbi—changed the world. There are four parts to this book: The Road to Jerusalem, starting with Jesus' call to the disciples and ending with his burial, Alive, the beginning of the Church, The Beginning of Persecution, tracing historical events in Acts, and The Expansion of the Jesus Movement, ending with the Jerusalem Council.

The book, written in narrative style, chronicles the beginning of the church from the life of Christ to the end of the New Testament. The cultural context provided in vivid detail by Hutchinson allows us to step into the shoes of the early disciples and gain a fuller picture of what the Christ meant to them. Furthermore, the book features maps and pictures of archaeological finds to enter into the story. An appendix with a timeline and "who's who" and an index make for a very well-researched and reputable book.

Overall, this book is an excellent introduction to early church history as viewed through new lenses. It is a refreshing, readable change-of-pace to traditional historical approaches to reading the New Testament, and I highly recommend it for laypeople and scholars.

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Product Review: LL Bean Extra-Large Rolling Adventure Duffle

Overview When adventure strikes, the right bag makes all the difference. Too often, however, luggage bags are either large, ponderous suitcases or small, flimsy duffle bags. I have traveled to Central and South America multiple times with terribly large suitcases. It added extra complication to my trip—especially lugging the bag up the steps! This is the problem which LL Bean seeks to rectify in the LL Bean Extra-Large Rolling Adventure Duffle. With a 137-liter capacity, this duffel is able to hold the items of the biggest pack-rat while being easy to transport. It features a telescoping handle, smooth-gliding wheels, and cinch straps. Specifications Capacity: Approx. 8,350 cu. in., 137 L. Weight: 9 lb. 3 oz. Dimensions: 17"H x 34"W x 15"D. Highlights This bag is sturdy. Not only is it capable of holding many items, but it is incredibly durable. It has a reinforced nylon bottom and a thick plastic frame so that the bag does not sag or become weak....

Review: NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible

A revised version of the previously published NIV Zondervan Study Bible, the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (Zondervan, 2018) represents the best of biblical scholarship in a compact study Bible. It introduces Biblical Theology (BT), a discipline that is intended for readers to weave individual books and stories into a larger metanarrative that reveals God's redemptive plan through the entire Bible. To that end, this study Bible includes articles introducing BT and articles on theological matters. While the emphasis of this Bible may appeal to a more Reformed/covenantal audience, the contributors span a variety of theological traditions and are respected authorities within their discipline. The verse-by-verse notes—over 20,000—are insightful and suitable for determining the historical, literary, and cultural background of the text with a view to responsible interpretation of Scripture. There are in-text cross references, a concordance, maps, and useful charts. Each bo...

Review: Advances in the Study of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic

In Advances in the Study of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic (Zondervan Academic, 2020), Benjamin Noonan seeks to fill the gaps in recent scholarship in biblical languages. After briefly conducting a sweeping historical survey of linguistics and Hebrew and Aramaic studies, Noonan describes eight pertinent areas of advancement in Hebrew/Aramaic language scholarship: lexicology, stems, tense/aspect/mood, discourse analysis, word order, register/dialect, dating texts, and teaching biblical languages. Each of these topics represents a germane area of biblical Hebrew and Aramaic linguistic scholarship. Each chapter includes an introduction to the topic, a chronological and/or topical survey of representative thinkers and ideas, and a discussion of “the way forward.” Noonan’s text is an important reference for students of biblical languages, particularly those who will be conducting researching in Old Testament studies. Graduate and doctoral students will find an accessible bibliography of p...

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