One of the assigned readings for my “Theological Method” research seminary with Dr. Malcolm Yarnell this semester is Vincent of Lérins’ A Commonitory. This work is the origin of the Vincentian datum concerning how to discern true, orthodox doctrine which states “that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all” (132). In this maxim, Vincent gives a three-fold criterion for orthodoxy by testing it against universality, antiquity, and consent. Despite whether or not Vincent’s method is sustainable for the development of doctrine, his essay has many high points of wise counsel concerning guarding and protecting orthodoxy. One admonition especially stuck with me. When speaking to Christians who are not within the realm of orthodoxy, Vincent counsel:

Let them unlearn well what they had learnt not well, and let them receive so much of the entire doctrine of the Church as they can understand; what they cannot understand let them believe (146).

These words of wisdom are worthy to be remembered by all of us as we seek out the truth of gospel. Vincent encourages us to be more than willing to humbly correct the error in our theologies and to walk in faith concerning the thngs we simply cannot grasp. Above all, he exhorts us to be supremely faithful and committed to the truth of the Christian faith, and not to ourselves.

*Quotes from The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, Vol. XI.

Last Fall my first Ph. D. research (not reading) seminar was Dr. Lee’s “Theological Interpretation“. After about 4 or 5 weeks of introductory readings within the field, we submitted our prospective research bibliographies and our initial thesis topics/statements. From then on out we were required either to read one book or 7 articles pertaining to our research topic each week. This setup allowed for the course to truly function as a forum for furthering the student’s research and writing skills. It also gave us the room to dig deep into our topics, so when it came time to write my paper, all of the research was done. In my opinion that’s the way to write a paper for a course. I was able to immerse myself into my thesis which is something that I’ve  never really been able to do in the past. In most courses, you are writing a 20 page paper while still reading required books for the class as well as other daily assignments and tests. I’m proud of the end result of my first attempt at a Ph. D. paper, and through it, the Lord increased not only my knowledge of himself through the Word, but also he strengthened my faith and confidence in the scriptures as the Spirit-inspired written Word of God thus giving me a greater appetite to read it for the sake of knowing and loving him more.

My paper is titled “A Canonical Approach to Hebrews” (you can also find it in my “Theology” section along with most of my other papers and resources). What that means is that I tried to discern if there was, and if so, what that role might be, of Hebrews in the New Testament canon. In other words, when we speak of Scripture as canon, is there more to what we are saying than simply a loosely assorted collection of divinely authoritative and Spirit-inspired writings? Is there theological intent to the placement of a book of the Bible in its canonical setting? One of the main issues I continue to wrestle with is that we mainly treat the biblical writings in an individualistic fashion, often isolating works from the rest of Scripture, yet we are always forced to engage Scripture by means of the canon. Because we have received the Bible as the Bible and not as 66 individual booklets, shouldn’t there be more interpretive value to Scripture as canon than the traditional way of defining it as a term for authority and what writings “made the cut” so to speak.

The paper is broken up into three main sections. First, in “A Canonical Approach to the Formation of the NT Canon,” I attempt to provide a theological understanding of canon that flies in the face of the traditional way of reading and interpreting the history of the Bible’s canonization that says one cannot speak of canon until the fourth century when it finally closes at the hands of a council. Likewise, the view I promote argues for a “canon consciousness” at the very inception of the NT writings which bears upon it both the material and the formal influence of the OT canon. Carefully setting up this canonical framework is crucial for understanding what I am doing in the section section. In section one, I draw heavily upon the canon expertise of Brevard Childs, Herman Ridderbos, Stephen Dempster, and Christopher Seitz.

Section two is entitled, “The Migration and Association of Hebrews in the NT Canon“. In this part I analyze the three main positions of Hebrews in the NT canon in order to discern “canonical intentionality” which is another way of saying that Hebrews’ placement in the canonical order has more to do with theological and interpretive decisions than something less significant as its length or dating per se. The three main placements in chronological order are: after Romans, between 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy, and after Philemon. I apply Seitz’s thesis of canon association and formation as an achievement to the movement of Hebrews in the NT, particularly in as a part of the Pauline corpus. Seitz’s thesis can be found in his recent publication, The Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets.

Once I finish my argument for canonical intentionality in the placement of Hebrews, in the third section, “The Canonical Functionality of Hebrews,” I seek to demonstrate two possible ways Hebrews was meant to function in its final canonical location after Philemon. First I suggest that Hebrews works as an interpretive guide for the Pauline collection regarding how one should understand the relationship between the old and new covenants in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here I draw heavily upon the seminal work of Graham Hughes’ Hebrews and Hermeneutics. And second, I posit a potential “contextual” reading of Hebrews as a ”canonical coordinate” building off of certain articles of Robert Wall. In this view, Hebrews serves as a bridge between the Gentile Mission (Paul’s writings) and the Jewish Christian Mission (the General Epistles). In Wall’s words, Hebrews as a “canonical coordinate” creates as “canonical conversation” between these two groupings of NT writings.

Finally, as I state in my “Conclusion,” this paper is only the groundwork for a much larger project. It was more or less a means for me to put to the test many of the ideas about Scripture, the canon, and theological interpretation that I’ve been considering and wrestling with now for the past couple of years. I greatly enjoyed the entire process of putting this paper together. I have had many good conversations both in class with my peers and Dr. Lee and with others outside of the seminary about the issues and questions that my paper raises, and it has been a tremendouslyprofitbale learning experience as iron sharpens iron. I would love it if some of you would read the paper when you get a chance and give me some feedback with comments and questions. As always, I’d love to dialogue about it here on my blog with you for the edification of God’s church.

Here are some great books that were fundamental in my research:

• The Church’s Guide for Reading Paul: The Canonical Shaping of the Pauline Corpus by Brevard Childs
• The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance by Bruce Metzger
• Redemptive History and the New Testament Scriptures by Herman N. Ridderbos
• Introduction to Old Testament Theology: A Canonical Approach by John Sailhamer
• Biblical Theology: Retrospect and Prospect edited by Scott Hafemann
• The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology edited by Richard Bauckham, et. al.

I’m reading The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis–his short novel about being dislodged between Heaven and Hell–and I found this passage convicting. I thought I’d share it with you:

There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself . . . as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist! There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ. Man! Ye see it in smaller matters. Did ye never know a lover of books that with all his first editions and signed copies had lost the power to read them? Or an organiser of charities that had lost all love for the poor? It is the subtlest of all the snares (74).

My reading for 2009 got off to a slow start due to Wyatt’s birth on January 7. Almost all of my leisurely reading disappeared as I scrambled just to get my required reading for seminary completed. I played Mr. Mom from Jan – June  while taking German, Latin, a Ph. D. Systematic reading seminar, and teaching two sections of Classical Greek II while Kim finished out her contract as a teacher with the Crowley school district. I’ve never really recovered from the intensity of my schedule since I went from one wild and crazy regimen to another towards the end of the summer as I began to work nights, teach three courses for the college, and take two Ph. D. seminars. It took me 6 months to read the 200 easy pages of H. Ryder Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines. Likewise, Kim has not had the time to read her usual literary intake. She is reading,  however, and what she is reading I’m sure will be on the list for 2010 (e.g. a great biography on Jane Austen, Kim’s favorite author). Here are my favorite reads across the board from 2009. It was another good year of books, but I wish I could have read more on my own than for school. I only read two fiction books, no Lewis, tid-bits of Tolkien, and I had to drop out of the Schaeffer book club at a time when I was the one who chose what we were going to read. But I’ve had plenty good theology this year, and for that, I can’t complain. I’d love to hear your favorites for this year too so let me know in the comments section.

1. The Road by Cormac McCarthy ~ After picking  up this book due to curiosity, I began reading it around 11pm on January 5, 2009. Sixty pages later I forced myself to go to bed. By ten o’clock the next morning Kim and I were in the hospital awaiting the arrival of our firstborn son. It wasn’t until midnight that Kim started pushing, so I spent the entire day in the labor and delivery room reading McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece. I finished it the next day after Wyatt was born. Like a good movie, my eyes were glued to the pages of the book, and I found myself searching for free moments everywhere I could to pick it back up and join the man and his son on their path for survival. Few other books have penetrated me as deeply as The Road. This work of McCarthy is so unique in a great many ways. The first weekend in December my buddy Ched and I went to see the movie version in Dallas. We both left still immensely moved by the story which actually has more to do with a father/son relationship than it does surviving a post-apocalyptic environment. If I go into detail about the book’s content and its message, I’ll never finish this post. All I can say is that it is clear why The Road won the Putlizer Prize. Do yourself a favor and read this book as soon as possible.

2. Martin Luther’s Theology: A Contemporary Approach by Oswald Bayer ~ I love Luther, and if you follow my blog at all, you are more than aware of this fact. There are several good theologies for Luther, but Bayer’s definitely is unique in its own right. I picked up this book to read it and write a review for the SWBTS journal which is still forthcoming. The exercise, however, quickly became much more devotional than academic. Bayer’s presentation of Luther’s theology stands true to the man himself. He sets Luther’s biblical theology in a systematic setting which is different from attempting to turn the German Reformer into a systematic theologian which was something he most certainly was not. Bayer spends a great deal of time on Luther’s theological method, the nature of theology and a theologian, and his doctrine of the Word of God, all of which are especially related to my pastoral and academic interests for the Christian faith. If you have any interest in Luther and desire to take it further, Bayer’s newest addition to this field is in my opinion one of, if not the best, sources for capturing Luther as a theologian and a man of the Word.

3. The Goodly Fellowship of the Prophets: The Achievement of Association in Canon Formation by Christopher R. Seitz ~ I picked up this “bound article” (HT: Dr. Lee) reluctantly while trying to find a book to read in order to fulfill one of the assignments for my Theological Interpretation Ph. D. Seminar this past Fall. I was writing on the Epistle to the Hebrews’ function in the NT canon, but Seitz’s work focuses on the section of the Prophets in the OT. What I found out was that his book was more about its subtitle than its main one. In a nutshell, Seitz is arguing against the grain of the consensus of canon scholarship by demonstrating an integrated “canon consciousness” among the biblical writers and the subsequent communities that received their writings. Therefore, what made its way into the Bible, what was left out, and how the two testaments are arranged is due to theological and canonical deliberation. The notion that there was no canon(or concept of canon) prior to the voting of a fourth century council is extremely minimalistic and inaccurate view of the origin of the Christian Bible. Unlike many of his forerunners and counterparts, Seitz suggests that the concept of canon was present at the inception of the NT hundreds of years prior to its closing. This is a short, provocative treatise on the canon that has the potential upon further development to reign this field back in from its liberal moorings where a high view of Scripture is constantly diminished. If you are at all interested in where our Bible comes from and how it was put together, you must read this book. Although it has its technical parts, there is plenty of laymen-friendly material that is for the most part conceptual and is meant to pique your interest and raise questions concerning the traditional and popularized ways of understanding the canonization of Scripture.

Kim’s Top 3 Books For 2008

Yes, you read rightly. This is a year end 2008 list. This post was near completion but then Wyatt was born on January 7, and I kept waiting to publish it so that Kim could find time to comment on her top 3 books. Well, that time never came due to the demands of a newborn, and so I decided to leave it alone. After determining to do a list for 2009, I realized that this post was still a draft in my archives which moved me to finish it before submitting my 2009 list. Kim still hasn’t commented on her books, but I can testify that each of these three has had a tremendous impact on her life.

Last year, taking our cues from the Desiring God Blog, Kim and I revealed our top 3 favorite books of 2007. The only credential that a book must meet in order to appear on this list is that it must be . . . a book. Thankfully, both she and I read more than just “theology” books, so there aren’t any restrictions as to whether or not a book is fiction or non-fiction, Christian or secular, in order to merit a place in this annual and now “traditional” post.

It has been another good year of reading for me. I think that I read just about the same amount of books this year from cover to cover as I did in 2007, but in terms of actual “pages” read, my reading in 2008 blew 2007’s out of the water. This is mainly due to the fact that I started the Ph. D. program this year, which had me reading about 150 pages each week from August to December in books that we never finished. I also spent quite a lot of time back in the spring reading large portions of systematic theologies in preparation for my Ph. D. entrance exams. Nonetheless, it has been a very profitable and enjoyable year of reading on all fronts, and I look forward to what the Lord is going to have me feasting upon in 2009.

Kim’s reading for the first part of the year was fairly normal with a good mixture of theology and fiction, but once we found out we were pregnant back in April, she immersed herself in the pregnancy and baby canon of literature. I’m glad that she did, though, because her diligent reading and research has really helped us as new parents to decide on how we want to do things with our forthcoming firstborn, as much as a couple could be prepared without having any prior experience.

As always, Kim and I both would love for you all to submit your “top 3″ books of 2008 in the comment(s) section. We are anxious to see what you all are reading, and hopefully, your recommendations will give us some new and exciting reading material for 2009.

1. Pride and Prejudice ~ Jane Austen

2.   The Hidden Art of Homemaking ~ Edith Schaeffer

3.  The Chronicles of Narnia ~ C. S. Lewis

Billy’s Top 3 Books For 2008

1. The Silmarillion ~ J. R. R. Tolkien – People always told me not to get my hopes up for The Silmarillion just because I loved The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. What they didn’t understand was that I was already past the point of no return in the world of MiddleEarth. Tolkien had left a permanent mark on my life and worldview, and I realized, just like any serious Lord of the Rings fan, that The Silmarillion was integral for having a full understanding of what exactly Tolkien was trying to do as a “sub-creator”. This book is beautiful. The first chapter is a magnificent piece of literature where Tolkien recounts the creation story of MiddleEarth which obviously utilizes the Genesis narrative as its framework. For me, The Silmarillion was candy, but that’s probably due in part to the fact that I’m a purist and I feed off of details, not to mention that I have a huge appetite for history in general. Nonetheless, it is obvious that Tolkien spend the bulk of his life pouring over this work. It is just as much moving as it is truly a work of art.

2.  The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future ~ Mark Bauerlein - I picked this book up after hearing of a few of my professors who were reading it. As a part of the under-30 crowd of whom Bauerlein says you shouldn’t trust, I pray that I’m, among others of course, an exception to the rule. However, I’ll be the first to admit that my generation and the one following it  have the mega-potential for leading our nation, and perhaps beyond, down a very dark and unflattering road. This book was a fascinating and enlightening read. Most people will close the book and write Bauerlein off as uber-conservative and harsh, but those types of critiques of his thesis, I think, fail to recognize the seriousness of the downfall of our culture. In addition, I’m not aware of Bauerlein’s belief-system, but many of his conclusions would only take minimal additions in order to come across as Christian concerns and suggestions for contemporary culture, in particular, modern Church culture.

3. The Cost of Discipleship ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer – I could go on and on about this classic. After reading it, it was clear to me why this book has and will endure for years to come. It has no rival. You cannot read Bonhoeffer’s treatise on the nature of Christian discipleship without being forced to either live out your faith radically or either to harden your heart to obediently living out the Christian life in the manner that Scripture demands. The first couple chapters are what most people quote from concerning “costly grace”. But Bonhoeffer has much more to offer throughout. I was especially moved by his thoughts about hidden righteousness where we must do the works of faith in a way that we don’t let our right hand know what our left is doing. We must forget them as we do them in order to keep ourselves free from false humility and pride in our own deeds. This is a life-changing work and a must read for any serious Christian who desires to follow hard after Christ.