Review of Biblical Literature Blog

RBL Newsletter, 13 March 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

RBL is pleased to publish multiple reviews of Joel S. Kaminsky, Yet I Loved Jacob: Reclaiming the Biblical Concept of Election, as well as Kaminsky’s response to those reviews. All were originally presented in November 2007 at the SBL Annual Meeting in San Diego.
Reviewed by Benjamin D. Sommer
Reviewed by Jacqueline Lapsley
Reviewed by Ellen F. Davis
Reviewed by Joel N. Lohr
Reviewed by Patrick D. Miller
Response by Joel S. Kaminsky

Egbert Ballhorn and Georg Steins, eds., Der Bibelkanon in der Bibelauslegung: Methodenreflexionen und Beispielexegesen
Reviewed by Daniel R. Driver

Richard J. Cassidy, Four Times Peter: Portrayals of Peter in the Four Gospels and at Philippi
Reviewed by Patrick J. Hartin

Ira Brent Driggers, Following God through Mark: Theological Tension in the Second Gospel
Reviewed by Elliott Maloney

Katharina Galor, Jean-Baptiste Humbert, and Jürgen Zangenberg, eds., Qumran, The Site of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Archaeological Interpretations and Debates (Proceedings of a Conference held at Brown University, November 17–19, 2002)
Reviewed by Kenneth Atkinson

Jeffrey Stackert, Rewriting the Torah: Literary Revision in Deuteronomy and the Holiness Legislation
Reviewed by Eckart Otto

Robert J. Karris, ed. and trans., Works of St. Bonaventure: Commentary on the Gospel of John
Reviewed by Mark Elliott

RBL Newsletter, 5 March 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature. See also below for new reviews in and a special offer from The Bible and Critical Theory.

Dale C. Allison Jr., Studies in Matthew: Interpretation Past and Present
Reviewed by Bogdan G. Bucur

Alec Basson, Divine Metaphors in Selected Hebrew Psalms of Lamentation
Reviewed by Christine Treu

John J. Collins and Craig A. Evans, eds., Christian Beginnings and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Reviewed by Matthew Goff

Jeffrey A. Gibbs, Matthew 1:1–11:1
Reviewed by Charles L. Quarles

John H. Hayes and Carl R. Holladay, Biblical Exegesis: A Beginner’s Handbook
Reviewed by David Allen

Philippe Hugo, Les deux visages d’Élie: Texte massorétique et Septante dans l’histoire la plus ancienne du texte de 1 Rois 17–18
Reviewed by Gerrie Snyman

Brad E. Kelle, Ancient Israel at War 853–586 BC
Reviewed by Ernst Axel Knauf

William Loader, The New Testament with Imagination: A Fresh Approach to Its Writings and Themes
Reviewed by Séan P. Kealy

Megan Bishop Moore, Philosophy and Practice in Writing a History of Ancient Israel
Reviewed by Ralph K. Hawkins

Annette Steudel, Eibert Tigchelaar, and Florentino García Martínez, eds., From 4QMMT to Resurrection: Mélanges qumraniens en hommage à Émile Puech
Reviewed by Kenneth Atkinson

Jerry L. Sumney, Philippians: A Greek Student’s Intermediate Reader
Reviewed by Robert Keay

Gerald H. Wilson, Job
Reviewed by Katharine Dell

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The Bible and Critical Theory
Volume 4, Number 1 (February 2008)
Edited by Dr. Julie Kelso with
Associate Editor Dr Roland Boer
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RBL READERS: Your free access to The Bible and Critical Theory book reviews has been extended to 31 December 2008. If you do not yet have free online access to the reviews and would like to read them, please contact Sarah Cannon at Monash University ePress (sarah.cannon@lib.monash.edu).
You can also subscribe to the entire online journal for 2008 (starting now and including access to back issues) at a special RBL subscriber’s discounted rate; contact Sarah for further information.

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Ehud Ben Zvi, ed., Utopia and Dystopia in Prophetic Literature
Reviewed by Roland Boer

Melody D. Knowles, Esther Menn, John Pawlikowski, and Timothy J. Sandoval, eds., Contesting Texts: Jews and Christians in Conversation about the Bible
Reviewed by Michael Carden

R. S. Sugirtharajah, ed., Voices from the Margin: Interpreting the Bible in the Third World
Reviewed by Bridget Culpepper

Eric S. Christianson, Ecclesiastes through the Centuries
Reviewed by R. Christopher Heard

Mark McEntire and Joel Emerson, Raising Cain, Fleeing Egypt and Fighting Philistines
Reviewed by Soren Holst

Virginia Burrus and Catherine Keller, eds., Toward a Theology of Eros: Transfiguring Passion at the Limits of Discipline
Reviewed by Mark Manolopoulos

Tikva Frymer-Kensky, Studies in Bible and Feminist Criticism
Reviewed by Judith E. McKinlay

Wesley J. Bergen and Armin Siedlecki, eds., Voyages in Uncharted Waters: Essays on the Theory and Practice of Biblical Interpretation in Honour of David Jobling
Reviewed by Peter D. Miscall

Graham S. Ogden, Qoheleth
Reviewed by Peter D. Miscall

Ehud Ben Zvi, History, Literature and Theology in the Book of Chronicles
Reviewed by Christine Mitchell

Marcel Danesi, The Quest for Meaning: A Guide to Semiotic Theory and Practice
Reviewed by Mark Sneed

Andrew P. Wilson, Transfigured: A Derridean Rereading of the Markan Transfiguration
Reviewed by Mark Sneed

Elaine M. Wainwright, Women Healing/Healing Women: The Genderization of Healing in Early Christianity
Reviewed by Kristi Upson-Saia

Marvin A. Sweeney, Form and Intertextuality in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature
Reviewed by Thomas Wagner

Review of James G. Crossley, Why Christianity Happened: A Sociohistorical Account of Christian Origins (26–50 CE)
Reviewed by Richard Walsh

RBL Publication Stats

As of 2 March 2008, RBL has published 4,568 reviews of 3,883 different books. Assuming we maintain our current pace, we expect to publish our 5,000th review sometime near the end of 2008. Thanks to Jan van der Watt (RBL general editor) and the members of the RBL editorial board, to our many reviewers, to the many publishers who graciously supply review copies, and to our 8,500+ subscribers for making RBL the premiere source of book reviews in biblical studies.

RBL Newsletter, 26 February 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

Cilliers Breytenbach, Johan C. Thom, and Jeremy Punt, eds., The New Testament Interpreted: Essays in Honour of Bernhard C. Lategan
Reviewed by Douglas Estes

Walter Brueggemann, Mandate to Difference: An Invitation to the Contemporary Church
Reviewed by Stephan Joubert

David Buttrick, Speaking Conflict: Stories of a Controversial Jesus
Reviewed by John J. Pilch

J. W. Childers and D. C. Parker, eds., Transmission and Reception: New Testament Text-Critical and Exegetical Studies
Reviewed by Erroll F. Rhodes

Rachel Hallote, Bible, Map, and Spade: The American Palestine Exploration Society, Frederick Jones Bliss, and the Forgotten Story of Early American Biblical Archaeology
Reviewed by Eric M. Meyers

John R. Hinnells, ed., A Handbook of Ancient Religions
Reviewed by Martin Ramey

Shane Kirkpatrick, Competing for Honor: A Social-Scientific Reading of Daniel 1–6
Reviewed by John J. Collins

Aquila H. I. Lee, From Messiah to Preexistent Son: Jesus’ Self-Consciousness and Early Christian Exegesis of Messianic Psalms
Reviewed by Sam Janse

Jane Dammen McAuliffe, ed., The Cambridge Companion to the Qur’ān
Reviewed by Ernst Axel Knauf

Stefan C. Reif, Problems with Prayers: Studies in the Textual History of Early Rabbinic Liturgy
Reviewed by Joshua Schwartz

James Robson, Word and Spirit in Ezekiel
Reviewed by H. F. Van Rooy
Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Richard W. Swanson, Provoking the Gospel of Matthew: A Storyteller’s Commentary, Year A
Reviewed by Deborah Thompson Prince

RBL Newsletter, 19 February 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

David E. Aune, ed., Rereading Paul Together: Protestant and Catholic Perspectives on Justification
Reviewed by James D. G. Dunn
Reviewed by Philip F. Esler

John Goldingay, Psalms, Volume 1: Psalms 1–41
Reviewed by Philippus J. Botha

John Goldingay and David Payne, Isaiah 40–55: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary (2 vols.)
Reviewed by Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer

Sabrina Inowlocki, Eusebius and the Jewish Authors: His Citation Technique in an Apologetic Context
Reviewed by Elizabeth C. Penland

Giorgio Jossa, Jews or Christians? The Followers of Jesus in Search of Their Own Identity
Reviewed by Michael F. Bird

John S. Kloppenborg, The Tenants in the Vineyard: Ideology, Economics, and Agrarian Conflict in Jewish Palestine
Reviewed by Richard L. Rohrbaugh

J. Ed Komoszewski and Robert M. Bowman Jr., Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ
Reviewed by D. A. Carson

Victor H. Matthews, 101 Questions and Answers on the Prophets of Israel
Reviewed by Hemchand Gossai

Andrei A. Orlov, From Apocalypticism to Merkabah Mysticism: Studies in Slavonic Pseudepigrapha
Reviewed by Grant Macaskill

Maria-Luisa Rigato, Giovanni: L’enigma il Presbitero il culto il tempio la cristologia
Reviewed by Ilaria Ramelli

Bruce K. Waltke, A Commentary on Micah
Reviewed by Tiberius Rata

RBL Newsletter, 13 February 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

Brian J. Abasciano, Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9.1–9: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis
Reviewed by Thomas Gillespie

François Bovon, Luc le théologien
Reviewed by Claire Clivaz

Emmanuel Friedheim, Rabbinisme et Paganisme en Palestine romaine: Étude historique des Realia talmudiques (Ier-IVème siècles)
Reviewed by Sabrina Inowlocki

Luke Timothy Johnson, Hebrews: A Commentary
Reviewed by Wolfgang Kraus

Melody Knowles, Esther Menn, John Pawlikowski, and Timothy Sandoval, eds., Contesting Texts: Jews and Christians in Conversation about the Bible
Reviewed by Ithamar Gruenwald

Amy-Jill Levine, ed., with Maria Mayo Robbins, A Feminist Companion to the New Testament Apocrypha
Reviewed by J. K. Elliott

Edmondo F. Lupieri; Maria Poggi Johnson and Adam Kamesar, trans., A Commentary on the Apocalypse of John
Reviewed by Tobias Nicklas

George W. E. Nickelsburg, Resurrection, Immortality, and Eternal Life in Intertestamental Judaism and Early Christianity
Reviewed by Tony Costa

Stanley E. Porter, ed., The Messiah in the Old and New Testaments
Reviewed by Michael F. Bird
Reviewed by James Hamilton Charlesworth

Thomas Römer, The So-Called Deuteronomistic History: A Sociological, Historical and Literary Introduction
Reviewed by Ernst Axel Knauf

Hans-Christoph Schmitt, Arbeitsbuch zum Alten Testament: Grundzüge der Geschichte Israels und der alttestamentlichen Schriften
Reviewed by Christoph Levin

RBL Newsletter, 2 February 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

Stanisław Bazyliński, A Guide to Biblical Research: Introductory Notes
Reviewed by Jeremy Punt

Douglas A. Campbell, The Quest for Paul’s Gospel: A Suggested Strategy
Reviewed by Matt Jackson-McCabe

Gordon D. Fee, Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study
Reviewed by Don Garlington
Reviewed by Matthew Montonini

Anthony Grafton and Megan Williams, Christianity and the Transformation of the Book: Origen, Eusebius, and the Library of Caesarea
Reviewed by Claudio Zamagni

Pieter W. van der Horst, Jews and Christians in Their Graeco-Roman Context: Selected Essays on Early Judaism, Samaritanism, Hellenism, and Christianity
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke

Hans Hübner, Wer ist der biblische Gott? Fluch und Segen der monotheistischen Religionen
Reviewed by Sven Petry

Garrett C. Kenney, Translating H/holy S/spirit: Four Models: Unitarian, Binitarian, Trinitarian, and Non-sectarian
Reviewed by Tony Costa

Jaclyn L. Maxwell, Christianization and Communication in Late Antiquity: John Chrysostom and His Congregation in Antioch
Reviewed by David Brian Warner

Patrick D. Miller, The Way of the Lord: Essays in Old Testament Theology
Reviewed by Walter Brueggemann

Pekka Särkiö, Kuningasajalta: Kirjoituksia Salomosta ja rautakauden piirtokirjoituksista
Reviewed by Pekka Pitkänen

W. Dennis Tucker, Jonah: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text
Reviewed by Karl Möller

RBL Newsletter, 25 January 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

John M. G. Barclay, trans., Flavius Josephus: Against Apion
Reviewed by René Bloch

Jeannine K. Brown, Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics
Reviewed by Tony Costa

Philip F. Esler and Ronald A. Piper, Lazarus, Mary and Martha: A Social-Scientific and Theological Reading of John
Reviewed by Peter Phillips

Ulrich Fistill, Israel und das Ostjordanland: Untersuchungen zur Komposition von Num 21,21–36,13 im Hinblick auf die Entstehung des Buches Numeri
Reviewed by Ulrike Sals

Thomas R. Hatina, ed., Biblical Interpretation in Early Christian Gospels: Vol. 1: The Gospel of Mark
Reviewed by David du Toit

Christine Helmer, ed., The Multivalence of Biblical Texts and Theological Meanings
Reviewed by Christoph Stenschke

Dan Jaffé, Le Talmud et les origines juives du christianisme: Jésus, Paul et les judéo-chrétiens dans la littérature talmudique
Reviewed by Bogdan G. Bucur

Christopher R. Seitz, Prophecy and Hermeneutics: Toward a New Introduction to the Prophets
Reviewed by Michael B. Shepherd

A. T. Sulavik, ed., Guillelmus de Luxi: Postilla super Baruch, Postilla super Ionam
Reviewed by Mark W. Elliott

Robert Tannehill, The Shape of Luke’s Story: Essays on Luke-Acts
Reviewed by Robert F. O’Toole

Stephen Voorwinde, Jesus’ Emotions in the Fourth Gospel: Human or Divine?
Reviewed by William R. G. Loader

RBL Newsletter, 17 January 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

Young S. Chae, Jesus as the Eschatological Davidic Shepherd: Studies in the Old Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and in the Gospel of Matthew
Reviewed by Daniel M. Gurtner

Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Interpreting the Historical Books: An Exegetical Handbook
Reviewed by Brian D. Russell

Craig Cooper, ed., Politics of Orality: (Orality and Literacy in Ancient Greece, Vol. 6)
Reviewed by Jonathan A. Draper

Tamás Czövek, Three Seasons of Charismatic Leadership: A Literary-Critical and Theological Interpretation of the Narrative of Saul, David and Solomon
Reviewed by Robin Gallaher Branch

John Paul Heil, Ephesians: Empowerment to Walk in Love for the Unity of All in Christ
Reviewed by Gosnell L. Yorke

J. Todd Hibbard, Intertextuality in Isaiah 24–27: The Reuse and Evocation of Earlier Texts and Traditions
Reviewed by Jeffery M. Leonard

Steven W. Holloway, ed., Orientalism, Assyriology and the Bible
Reviewed by Patricia Dutcher-Walls

George H. van Kooten, ed., The Revelation of the Name YHWH to Moses: Perspectives from Judaism, the Pagan Graeco-Roman World, and Early Christianity
Reviewed by Sabrina Inowlocki

Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, Jesus and Paul: Parallel Lives
Reviewed by Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J.

Grant R. Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation
Reviewed by Oda Wischmeyer

Rosemary Radford Ruether, ed., Feminist Theologies: Legacy and Prospect
Reviewed by Mary L. Coloe

Megan Hale Williams, The Monk and the Book: Jerome and the Making of Christian Scholarship
Reviewed by Jonathan Yates

RBL Newsletter, 8 January 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

Russell C. D. Arnold, The Social Role of Liturgy in the Religion of the Qumran Community
Reviewed by Carol A. Newsom

John Sietze Bergsma, The Jubilee from Leviticus to Qumran: A History of Interpretation
Reviewed by Erhard Gerstenberger

Christian Blumenthal, “Es wird aber kommen der Tag des Herrn”: Eine textkritische Studie zu 2Petr 3,10
Reviewed by Jörg Frey

Walter Brueggemann, The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah
Reviewed by Carolyn J. Sharp

Catharine Edwards and Greg Woolf, eds., Rome the Cosmopolis
Reviewed by Jonathan L. Reed

Jeffrey C. Geoghegan, The Time, Place, and Purpose of the Deuteronomistic History: The Evidence of “Until This Day”
Reviewed by Timothy M. Willis

John Goldingay, Old Testament Theology, vol. 2: Israel’s Faith
Reviewed by Stephen A. Reed

Mark W. Hamilton, Thomas H. Olbricht, and Jeffrey Peterson, eds., Renewing Tradition: Studies in Texts and Contexts in Honor of James W. Thompson
Reviewed by Korinna Zamfir

Ulrich Luz; Helmut Koester, ed.; James Crouch, trans., Matthew 1–7: A Commentary
Reviewed by David Sim
Reviewed by Charles L. Quarles

Joan Goodnick Westenholz and Aage Westenholz, Cuneiform Inscriptions in the Collection of the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem: The Old Babylonian Inscriptions
Reviewed by Michael S. Moore

Raphaëlle Ziadé, Les martyrs Maccabées: de l'histoire juive au culte chrétien: Les homélies de Grégoire de Nazianze et de Jean Chrysostome
Reviewed by Jan Willem van Henten

RBL Newsletter, 3 January 2008

The following new reviews have been added to the Review of Biblical Literature.

Joseph Blenkinsopp, Opening the Sealed Book: Interpretations of the Book of Isaiah in Late Antiquity
Reviewed by Riemer Roukema

Greg Carey, Ultimate Things: An Introduction to Jewish and Christian Apocalyptic Literature
Reviewed by Lorenzo DiTommaso

A. Andrew Das, Solving the Romans Debate
Reviewed by David J. Downs

Martin Hengel; Claus-Jürgen Thornton, ed., Studien zur Christologie: Kleine Schriften IV
Reviewed by Lidija Novakovic

Larry W. Hurtado, ed., The Freer Biblical Manuscripts: Fresh Studies of an American Treasure Trove
Reviewed by Juan Hernández Jr.

Percy S. F. van Keulen, Two Versions of the Solomon Narrative: An Inquiry into the Relationship between MT 1 Kgs. 2–11 and LXX 3 Reg. 2–11
Reviewed by Zipora Talshir

Victor Matthews, Manners and Customs in the Bible: An Illustrated Guide to Daily Life in Bible Times
Reviewed by Aaron Koller

Santiago Guijarro Oporto, Jesús y sus primeros discípulos
Reviewed by Ruben Dupertuis

Christine Stark, «Kultprostitution» im Alten Testament? Die Qedeschen der Hebräischen Bibel und das Motiv der Hurerei
Reviewed by Christian Frevel

Guy Waters, The End of Deuteronomy in the Epistles of Paul
Reviewed by Kenneth D. Litwak

Karen Strand Winslow, Early Jewish and Christian Memories of Moses’ Wives: Exogamist Marriage and Ethnic Identity
Reviewed by Amelia Devin Freedman

RBL Publication Stats

As of 18 February 2007, RBL has published 4,054 reviews of 3,399 different books. Assuming we maintain our current pace, we would expect to publish our 5,000th review sometime in 2008. Thanks to Jan van der Watt (RBL general editor) and the members of the RBL editorial board, to our numerous reviewers, to the many publishers who graciously supply review copies, and to our 8,000+ subscribers for making RBL the preeminent source of book reviews in biblical studies.

RBL and Volunteer Reviewers

We periodically hear comments or receive queries that reflect a fundamental misunderstanding about RBL's policy with regard to the use of volunteer reviewers. On the one hand, some scholars believe that RBL reviewers simply assign themselves ("self-select") books available for review. On the other, a number of volunteers think that the act of volunteering virtually guarantees that they will review a given work. Neither view is correct, as our stated policy for assigning books to reviewers makes clear:

The Review of Biblical Literature (RBL) editorial board has the final discretion in assigning RBL reviews. They seek the most qualified reviewers for works submitted, so in most cases the board first offers a review copy to one or more established scholars in the field. When we are unable to secure a reviewer, we rely on qualified volunteers. Thus we invite you to volunteer to review any available book. If you are declined, please understand that this is most likely due to one of two factors: an editor-chosen reviewer has accepted our offer to review the work; or some other qualified volunteer made an offer prior to yours.

In sum, the RBL editorial board makes every effort to assign a review copy to someone known to be a specialist in the area relevant to that volume. When a book remains unassigned after at least two attempts to secure a specialist reviewer, an editorial board member may assign it to a qualified volunteer. By adhering to this policy, RBL not only maintains the highest of standards for selecting reviewers but also provides a limited number of opportunities for emerging scholars to demonstrate their expertise as informed and informative book reviewers.

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RBL and Volunteer Reviewers