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History of New Testament Research, Volume 2
Continuing his earlier treatment in volume 1, which covered the period from the Reformation through the eighteenth century, Baird takes on the formative era of the nineteenth century in a balanced and readable fashion.
- GenresNew Testament
592 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 30, 2012
REVIEW AND CRITIQUE Baird, William. History of New Testament Research. 3 vols. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992–2013.
William Baird’s History of New Testament Research tells the story of the development of the NT research as a distinct discipline, following his special interests in observing the gradual abandonment of the doctrine of plenary verbal revelation since the Enlightenment.
This work has three volumes: volume one (from Deism to Tübingen); volume two (From Jonathan Edwards to Rudolf Bultmann); and the unreleased volume three (From C. H. Dodd to Hans Dieter Betz) (released date: Febuary 1, 2013)
Beird’s approach to the history of NT studies is very stimulating in that he pays close attention to the biographical and cultural settings of the pivotal figures and their hermeneutic methodologies against the backgrounds of historical and theological movements.
He wittingly describes how the ongoing shift of worldviews determines the interpreters’ methods and influences the results of their exegeses: for example, the natural theology and rationalistic hermeneutic, the German idealism and the historical-critical method, the modern skepticism and the “problem” of supernaturalism.
Critiques:
Beird's work is one of the very few item that I mark as "passionately recommended" and "must-read" on my shelf. I recommend every student of the NT to read this three-volume work before graduating from the seminary. Volume Three will be released on February 1, 2013. Of course, I have made my order.
The scope of Beird's research is too broad to avoid unintentional misrepresentation of some figures in his books. But I am convinced that he has fulfilled his duty of engaging the original materials at his best. His approach is descriptive rather than analytic, so it is very helpful for people from different backgrounds to appreciate his study.
Some readers may be disappointed when they found some important theological development in the NT study missing in Beird's presentation. They should not be too disappointed by this because Beird's focus is really on the methodologies employed rather than the contents.
Beird's focus on the history of methodologies is very significant to enrich our self-awareness of our academic identity. Beird's special sensitivity to the loss of special revelation is a great reminder to the contemporary scholarship of the religious nature of the NT scripture.
William Baird’s History of New Testament Research tells the story of the development of the NT research as a distinct discipline, following his special interests in observing the gradual abandonment of the doctrine of plenary verbal revelation since the Enlightenment.
This work has three volumes: volume one (from Deism to Tübingen); volume two (From Jonathan Edwards to Rudolf Bultmann); and the unreleased volume three (From C. H. Dodd to Hans Dieter Betz) (released date: Febuary 1, 2013)
Beird’s approach to the history of NT studies is very stimulating in that he pays close attention to the biographical and cultural settings of the pivotal figures and their hermeneutic methodologies against the backgrounds of historical and theological movements.
He wittingly describes how the ongoing shift of worldviews determines the interpreters’ methods and influences the results of their exegeses: for example, the natural theology and rationalistic hermeneutic, the German idealism and the historical-critical method, the modern skepticism and the “problem” of supernaturalism.
Critiques:
Beird's work is one of the very few item that I mark as "passionately recommended" and "must-read" on my shelf. I recommend every student of the NT to read this three-volume work before graduating from the seminary. Volume Three will be released on February 1, 2013. Of course, I have made my order.
The scope of Beird's research is too broad to avoid unintentional misrepresentation of some figures in his books. But I am convinced that he has fulfilled his duty of engaging the original materials at his best. His approach is descriptive rather than analytic, so it is very helpful for people from different backgrounds to appreciate his study.
Some readers may be disappointed when they found some important theological development in the NT study missing in Beird's presentation. They should not be too disappointed by this because Beird's focus is really on the methodologies employed rather than the contents.
Beird's focus on the history of methodologies is very significant to enrich our self-awareness of our academic identity. Beird's special sensitivity to the loss of special revelation is a great reminder to the contemporary scholarship of the religious nature of the NT scripture.
January 15, 2014
Okay, this is a good work, and in some ways even better than vol. 1. Again, he gets credit mostly for the indispensable summary which no other author has done. Omissions and inclusions aside, I think his conservative bias shows through rather strongly in this work (and it also presents some of the problems of the method he has chosen of a type of genealogy of figures).
Perhaps vol. 3 will be even better...
Perhaps vol. 3 will be even better...
September 18, 2015
Enjoyed this work that is easily read in spurts of a few scholars here and there. Certainly helps build the background for 20th century NT research. This is a must read for any serious student of the NT.
August 7, 2013
Unbelievably helpful! Wish this had been required reading on my comp exams.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews