The New Atheism
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 54, No. 1 – Fall 2011
Managing Editor: Malcolm B. Yarnell III
By Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009. 896 + xxi pages. Hardcover, $59.99.
The primary question on most people’s minds when they see a new New Testament introduction being published could be summarized as “What sets this particular introduction apart from the others?” In other words, “Why is this book necessary?”This question is more acute regarding conservative evangelical introductions which generally reach similar historical conclusions. Do the authors break any new ground?
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (TCCC) shares deep affinities with its popular evangelical predecessors (Carson and Moo, Guthrie) in regard to the traditional questions of New Testament introduction (authorship, date, provenance, and destination). Traditional authorship is defended, pseudonymity is rejected, and early dates, within the New Testament authors’ lifetimes , are defended. Beyond these similarities, there are several distinctive features of TCCC that set it apart as a unique contribution to pedagogy.
Apart from a few introductory and concluding chapters, each chapter in TCCC holds to a tripartite structure with the main headings History, Literature, and Theology. The section on history covers the traditional questions of New Testament introductions. The section on literature discusses the genre of the book, proposes an outline, and discusses the contents of the book. The section on theology analyses the primary theological themes of the book and its distinctive contribution to the New Testament canon. The authors begin in chapter one with a discussion of the nature and scope of Scripture, covering the formation of the canon, the transmission and translation of the New Testament, and inspiration and inerrancy. In chapter two the authors examine the Second Temple period as the background of the New Testament in terms of its history, literature, and theology. The books of the New Testament are studied in canonical order except for Paul’s letters, which are studied chronologically, and Jude, which is grouped with the Petrine epistles. The authors close the book in chapter twenty-one with a discussion of the unity and diversity of the New Testament.
The emphasis on the theology of the New Testament, evident from the space devoted to the theology section in each chapter and the closing chapter on unity and diversity, goes beyond general New Testament introductions. This blend of New Testament introduction with New Testament theology, although adding to the length of the book, will be important for students who are able to take a New Testament survey class, but never have the opportunity for an advanced class on New Testament theology.
As should be expected, the chapters and bibliographies are up-to-date with recent scholarship (including works published in 2009), with extensive interaction with the new perspective on Paul. The student friendliness of the textbook is accented by helpful maps, sidebars, and an extensive glossary of terms at the end of the book. The study questions at the end of each chapter are generally well thought out and would be suitable for small group discussions in class, homework assignments, or short answer exam questions.
In addition to the first chapter on the nature of Scripture, where the authors set forth the basis of their hermeneutical presuppositions, the devotional sidebars throughout the text entitled “Something to Think About” evidence their evangelical stance. The intent of these sections, focused primarily on personal application, reflects the intent of the original authors of the New Testament, who wrote in order to produce life transformation in their readers and not simply detached, historical analysis (cf. John 20:31). While this feature will undoubtedly limit the textbook’s reception in non-confessional institutions, the authors’ historical arguments are based on publicly accessible historical data, and apart from the authors’ rejection of methodological naturalism they employ widely agreed upon historical methodology.
Although it is only a minor complaint, chapters eleven (on 1 and 2 Thess) and twelve (on 1 and 2 Cor) would have been better if the books were treated consecutively in their entirety instead of moving back and forth between them. It is easier for a student to stay focused on the details of an individual book if they are discussed one at a time (as in chapter eighteen on the Petrine epistles and Jude).
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown is as a solid contribution to evangelical scholarship that deserves the attention of professors and students alike. The amount of space devoted to the theology of the documents, almost producing a New Testament Introduction/New Testament Theology hybrid, and the emphasis on the hermeneutical significance of Second Temple Judaism as the background of the New Testament are welcome distinctive contributions.
