Interpretation of the New Testament, 1861-1986

Rating:
Summary: Intellectual Common Sense At Its Best
Review: The late Anglican bishop Stephen Neill first wrote this book in the nineteen sixties, updated by Tom Wright in the eighties, that reflects the love of the New Testament that animated Neill's life. The predominant lesson of the book is that readers of the works of New Testament scholars should be wary of the unproven assumptions and ideologies that animate much of this scholarly work, especially work emerging from the German milieu, including that of the still influential Rudolph Bultmann. Although Neill generously affirms that there is much to learn even from the work of flawed biblical criticism, he does not hesitate to point out the baseless and unproven assumptions that permeate much of the history of historical-critical biblical interpretation. Both the general reader and the specialized student will gain from the common sense advice of this genial lover of the New Testament. Especially valuable is the last chapter extensively updated by Tom Wright, who is now also an Anglican bishop in England. Wright has recently written a major work affirming the traditional Christian belief in the bodily resurrection of Christ. Both Neill and Wright bring a commitment to being true to the evidence that is unfortunately missing from a lot of what passes as critical biblical scholarship.