Review of James D. G. Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament.

Review of James D. G. Dunn, New Testament Theology: An Introduction (Library of Biblical Theology; Nashville: Abingdon, 2009)., 2012

of Contents New Testament Theology: An Introduction serves as the introductory volume for the NT side of the Library of Biblical Theology series, thus, serving as prolegomena for the task of doing NT Theology. Within the volume itself the six main parts can be further subdivided into "preliminary matters" and "key theological categories." The first two parts belong to the former; the remaining parts to the latter. A brief conclusion brings together Dunn's findings. Having looked at the basic shape of the book, this review now turns to the introductory issue of the possibility of even doing NT Theology. After briefly commenting on the various ways scholars have gone about doing NT theology , Dunn writes, My own desire and preferences to get inside the process by which the theology of the NT came about, to see and treat the theology of the NT writings as a living, moving thing, a grappling with issues for faith and life which came to expression in these writings and was both the reason for their being written in the first place and also for their being retained as vital resources for ongoing faith and life, and hints to become regarded as scripture" (ix; italics original). Dunn calls this process theologizing since he is interested in "both the historical production of the NT" as well as their "continuing impact on subsequent thinking about and enacting Christian faith" (ibid.) In parts 3 through 6, the author uses four key topics though which to illustrate this theologizing; those topics are God, salvation, the church and finally ethics. In the conclusion the author summarizes his primary findings and then articulates how the process of theologizing can renew Christian theology and provide a healthy corrective to the Reformation's distrust of tradition.

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The dissertation analyses Spirit-reception in Luke-Acts with respect to timing, mechanism, and manifestation. Its narrow focus excludes questions regarding Spirit-reception’s theological significance. It employs three primary tools: narrative progression/sequential reading, presupposition pools/entity representations (ERs), and focalization. By beginning with Jesus’ baptism where Spirit experience is joined to the prayer aspect of the baptismal ceremony and observing Jesus’ Luke 11:13 teaching on prayer, one arrives at Acts 2:38-39 with an ER in which Spirit experience is not separated from baptism, but linked with the prayer element of the unitary baptismal ceremony. Acts 2 focalizes dissociative xenolalia and creates a programmatic expectation that all initiates will experience it. Acts 2 does not depict new converts receiving the Spirit and thereby leaves a narrative gap which the reader must fill with information from Jesus’ baptism. Acts 8 adds to this information by providing Luke’s first depiction of new converts receiving the Spirit and showing the facilitation mechanisms used, prayer and handlaying by gifted individuals. Luke stated neither that this procedure was exceptional nor that it was standard. He simply presented a solution to the problem of the Spirit failing to come. Saul’s conversion clarifies that non-apostles can be gifted to facilitate the Spirit. Cornelius’ house adds the concept of the Spirit being given during a gifted individual’s preaching ministry and shows early church leaders using Pentecost as a standard of comparison. The cumulative nature of presupposition pools/ERs means that the last Spirit-reception scene (Acts 19) must be viewed in the light of all the accumulated Spirit-reception scenes, the total ER.

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Religious Studies Review, 2008

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Religious Studies Review, 2011

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Religious Studies Review, 2008

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