T&T Clark Social Identity Commentary on the New Testament

Description

The T & T Clark Social Identity Commentary on the New Testament is a one-of-a-kind comprehensive Bible resource that highlights the way the NT seeks to form the social identity of the members of the earliest Christ-movement. By drawing on the interpretive resources of social-scientific theories-especially those related to the formation of identity-interpreters generate new questions that open fruitful identity-related avenues into the text. It provides helpful introductions to each NT book that focus on various social dimensions of the text as well as a commentary structure that illuminates the text as a work of social influence. The commentary offers methodologically informed discussions of difficult and disputed passages and highlights cultural contexts in theoretically informed ways-drawing on resources from social anthropology, historical sociology, or social identity theory. The innovative but careful scholarship of these writers, most of whom have published monographs on some aspect of social identity within the New Testament, brings to the fore often overlooked social and communal aspects inherent in the NT discourse. The net result is a more concrete articulation of some of the every-day lived experiences of members of the Christ-movement within the Roman Empire, while also offering further insight into the relationship between existing and new identities that produced diverse expressions of the Christ-movement during the first century. The SICNT shows that identity-formation is at the heart of the NT and it offers insights for leaders of faith communities addressing these issues in contemporary contexts.

J. Brian Tucker is Professor of New Testament at Moody Theological Seminary, USA, and an external affiliate at The Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, London. Aaron Kuecker is Provost and Professor of New Testament at Trinity Christian College, USA, and is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America, USA.

The one-volume commentary should provide quick access to a reading of the Bible focused on identity and will be useful for students and pastors. -- Klyne Snodgrass, Northpark University, USA * Proposal Review * This would be a unique 1-volume resource. Any scholar or student/pastor interested in social-scientific approaches to the biblical texts would want a copy. -- Mark T. Finney, University of Sheffield, UK * Proposal * This commentary on the New Testament, from the perspective of social-identity theory, is welcome news indeed, providing unique insights into the actions and attitudes of the persons in the biblical narratives, and what motivates them to do what they do and say what they say. * BEN WITHERINGTON, Asbury Theological Seminary, USA * Social-identity theory has established itself as a critical constellation of perspectives for understanding early Christian relationships between individuals and groups, intragroup dynamics such as leadership, and intergroup relations. This important volume not only sets out the methodology of applying social-identity theory to biblical texts with utmost clarity and purpose, but also offers a wide array of rich and engaging applications to New Testament texts. It deserves to be a 'go-to' volume for researchers and students in this area. * LOUISE LAWRENCE, University of Exeter, UK * As the first of its kind, this volume provides concise commentaries on all New Testament books from an established social-psychological perspective. Whether or not one agrees with the details of interpretation offered in each chapter, the contributors show the potential of the social-identity approach in highlighting the dynamics of identity formation in the New Testament writings, while also creating new opportunities for critical and constructive interpretation of the New Testament in search for present expressions of Christian identity. This is crucial reading for all who look for more secure footing in the midst of loose identity talk that often surfaces in early Jewish and Christian studies * PETRI T. J. LUOMANEN, University of Helsinki, Finland * The breadth and diversity, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of the respective readings, illuminates the identity formation processes in the earliest Christ-movement. It is a bold endeavour to cover all the New Testament writings in one volume, but the editors and contributors must be congratulated for holding together the diversity of approaches in relation to the diversity of the original texts. They present an exceedingly valuable compendium for students and scholars alike. * KATHY EHRENSPERGER, University of Potsdam, Germany *