What Is New Testament Theology?

by Dan O. Via

Overview

Does New Testament theology rightly deal with the documents of the New Testament or with something outside the text, such as the unfolding of early Christian religion, the events of salvation history, the historical Jesus in particular, or an understanding of human existence? Is New Testament theology a strictly historical project, a dialectical interaction between historical interpretation and hermeneutical concerns, or solely a hermeneutical program? This lucidly written volume by a prominent New Testament theologian not only describes how New Testament theology has been and is being done, but provides critiques of the major approaches from the past century. Especially important are his discussions of Rudolf Bultmann, Hendrikus Boers, N. T. Wright, and postmodernism. Beyond critique, Via offers his own proposals for doing New Testament theology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780800632632
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	06/21/2002
Series:	Guides to Biblical Scholarship New Testament
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.25(d)

About the Author

Dan O. Via was Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Duke University Divinity School.

Table of Contents

The Legacy of Hendrikus Boers

The Structuring of New Testament Theology

New Testament Theology: Extra-textual of Textual?

New Testament Theology as a Historical Project

New Testament Theology as Historical and Hermeneutical

New Testament Theology as Hermeneutical: Postmodernism

Reprise: History, Hermeneutics, and Postmodernism

Conclusions

Editorial Reviews

The "Guides to Biblical Scholarship" series aims to provide a popular presentation of major issues and developments in recent biblical scholarship. Here, Via (emeritus, Duke Divinity Sch.; The Ethics of Mark's Gospel) has written an updated version of a book of the same name by Hendrickus Boers that appeared in the series in 1979. Via examines major advances since then in the debate concerning the nature and structure of New Testament theology, especially regarding historical criticism, literary criticism, and existential interpretation. An introductory chapter discusses the contribution made by Boers's book, and Chapters 2 through 7 follow the same basic structure: Via presents a succinct overview of a significant issue (e.g., the objectivity of historical criticism, historical vs. hermeneutical structure, postmodernist interpretations) followed by a usually very brief but thorough overview of a dizzying array of contemporary scholars' contributions. At the end of each chapter, he summarizes the main issues and offers his evaluation. While constituting impressive scholarship, this book assumes too much of a general reader. It is geared to clergy or college students and is not recommended for public library purchase. Charlie Murray, C.S.S., Fordham Univ., NY

Library Journal