Viewpoints (Kregel Academic)

What historical, political, and ecclesial realities drove the canonization of the New Testament? How are the doctrines of Early Christianity related to the formation of the New Testament? Should the New Testament differ in authority from other early Christian texts? As these questions demonstrate, the enduring influence of the New Testament does not lessen the dispute over the events and factors leading to its adoption. Five Views on the New Testament Canon presents five distinct ways of understanding how the New Testament came to be: • A Conservative Evangelical Perspective—Darian R. Lockett • A Progressive Evangelical Perspective—David R. Nienhuis • A Liberal Protestant Perspective—Jason David BeDuhn • A Roman Catholic Perspective—Ian Boxall • An Orthodox Perspective-George L. Parsenios Each contributor addresses historical, theological, and hermeneutical questions related to the New Testament canon, such as what factors precipitated the establishment and recognition of the New Testament canon; the basis of any authority the New Testament has; and what the canon means for reading and interpreting the New Testament. Contributors also include a chapter each responding to the other views presented in the volume. The result is a lively exchange suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students seeking to grasp the best canon scholarship in biblical studies.

A comparison of three major views on the relationship between Israel and the church The relationship between Israel and the church is a long-standing debate in Christian theology, and Romans 9-11 are the most important chapters for understanding it. How one interprets these chapters determines how one understands biblical theology, how the New Testament uses the Old Testament, and how the old and new covenants are related. To help readers draw their own conclusion, four leading scholars on this issue present a case for their viewpoint, followed by a response and critique from the others. Michael Vlach argues for a future mass conversion and a role for ethnic Israel in the church. Fred Zaspel and Jim Hamilton present a case for a future mass conversion that does not include a role for ethnic Israel. And Benjamin Merkle contends that Romans 9-11 promises neither a future mass conversion nor a role for ethnic Israel. General editor Andrew David Naselli helpfully sets the debate in its larger biblical-theological context in the introduction, while Jared Compton provides a useful summary of the views and interactions at the end of the volume.