For biblical study- excluding the Bible?  That’s at the heart of it when Kevin lists what he considers to be the most important five.  Yes, it’s another meme thing, but one that might generate some interesting insights.

So here are the five primary sources that are, in my estimation utterly essential for any adequate understanding of the biblical materials

1- ANET
2- The Dead Sea Scrolls (Sectarian materials)
3- Ethiopic Enoch
4- Jubilees
5- 1-2 Maccabees (They aren’t biblical texts to me, so I’m including them- sorry Catholic friends).

I have to say that if someone, anyone, fancies him or herself a student of the Bible but doesn’t have the aforementioned volumes in their library (and has read them), they deceive themselves.

Now as I understand these things, I’m supposed to urge 5 others to take part and share their thoughts.  Ok, I’d like to hear from Bryan Bibb, John Anderson, Chris Tilling, Michael Barber, and VHT Nguyen.

Though not unexpected (since we all share mortality and he had been in failing health) sadness nonetheless prevails.  The Dorstener Zeitung has the report.

Einer der weltweit bedeutendsten Experten für die Literatur des Urchristentums und antiken Judentums, Prof. Martin Hengel, ist am Donnerstag in Tübingen gestorben. Der evangelische Theologe wurde 82 Jahre alt, teilte die Württembergische Landeskirche in Stuttgart mit.

He was too young, so far as I’m concerned. His work played a terribly significant role in my theological / exegetical development and he will be missed by all of us  [originally published at 6:16 pm on July 2].

UPDATE: Doug Chaplin and James Spinti too have noted this sad news.  Others will in due course no doubt, because Hengel was so very important.

UPDATE II: The Esslinger Zeitung has the story now (with the same info).  As other news outlets, with other details, come to notice, I’ll update the listing and the timestamp.

UPDATE III:  Sean Winter has written a very nice, very clear appreciation of Professor Hengel.  It’s very much worth seeing.  Thanks, Sean.  I think all of us who made the time to read Hengel were and will remain impressed by him.  I know I shall.

UPDATE IV:  This Italian report contains no new information, but it does have this more recent photo of Professor Hengel.

UPDATE V:  A snippet of a comment from one of Hengel’s colleagues has appeared here.

»Martin Hengel war ein großer theologischer Lehrer unserer Kirche«, sagte Landesbischof Frank Otfried July während der Sommertagung der Württembergischen Evangelischen Landessynode. »Er war für viele Studierende Gestalt der neutestamentlichen Forschung.« Hengel habe einen großen und unverwechselbaren Beitrag zur neutestamentlichen Forschung und darüber hinaus geleistet. Zum Gedenken an den Theologen legten Bischof und Synode eine Schweigeminute ein.

UPDATE VI: Ken Schenck has posted some really fine anecdotes from his own encounters with Professor Hengel here.  Thanks for doing that Ken.

The computerized generation of the two circled stories side by side is a tad humorous, in spite of the dreadful subject matter.  I took a screen shot of Yahoo News and just thought it kind of funny.

Philip’s given me permission to upload a recent essay he’s penned and you can access it here.  It is, I confess, very much worth reading.

UPDATE:  The link is corrected as it’s been uploaded to the internet archive site.  The essay may NOT be reproduced or retransmitted without the author’s express written permission.  For personal use ONLY.

To all our American compatriots.  Have a safe, happy, and peaceful Independence Day tomorrow!  And yes, though our government is annoying 90% of the time, our country is still the land of the Free and the home of the Brave.

I went to the post office and found there a nice box with 5 copies of the Thomas L. Thompson Festschrift in it!  Oh happy day!  It’s a tremendous volume and you will doubtless recognize many of the contributors.  Again, congratulations to Tom, who is more than deserving of such an honor.

This more than a little scary looking guy is pushing the Israeli government to ’stop the spread of the Arab population’!  I don’t know what they call that over in the Middle East, but here in the South we call it racism, pure and simple.

Ha’aretz tells the sad tale of the scary guy.

Housing Minister Ariel Atias on Thursday warned against the spread of Arab population into various parts of Israel, saying that preventing this phenomenon was no less than a national responsibility. “I see [it] as a national duty to prevent the spread of a population that, to say the least, does not love the state of Israel,” Atias told a conference of the Israel Bar Association, which focused on a reforming Israel’s Land Administration.

I’m sure the Palestinians would love to see the halt of expansion of Israeli’s in the West Bank too. And many in the world see the end of that expansion as an International responsibility.

It’s a bad idea to eat a mini can of tuna salad with a little pack of crackers at one’s desk and forget to empty the garbage can before one leaves the office for the day.

Because the next morning one is greeted by what can only really be described as an odor akin to the smell of rotten death, or Chris Tilling before he showers while he’s your roomate at SBL.

Huldrych Zwingli published his most philosophical book on the 3rd of July, 1530.  Its title was Fidei Ratio.  Dedicated to Charles V, it is a not too lengthy but very densely packed argument urging the Emperor to accept the Reformed point of view- or at least tolerating it.  It is Zwingli’s statement of faith, in 12 ‘Articles’.

1- There’s only one God
2- God freely determines all things
3- Christ alone expiates sin
4- Our First Parents sinned (Original Sin)
5- Christ restores life
6- The Church is comprised of the Elect
7- The ‘Sacraments’ do NOT confer Grace
8- Christ is present by faith in the Supper (and this is the longest section)
9- There are Adiaphora
10- Preaching is the most important task in the Church and of the Church
11- The Magistrate too has his duty from God
12- Purgatory is the figment of some person’s imagination

Zwingli stresses these points of doctrine not because others were unimportant but because these were the chief areas of difference between Reformed and Catholic.

Since July 10 is the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth, that day I’ll do a special tribute I’m calling 24 Posts in 24 Hours.  All 24 posts, one every hour on the hour, will feature an aspect of Calvin’s life or thought.  Stay tuned, it’s going to be fun!