Latest Links on Kyleinschriften

The repository of resources here on Kyleinschriften continues to grow. Here's a sampling of some of the latest:

CAMEL
"The center for Ancient Middle Eastern Landscapes (CAMEL) is dedicated to facilitating the work and the interests of individuals in this critical area of the world by providing access to and examining an expanding archive of contemporary and historical spatial data pertaining to both the ancient and modern Middle East."

Cuneiform Bibliography
Operated by the University of Tubingen (so, yes, it's in German), this site contains thousands of works dedicated to cuneiform studies. The bibliography is organized by year (present to 1939), and alphabetized within each year.

Resources on Science and Christian Faith
"We have prepared mini-courses on a variety of faith and science topics using resources from our journal, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (formally Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation) and from presentations from our annual meetings. Click on one of the categories below to find readings, audio recordings, and videos that have been selected from our collection to introduce you to a particular topic. We encourage you to proceed through the collection in the order presented and write answers to the study questions in a personal journal. These study questions can also be used in a conversation with another person or in a discussion in a small group. Use the search form to find faith/science topics and authors that may interest you."

Septuagint Online
"NETS is a new translation of the Greek Jewish Scriptures, entitled A New English Translation of the Septuagint and the Other Greek Translations Traditionally Included Under that Title (and abbreviated as NETS). This project is being carried out under the ægis of The International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS). The translators are specialists in Septuagint studies. Their translations follow rigorous procedures established by the editors. Oxford University Press publishes the translation. An accompanying commentary series is also planned."

Naked Bible

Mike Heiser recently sent me an email introducing to his podcast webpage, The Naked Bible. Mike is a scholar in the fields of biblical studies and the ancient Near East. He is the Scholar-in-Residence at Logos Bible Software. Mike earned the M.A. and Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and Semitic Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004. He has also earned an M.A. in Ancient History from the University of Pennsylvania (major fields: Ancient Israel and Egyptology).

There's some really useful stuff on this site, especially for the lay person looking for a deeper understanding of the Bible in its original context, or the Bible teacher who may not have the training or tools to get at that information.

I've added "Naked Bible" to the list of resources in the left column.

Here's a sample video:

Book Review: What Christians Ought to Believe (by Michael Bird)

I grew up in a semi-credal Protestant church. We sang the doxology after the offering, received a benediction to close the service, and followed a fairly strict order of worship. But we did not recite the creeds. Thankfully, I had Rich Mullins to get me through wedding masses or visits to the churches of my Presbyterian and Methodist friends. Although my home church was by no means "low church," the Apostles' Creed was not part of our liturgy (nor was the word "liturgy" part of my vocabulary). Since my days in seminary, though, I've not only come to appreciate the creeds of the Church, but see their necessity.

As my teenagers inch closer to jumping out of the nest, it has become more and more apparent that I have done a woeful job in articulating the doctrines of the Church to them. We have had conversations, and I try to make it a point of speaking theologically to them when opportunities arise, but they have had no systematic training in Church doctrine (which is why I am now also now a strong proponent of some form of catechesis). So, when I saw Michael Bird's new book, What Christians ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Through the Apostles' Creed, I immediately ordered it from Amazon, and quickly read through it. I thought, "This could be just what I need to fill the gap in my kids' theological education!" And I was right.

But, I really underestimated the value of Bird's book. Maybe it's because he's an Australian, or maybe it's because he's a New Testament scholar rather than a theologian. Regardless, What Christians ought to Believe does an outstanding job of using the Apostles' Creed to explain the Christian faith from a biblical and historically theological perspective. Bird naturally discusses the Creator, the Virgin Birth, the suffering of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the life everlasting. After all, these are mentioned quite explicitly in the Apostles' Creed. But, he also takes the opportunity afforded by the Creed to discuss the Trinity, the life and ministry of Jesus, and atonement, among other critical doctrines of the faith.

What I love most about this book is that Bird makes a strong effort to be ecumenical in his approach. He does not take pot-shots at various denominations; rather he lauds each of them for their contributions to the catholicity of the Church.

Diversity, even theological diversity, can mean riches for the body of Christ since we are forced to expand our horizons beyond our own faith and practices. Other traditions can help us overcome the blind spots in our own tradition. Catholics remind us of the ancient roots of the church. Baptists remind us that Christians are Bible people and the church is for believers. Methodists remind us about the importance of piety and personal holiness. Presbyterians remind us about God's sovereignty and God's covenant promises. Pentecostals remind us that God's Spirit is still with us and not on sabbatical. Anglicans remind us to hold together the catholicity of our ancient faith with the protest of our Protestantism. Lutherans remind us to remain true to justification by faith. Even among these diverse fellowships, the fact that they can all recite the Apostles' Creed is proof that there is still one church professing a common faith in one God, through one Lord, in the power of one Spirit. (p. 198)

So, how did I underestimate the value of this book? It's not just for my teenagers who are lacking formal theological education. It's for pastors, needing a refresher on why they do what they do. It's for church small groups and Sunday School classes. It's for church membership and baptism classes. It's for Christian high school students AND teachers. It's for Christian college faculty and staff who know the four spiritual laws, but not the three persons of the Trinity. Finally, What Christians ought to Believe, is the perfect book for College freshmen and sophomores majoring in business, music, education, psychology, or underwater basket-weaving who are forced to take an Intro to Theology course. The book is easy to read (and often fun!), and guides them through the doctrines they need to learn, love, and live.

Amarna Project

The Amarna Project is a website devoted to the archaeological and historical study of ancient Tell el-Amarna Egypt. The site is rich with resources and information about the ongoing work at the site.

Digital Mishnah

The Digital Mishnah Project will provide users with a database of digitized manuscripts of the Mishnah from around the world, along with tools for collation, comparison, and analysis. This demo provides fully marked up transcriptions of twenty-two witnesses to a sample chapter, Bava Metsia ch 2, and illustrates basic functionalities. In a number of cases, the witnesses available for browse expand beyond the sample chapter to include all of Bava Qamma, Bava Metsi'a, and Bava Batra.

Calculus and Cuneiform

"Tracking and recording the motion of the sun, the moon, and the planets as they paraded across the desert sky, ancient Babylonian astronomers used simple arithmetic to predict the positions of celestial bodies. Now, new evidence reveals that these astronomers, working several centuriesB.C.E., also employed sophisticated geometric methods that foreshadow thedevelopment of calculus. Historians had thought such techniques did not emerge until more than 1400 years later, in 14th century Europe."