becoming

從十二月尾到一月份，我（重）看了幾本很值得推介的好書：

1. Scot McKnight 的 A Community Called Atonement。這是Living Theology Series 的第一炮，McKnight 可算是整個Emerging Movement的新約學術旗手。這本貫穿新舊約關於贖罪（Atonement）意義的表白，強調聖經除了「代贖」（Penal Substitution）作為重要的意像之外，還存在其他意像。McKnight的建議是用Identification for Incorporation來含概整個贖罪論。作者的目的不是要削減「代贖」的重要，而是提出需要更廣的意像，才能讀得通聖經中其他單從「代贖」解釋而會出現張力的經文。
2. 粱文道的味覺現象學。這不是齋講飲食的書，亦不是菜譜。這是作者從飲食文化而展開的跨學科聯想。我對這樣的書有興趣，正因為我以為這樣的討論正正是這一代的信徒所缺乏和必需急起直追和再發現的。
3. Rodney Clapp 的 A Peculiar People: The Church as Culture in a Post-Christian Society。這是我讀教會學的第一年課本。這本1996年的作品，現在再讀，先知味甚濃。我驚訝Clapp早在10年前，已經layout了所有現今教會討論得火紅火綠的議題。並且他的觀點，仍然是相當具前瞻性的。對他來說，基督教作為眾多文化（cultures）的一員，非但不會減弱其重要性，卻是她之可能再發聲的唯一出路。後基督國度（post-Christendom）的信徒必需放棄多數主義，重新了解自己的角色。

還在看的有：

1. A New Vision for Israel: The Teachings of Jesus in National Context
2. 弱水三千

作為信徒，你認為：

1. 不看關於自己信仰的書好？ 還是
2. 看，但不問這本書的內容是否正確好？

我絕對不是玩文字遊戲。我是認真的。身為傳道，我眼見很多信徒：

1. 根本不看關於自己信仰的書
2. 看，但他們看的內容（容我粗俗的說），含有很多垃圾成分。作者是基於聯想、沒有證據的假設，多於建基於踏實的研究之上。

我不喜歡做甚麼「收書」、「禁書」行動，因為在這個資訊爆炸的年代是「收」不了、「禁」不了的。可是，我更留意，很多信徒的腦子裡是滿了很多很多的「沙石」成份，既影響自己，又影響別人…

所以，我真的想對弟兄姊妹說：有時，看一本壞的屬靈書（＝內容不盡不實關於信仰的書），真的會比不看屬靈書還不好。

如果你是我，作為傳道，你認為可以做甚麼？書藉推介？

那先問問自己，你會聽嗎？

各位高人，請指點迷津…

No one was able to give me any pointers on good marketing and advertising books. Anyhow, I have already picked up Unstuck and The Elements of Persuasion, and I am enjoying the read very much.

Anyhow, here is my latest amazon order:

1. The New Interpreter’s Bible : Acts – First Corinthians (Volume 10)
• I really enjoyed Hays’ volume on Galatians from the same series. The format and discussions are to-the-point and relevant. I think it is time for me to engage in Wright’s commentary on Romans. I just have too many questions to ask!
2. The Saving Righteousness of God: Studies on Paul, Justification and the New Perspective
• Michael Bird is our veteran biblioblogger, and looking at the endorsements, it sounds too good to be true. I think if there is any sane critique on NPP, this has to be it.
3. Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire
• Keesmaat studied under Wright, and Walsh, a friend him, was my professor on Postmodernity and Christian engagement. Can you imagine that they had been writing this book ever since I studied at Wycliffe!
4. Contours of Pauline Theology: A Radical New Survey of the Influences on Pauls Biblical Writings
• Holland put strong emphasis on understanding Paul through OT, with the hoped-for New Exodus, now fulfilled in Christ, at the center of his reading strategy.
5. Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Gospel
6. Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Faith
• 2 of Goldingay’s 3-vol magnum opus, using the narrative approach to understanding Israel’s story.

It’s been a while since my last online book-purchase, what should I get this time?

Other than those on my wishlist, any interesting books you read recently which you care to recommend? Let me know!

Enough about Mozart (and other stuff). Here is a list of books I recently purchased (and/or are reading):

• The Second Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Commentary on the New Testament)
  by Paul Barnett (A good alternative of Thrall’s ICC series, a bit more update than Furnish’s, and less technical than Harris’. The commentary argues for the unity of 2 Cor. with a pastoral focus.)
  
• The Theology of the Later Pauline Letters (New Testament Theology)
  by Andrew T. Lincoln (A good summary of Lincoln’s Word Commentary on Ephesians)
  
• Paul: In Fresh Perspective
  by N. T. Wright (A good preview of his forthcoming book on Paul in his COQG series)
• The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology
  by N. T. Wright (A classic and a more technical discussions on 2nd Temple Judaism)
  
• The Conversion of the Imagination: Paul As Interpreter of Israel’s Scripture
  by Richard B. Hays (A discussion on his rationale behind Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul (aka. the book everybody is quoting from in their thesis). A good read if you are tired of hearing those semi-learned accusing the NT writers quoting the OT with no respect to its context)
  

在sidebar的項目中有一個是“Books in Hand”，都是我正在看的書。我不時也會更新它。不過並非全部…

按照一日的時序，我正閱讀的書包括：

1. 聖經 新譯本 〔清晨〕
2. 1-2 Corinthians (NCBC) 〔有空檔的時候〕
3. 哥林多前書—教會時弊的良方—愛 〔有空檔的時候〕
4. 聖經 The Message 〔在車中〕
5. 新品種的基督徒 〔如廁時〕
6. 教會大變身–後現代教會發展新思維 〔睡前〕
7. Prince Caspian 〔睡前〕

你呢？你在看甚麼書？是否信仰的不要緊，留個note分享一下吧！

—————— 

「三日不讀書，便覺語言無味，面目可憎。」
—宋 黃庭堅

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them."
—Mark Twain