This past week I wrapped up teaching a doctoral intensive on the Book of Acts for the Northern Seminary Doctor of Ministry program specializing in New Testament Context. The course was technically “Advanced Hermeneutics and Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching,” but Acts was our primary case study. My doctoral courses typically meet in Portland (this time June 17-21; 4 full days and Friday is a half-day).
We had a blast!
Below: We met daily at Willamette Christian Church in West Linn (near Portland). Students flew in from places like Iowa, New York, and Illinois. We also had some local leaders sit in on parts of the course to learn and engage.
Below: We had a spectacular dinner and evening discussion with Dr. Tim Mackie and Renjy Abraham at the Bible Project Headquarters in Portland. Renjy talked about how ideas become fully animated videos in their process, and Tim talked about the Bible Project’s working hermeneutic of Scripture and what guides their reading of a biblical text. Then we got a tour of their facility including the animators’ studio and the set with miniature physical landscapes. Memorable evening!
Below: Renjy (left) is a doctoral student as well at Northern Seminary (in one of the other New Testament cohorts). Renjy serves as “dean of scholarship” at The Bible Project. It is exciting the think about how Northern Seminary has impacted the ministry of The Bible Project. They have a whole team of scholars on staff (whom Renjy leads), and another one of their scholars (Ben Tertin) is also a Northern Seminary doctoral alum. We are grateful for the opportunity to train and invest in their scholars.
A Little Bit About the Course
I subscribe to the “Three Worlds” approach to exegesis; study of the world behind the text (historical, social, cultural world of the original author(s) and audience); the world of the text (the literary and structural dynamics of the text itself), and the world in front of the text (reception studies and location/perspective studies). We spent a day on each of these elements of Acts. We also spent a day on the Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament; Acts has a lot of quotations, allusions, and summaries of OT texts. Students were especially interested in the importance of the Septuagint for early Jews and early Christians. Finally, we spent a day on theological interpretation and how they might preach Acts for their community and context.
Textbooks/Readings
A big part of the intensive was discussion of the readings. I wanted students to sample different hermeneutical approaches and perspectives.
World Upside Down: I wanted something that would put Acts in historical, political, religious, and cultural context. Rowe’s work is demanding reading, but very insightful.
Book of Acts as Story: David Bauer has written the best handbook on narrative-critical study of Acts. It’s not going to knock your socks off, but it is learned, accurate, and insightful.
Gaventa’s Acts: This was our primary commentary for the course. Gaventa is a master interpreter, she showcases an apocalyptic approach to Acts, her exegetical judgements are eminently sensible, and she is just a great writer.
Unmanly Men: I wanted to have a perspective/location study and this proved to be perfect. Wilson looks at the portrayal of men in Luke-Acts from a feminist and masculinity studies perspective. Luke intentionally subverts Greco-Roman values about “manliness” to call into question assumptions about power and especially power-over in the Greco-Roman world. Students loved this book (sadly still $130 bucks but we accessed it free through Northern’s digital collection).
Willie Jennings’ Acts Commentary: This is what I would call an ideological-critical commentary (not a traditional exegetical commentary). Jennings reads Acts with an interest in empire, ethnicity, and various issues related to justice and power. Jennings is deeply theological, of course, but his interest in the church as a “contrast community” over and against the machinations of the world is at the forefront. Excellent study.
The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts. Patrick Schreiner’s little theology book is strikingly comprehensive for its modest page size. He takes a Trinitarian approach to Acts that is very compelling. This pairs well with his Acts commentary in the CSC series.
If you think you might be interested in a doctoral degree at Northern Seminary, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my colleagues Matthew W. Bates. We have a great program with wonderful staff, faculty, and students!
I preached through Acts this past year and used Rowe’s book to prime the pump, along with little Keener and Witherington. Wish I’d thought about Gaventa’s work! Now I’m going to have to go do it again in a decade or two.
Such a fantastic informational & transformational site. Oh to be young again & take you up on the offer of father study, work & worship with you all but at 75 yes it only a deep hearted wish.