I first heard about this volume a couple of years ago during a visit to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. During my time on the campus I sat in on a New Testament Intro class being taught by Dr. Andreas Köstenberger. In an early conversation he made mention of his work on an NT introduction text, and through the class I was afforded a preview of his careful, meticulous, and pastoral approach to the details of the New Testament.B&H Academic put together a short video interview with Dr. Köstenberger introducing the purpose and features of this new NTI text. One purpose that caught my attention was this:
In The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown, what we try to do is to show our students that we want them to fall in love with the New Testament.What I like about this statement is that it expresses the fact that this text is more that an "academic" book. The publisher has posted a sample chapter online which I took time to read this past weekend. I found that the text is very thorough without being exhaustive (and exhausting), extremely well documented in the footnotes, and enormously practical. The prose is inviting and readable. The outline is clear and logical with smooth transitions. Charts are simple and useful. The Unit-By-Unit Discussion follows a detailed Outline of the book and provides a quick summary of the text which would be very useful for pastors and Sunday School teachers when preparing book studies. Finally, each chapter concludes with Study Questions and an up-to-date bibliography of some of the most helpful sources For Further Study.
Take time to read through the sample chapter (The Book of Acts). It will richly repay your time.
About the Authors:
Andreas J. Köstenberger is professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology and director of Ph.D. Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He also serves as editor for the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (JETS).
L. Scott Kellum is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at SEBTS.
Charles L. Quarles is vice president for Integration of Faith and Learning, professor of New Testament and Greek, and chairs the division of Christian Studies at Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana.
"Simply an outstanding work. Its up-to-date research alone makes The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown an invaluable resource. Add to this its comprehensive survey of the crucial issues related to New Testament studies, and you have a textbook well suited for the college or seminary classroom."
--Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC
"Among the finest such studies of recent decades in classic matters of New Testament introduction. What sets it apart includes: (1) attention to theology and the history of interpretation; (2) extended presentation of the history of New Testament times and the rise of the canon; (3) appropriate rigor; (4) frequently creative layout features; and (5) conceptual clarity. Beyond an impressive digest of scholarship, it is an appeal to faithful appropriation of the New Testament's message."
--Robert W. Yarbrough, professor of New Testament and department chair, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL
"Clear, thorough, up to date, and engaging all the contemporary alternatives people are putting forward . . . discerning and judicious. Well done and highly recommended."
--Darrell L. Bock, research professor of New Testament, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX
"The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown sets a new standard for excellence among textbooks dealing with New Testament introduction (and) offers a veritable gold mine of information often found only in several texts. A distinctively unique textbook that displays not only careful and balanced scholarship, but is lucidly written and Òuser friendly."
--Richard D. Patterson, emeritus professor, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
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