Fasting, Family & Reading

I wonder how your summer is going. This summer has brought about a number of unforeseen turns for me and my family. I can't complain. We've been enjoying good health and I have a steady job.

I'm still working hard at the book reviews; mostly directing books to reviewers and preparing reviews to be posted. I have a growing stack of books I'm reading and some I've read and need to review. I'm still maintaining the TheoSource recommendation lists. I have not posted any of the updates, but I have been adding new book recommendations to the database. I received some very brief instruction on converting my Access database to an SQL database, but I need to spend more time trying to figure out this process. I believe that this would make these lists more user-friendly.

I'm also trying to put some quality time into a review copy of Logos Scholar's Library (ND). I have found this software package to be fantastic. It has taken a good bit of time to feel comfortable with it (mostly because my time in front of the computer on which the software is installed has been limited), but from what I've seen I'm hooked. The Libronix platform is powerful and capable of searches that previously took hours. I highly recommend serious students to get started building their digital libraries on the Libronix platform. I have promised to review this package and this is weighing heavily upon me.

Finally, I have been burdened to spend more time with the family rather than in front of the computer. I do a lot of different things on the computer, mostly ministry related, but I want to keep that time to as much of a minimum as is possible.

Along with this, I have purposed to hit the books even harder. I am currently reading through a handful of Old Testament Theologies for personal growth and for the purpose of reviewing them. Within the past few years three solid evangelical OT Theologies have been published, namely An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Approach by Bruce Waltke with Charles Yu (Zondervan, 2007), Everlasting Dominion: A Theology of the Old Testament (B&H Academic, 2006), and the two-volume Old Testament Theology by John Goldingay [Israel's Gospel, vol. 1 (IVP Academic, 2003) and Israel's Faith, vol. 2 (IVP Academic, 2006). I've not yet purchased the volumes by Goldingay, but they are on my shopping list.

I happily purchased Waltke's AOTT and graciously received a review copy of Merrill's ED:ATOT. I have been reading these two along with a review copy of The Promise-Plan of God: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr (Zondervan, 2008). For greater perspective, I am also reading in Walther Eichrodt's two-volume Theology of the Old Testament (Westminster, 1967), Gustave F. Oehler's two-volumes-in-one Theology of the Old Testament (rev. ed.), and Gerhard von Rad's Old Testament Theology (I am using the two-volume HB edition, but this has been republished by WJK Press, 2001 in paperback.). Also, I have purchased and am awaiting the arrival of the paperback edition (with CD-ROM that works on the Libronix platform) of Walter Brueggemann's Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy (Fortress Press, 2005). I have found Brueggemann's work to be very thought provoking and I am eager to compare his approach with the others I am reading.

I hope to be able to post more soon, but for now I am "fasting" from the computer when at home in order to enjoying more time with my family and to dig into the books.

Fasting, Family & Reading