CCC is NOW AVAILABLE at the Westminster Bookstore

The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles (B&H Academic, August 2009) is now available for purchase at the Westminster Bookstore.






Other books by Dr. Köstenberger that come highly recommended are as follows:

John (BECNT) by Köstenberger, Andreas J. $31.49

Father, Son and Spirit: The Trinity and John's Gospel (New Studies in Biblical Theology) (Paperback) by Köstenberger, Adreas & Scott R. Swain $14.52

Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission (New Studies in Biblical Theology Vol 11) (Paperback) by Köstenberger, Andreas $16.38

Women in the Church: An Analysis and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15 by Köstenberger, Andreas J. $20.80

CCC is NOW AVAILABLE at the Westminster Bookstore

Book Giveaway Continues

So far I have been privileged to give away 3 copies of The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles (B&H Academic, August 2009). The first was awarded to a friend who teaches a NT survey class who interacted with me on Facebook concerning my post: A Twofold Dynamic to Understanding the NT. The second was sent to a Baptist, preacher friend who has contributed greatly to my TheoSource bibliography project (see especially his bibliography of the works of G. Campbell Morgan: here and here). The third was given away this morning to Armenian Calvinist. Congratulations to all of you!

This, for me, has been the most exciting Giveaway made available here at TheoSource. This is a large and extremely useful volume. CCC contains 976 pages, weighs a little over 4 lbs., and sells for $45-$50 depending on which store you shop. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been anticipating this volume for a couple of years and my expectations have been exceeded. I have already benefited from reading and referencing this volume for sermon preparation. CCC's primary purpose is to be used as a textbook for colleges and seminaries, but it will reward Bible students of all types--from laypersons to pastors.



I still have a couple more copies to give away. Please visit and read the Giveaway post, follow the simple instructions, and leave a comment on that post (if you are reading this post on Facebook, please leave a comment here). This giveaway is open to anyone willing to discuss this volume. My primary criterion is interaction. If a handful of you begin to interact, I will draw a name using Random.org.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Mark and pastorlamusings. I will be sending out complimentary copies of CCC to these men for their participation in this book giveaway. Thank you very much! With that the giveaway comes to a CLOSE.

Book Giveaway Continues

Book Giveaway: The Cradle, The Cross, and the Crown

The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles (B&H Academic, August 2009). I would like to thank Jim Baird, VP of Marketing and Sales, for giving me the opportunity to announce, review, and giveaway this this excellent volume.

Andreas J. Köstenberger (Mag. et Dr. rer. soc. oec., Vienna University of Economics; M.Div., Columbia Biblical University; Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) 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 Evanelical Theological Society (JETS). Books.

L. Scott Kellum (B.A., The University of Mississippi; M.Div., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; Ph.D., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament and Greek at SEBTS. Books.

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. Books: Buried Hope or Risen Savior, editor (2008); Passionate Conviction, contributor (2007); Midrash Criticism (1997).

ENDORSEMENT:
"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

The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament (hereafter CCC) is one of the latest additions to the abundance of Introductions available to students of the NT. According to my research CCC is the third of four NT Introductions to be published this year in the US (a German translation of Carson and Moo [2nd ed.] will also be published in October in Germany). Since the turn of the millennium, there have now been well over 50 NT introductions published in English, German, French, and Italian.


GIVEAWAY:
I have recently acquired review copies of CCC, and I have a few to give away. I am still working through this volume reading and comparing it to a few other Introductions that I own and will post a review soon. This past week I contacted a few friends who have been teaching NT Introduction, and I posed a few questions to them about the textbooks they have used. Their comments were very useful and it has been a tremendous help having their concerns in mind as I have been evaluating the format and contents of CCC. I would also like to have your input as I finish evaluating this volume. In exchange, I am offering a free copy (or two) to the readers of this blog.

INSTRUCTIONS:
For a chance to receive a free copy of CCC, I would like to interact with you about CCC. Please respond to one (or more) of the following questions:

• Which NT Introduction(s) do you own and have used? What have you found to be the strengths or weaknesses of it (them)?
• If you teach (or have taught) NT Introduction, which Introduction(s) have you used? Which is your favorite? Why?
  
• What content or features would you like to see in a new NT Introduction?
  

Browse through this volume. Watch the three short videos posted on the B&H Academic website (here).

Download a Sample Chapter (PDF) | Download the Table of Contents (PDF)

• What do you like about CCC?
• What would you like to know about CCC?
  
• What interview question(s) would you suggest for the authors?
• Do you reference NT Introductions in your sermon/Bible study preparation? Why or why not?
  

If I can't answer your question, I will contact the authors. I will select a winner(s) based on the amount of interest and interaction. One volume has already been mailed out to a friend who has already been a help to me in evaluating this volume. Who will be next? Please leave your responses in the comments to this post.

Related Posts:

• Introduction with Endorsements
• Announcement of Early Arrival
• Excerpt: A Twofold Dynamic to Understanding the NT
• Excerpt: The New Covenant Roots of the NT Canon
• New Testament Introduction Bibliography (I have been working hard over the past week to build a list of the titles and dates of as many NT Introductions as I can find. Please browse through this list. If you see any discrepancies or notice that I've missed a title, please email me. Thanks!)

UPDATE: Congratulations to Kerry, Brian, Mark and pastorlamusings. Each have been rewarded with a complimentary copy of CCC for their participation in this book giveaway. Thank you very much! With that the giveaway comes to a CLOSE. However, comments are still open.

Book Giveaway: The Cradle, The Cross, and the Crown

The New Covenant Roots of the NT Canon

[T]he idea of a NT canon was not the idea of some fourth-century Christians or even the product of a second-century reaction to the truncated canon of Marcion. Rather, the concept of a New Testament flows organically from the establishment of a new covenant, predicted by the OT prophets and instituted in and through the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who thus became the very fount not only of all Christian salvation blessings but also of the NT canon.

(Köstenberger, Andreas J., L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. [Nashville: B&H Academic, August, 2oo9], p. 30.)

The New Covenant Roots of the NT Canon

A Twofold Dynamic to Understanding the NT

There is a twofold dynamic to understand the NT. It is important to read each individual book within its own context and frame of reference. In this regard, the critical issues of author, date, purpose, and so on (the standard fare for NT Introductions) are important foundational issues in interpreting the NT. But the book must also be read within its larger canonical framework. In this way, attention can be given to all the major elements of a given piece of writing: (1) the unique set of historical circumstances that occasioned a given book; (2) its own narrative development or flow of argument; (3) significant theological themes; and (4) the way in which a particular NT document sustains a variety of historical, literary, and theological interrelationships with other books included in the biblical canon.¹⁰²

---

¹⁰² The preceding observations provide the underlying rationale for why the material is treated in the remainder of this volume the way it is (note especially that the book follows a chronological, rather than canonical, order of Paul's letters). The present remarks also provide the foundation for the final chapter on the subject of the unity and diversity of the NT.

(Köstenberger, Andreas J., L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament. [Nashville: B&H Academic, August, 2oo9], p. 29-30.)

A Twofold Dynamic to Understanding the NT

Early Arrival: The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament

Yesterday afternoon, the UPS man stopped in front of the house with a package. To my delight is was an early copy of The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles (B&H Academic, August 2009). I would like to thank Jim Baird, VP of Marketing and Sales, for giving me the opportunity to announce and review this title for our readers.



While I give it a closer look, I recommend that you read through, or at least, browse through the sample chapter.

Download a Sample Chapter (PDF)

"An all-new comprehensive introduction to the New Testament,
paying close attention to the historical, literary, and theological
dimensions of the biblical text."

I also recommend watching the three video interviews posted on the B&H Academic website (here).

Release Date: August 1, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0-8054-4365-3
Retail Price: $59.99
Format: Printed hardcover
Page Count: 960
Trim Size: 7 x 10
Spine Width: 2”
Weight: 4.1 lbs

See also my previous announcement which includes a few key endorsements here.

Early Arrival: The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament

Forthcoming and Highly Recommended: The Cradle, The Cross, and The Crown

There is a brand new Introduction to the New Testament in the works to be released this coming August that I want you to be aware of. The title is The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum and Charles L. Quarles. It is being published by B&H Academic.



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.

Endorsements:

"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

Related Post: Early Arrival

Forthcoming and Highly Recommended: The Cradle, The Cross, and The Crown