My Books
John and Thomas: Gospels in Conflict? Johannine Characterization and the Thomas Question (Princeton Theological Monograph Series 115; Eugene, Ore.: Pickwick, 2009).
The hypothesis that the Fourth Gospel is a theological response to the Gospel of Thomas is a recent development in the study of the New Testament and early Christianity. Assuming an early date for the Gospel of Thomas, the proponents of this hypothesis argue that the supposed “polemical” presentation of Thomas in the Fourth Gospel is evidence of a conflict between the early communities associated respectively with John and Thomas. However, a detailed narrative study reveals that the Fourth Gospel portrays a host of characters—disciples and non-disciples—in an equally unflattering light where an understanding of Jesus’s origins, message, and mission are concerned. The present study attempts to demonstrate that the Fourth Gospel’s presentation of Thomas is part and parcel of its treatment of “uncomprehending” characters. If this thesis is correct, it poses a significant challenge to the assumption that the Fourth Gospel contains a polemic against Thomas, or that it was written in response to the Gospel of Thomas or the community associated with Thomas.
Mark as Story: Retrospect and Prospect (Kelly R. Iverson and Christopher W. Skinner, eds.; Resources for Biblical Study; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2011).
Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel, originally published in 1982 and extensively revised in 1999, was a turning point in Gospel studies, both for the contribution it made to Markan scholarship and for the methodological insights that it advanced. This volume celebrates Mark as Story and offers critique, engagement, and exploration of the new hermeneutical vistas that emerged in the wake of this pioneering study. In these essays, leading international Markan scholars discuss various texts and themes in the Second Gospel, reflect upon the rise of narrative criticism, and offer a glimpse at future trends in Gospels research. The contributors include Christopher W. Skinner, Mark Allan Powell, Elizabeth Struthers Malbon, Stephen D. Moore, Francis J. Moloney, S.D.B., Thomas E. Boomershine, R. Alan Culpepper, Morna D. Hooker, Kelly R. Iverson, Holly E. Hearon, and Robert M. Fowler. The book closes with reflections from David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie.
What Are They Saying About the Gospel of Thomas? (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist, 2012).
Since its discovery the Gospel of Thomas has been the subject of intense study for those with interests in the developments of earliest Christianity. Three questions remain unanswered in contemporary scholarship: (1) When was Thomas composed?; (2) What is the relationship betwenn Thomas and the canonical Gospels?; (3) What theological outlook is presented in the Gospel of Thomas? This volume provides a comprehensive overview of recent scholarly opinions on these three questions.
Characters and Characterization in the Gospel of John (Library of New Testament Studies; London: T & T Clark, 2012).
This volume examines characters in the Fourth Gospel and provides an in-depth look at different approaches currently employed by scholars working with literary and reader-oriented methods. The book is divided into two sections, one consisting of essays on method/theory, and one consisting of exegetical character studies. Essays summarize the state of the discussion, examine obstacles to arriving at a comprehensive theory of character in the Fourth Gospel, compare different approaches, and compile the diverse methodologies into one comparative study. Then, through detailed exegesis, the various theories will come alive and the merits (or deficiencies) of each approach will be available to the reader. This volume is both a comprehensive study in narrative/reader-oriented theories, and a study in the application of those theories as they apply to characterization. Contributors include: R. Alan Culpepper, Raymond F. Collins, Susan Hylen, Christopher W. Skinner, Cornelis Bennema, Judy Redman, James L. Resseguie, David Beck, Craig Koester, Dorothy A. Lee, Mary Coloe, Sherri Brown, and Stan Harstine.
