Introducing a Primer on the Canonical Approach
Introducing a Primer on the Canonical Approach
A forthcoming series on the Canonical Approach to Biblical Studies
One of the projects I’ve been working on this Summer is a series of posts that introduce and explore a canonical approach to biblical studies. Overall there will be 40 posts over the course of the nine months of the Fall and Spring semesters.
Deo Volente & if the creek don’t rise, these entries will post weekly every Tuesday here through Substack but will also be publicly available to anyone who has the link.
The goal is that these posts taken as a whole will provide a substantive yet accessible “primer” on a “canonical approach” to biblical studies. The first entry will be a preface that will describe the scope, sequence, and aims of the series. But I can say here that it will include definitional discussion, devotional reflection, interaction with criticism, extended case studies, and a host of further reading lists for anyone interested in understanding or entering into this exciting field of study.
I think my own summaries, synthesis, reflection, and exegetical examples will be helpful to readers but the most valuable resource of the series will likely be the annotated reading lists that will accompany many of the entries (many posts will end with an “annotated walking tour” of the given post’s topic).
Many questions or critiques from students or fellow scholars I encounter revolve around these prevailing asks: “what would this look like?” and “what can I read on this?”
Or, have you ever wanted to read something by Brevard Childs and not known where to start? Overwhelmed by the primary and secondary literature on a particular topic and worried you’ve missed some set of foundational ideas that everyone in a particular field seems to be responding to? This is like walking up to group of people chatting at the baptist college mixer and not catching what they’re actually talking about (i.e., being in a group discussion but not really being one of the conversation partners).
This series will not do everything (or anything depending on your perspective!), but it will introduce you to some of the most important work being done in these research areas.
The series begins next Tuesday, August 8 and will conclude either in April or May of next year.
I probably will only periodically mention this on social media, so if you want to follow along, all you need to do is sign up for the email updates here (or you can just periodically return this main page online).
If you find it helpful, you can spread the word! If you find it depressingly worthless, I prefer these criticisms be sent directly to me via the many wonderful carrier pigeon services that are available.
Grace and Peace!
Series Table of Contents
<forthcoming at some point!>