The Future of New Testament Theology, or, What Should Devout Modern Bible Scholarship Look Like?

Consideration of the nature New Testament Theology (NTT) necessitates an account theology or “God-talk”. Karl Barth grasped that all valid God-talk begins with God’s self-disclosure through Jesus and Spirit, which people acknowledge reflect on. Abandoning this starting point by way “Foundationalism”—that is, resorting to any alternative basis for God-talk—leads multiple destructive epistemological cultural consequences. The triune God informs use Bible church. then functions in terms ethics witness. It grounds church’s ethical language game. Creative readings here are legitimate. (NT) also mediates a witness Jesus, implies historical dimension. However, it is legitimate affirm was resurrected (see 1 Cor 15:1–9), liberates devout modern scholar relation history. generated such scholars have value because self-disclosing deeply involved particularity. These can be added archive scriptural used church formationally. Ultimately, then, reading NT theological (or should be) modes. NTT focuses our attention on accuracy operative within reconstruction, its possible subversion, critical matters.