Midwestern Seminary released its Spring 2018 issue of the Midwestern Journal of Theology, entitled “Biblical Theology and Missions,” on Apr. 30, featuring works by newly-elected research professor, Andreas Köstenberger, Midwestern Seminary faculty, and others.
President Jason Allen said of the Journal’s recently-released edition, “This edition of the MJT is especially gratifying for Midwestern Seminary, as it foreshadows the coming tenure of our newest elected faculty member, Dr. Andreas Köstenberger, by featuring his recent lectureship series held on our campus. Dr. Köstenberger is among the foremost New Testament scholars in conservative Evangelicalism, and we can’t be more thrilled for him to join our already robust faculty.
“Additionally, this edition features three other of our outstanding faculty members, Drs. Alan Branch, Stephen Andrews, and Todd Chipman,” Allen added. “These men truly embody what it means to be for the church in training the next generation of pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders. These essays underscore their strong research and writing skills, as well as their valuable contributions to biblical truth and scholarship, which they in turn pass along to our students in the classroom. We are truly grateful for their fine service.”
Journal editor Michael McMullen, who also serves as Midwestern Seminary’s professor of Church History, noted that this issue of MJT seeks to highlight “several thought-provoking pieces that shine light on the outworking of biblical theology and the practice of missions.”
The MJT’s selections begin with Köstenberger’s 2018 Sizemore Lectures which addressed “The Promise and Practice of Biblical Theology.” In the presentations, Köstenberger explored how “Biblical theology tries to bring us closer to Scripture by helping us see what the biblical writers themselves believed so we can conform our beliefs to theirs.”
The lectures are followed by articles from Midwestern Seminary faculty. Stephen J. Andrews, professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, makes a compelling case for the ongoing study of Biblical Hebrew in his essay entitled, “Some Knowledge of Hebrew Possible to All: The Value of Biblical Hebrew for the Church.”
Next in this edition of the MJT is J. Alan Branch’s article, “Epigenetics and Homosexuality: A Brief Survey and Analysis.” Within the text, the Midwestern Seminary professor of ethics gives a detailed and timely survey of the relationship of epigenetics, the chemical modifications of the human genome, and the idea of biological determination of sexual identity.
Todd Chipman, who is Midwestern Seminary’s assistant professor of biblical studies, followed Branch with a work entitled, “Weapons, Wealth, and the End of the World: Haggai 2:6-7 in 1QM XII, 14; XIX, 6; and Hebrews 12:26-27.” In the article, Chipman “aims to do a bit of worldview comparison between Hebrews, a Qumran scroll, and one of the minor prophets” to show “how Haggai 2:6 contributes to the worldview expectations the Author [of Hebrews] establishes for his readers.”
Other essays in the spring edition include: “‘A Comparison of Native American Missional Methodology: The Moravians and the New Lights” by J. Tristan Hurley, adjunct professor at Scarborough College, Fort Worth, Texas; and “God’s Heart for Missions: A Biblical Theology of the Great Commission” by Midwestern Ph.D. student, Jason Alligood, who is the teaching pastor of Fellowship Bible Church, Peoria, Ill.
In addition to the scholarly articles, readers will find several relevant and thought-provoking book reviews, many of which were written by Midwestern Seminary doctoral students as well.
Midwestern Seminary Provost, Jason Duesing, commented that, “Readers of MJT, first time or long time, will enjoy this issue as it presents the growing strides in scholarship by the Midwestern Seminary community, all in a ‘for the church’ direction.
“Seeing clear lines drawn between the field of biblical theology and the practice of missions is a true joy,” he added
Midwestern Seminary’s Journal of Theology is available in print version for subscribers. To subscribe, contact the Academic Office at (816) 414-3745 or kfreeman@mbts.edu.
Additionally, guests may view the issue in its entirety for free on the seminary’s website, mbts.edu/journal.