Old in the New http://www.oldinthenew.org Musings, resources and research related to my interests in early Jewish and Christian literature, librarianship, Legos, etc. Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:56:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en The Secret Underground World of Lego http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=398 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=398#comments Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:56:30 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=398 I’ve not played with my Legos nearly enough lately! This little snippet has reminded me to get back to it! Anyway, this is a great little description of one AFOL’s transition out of the “dark ages.”* On the one hand Hillel’s story mirrors mine… On the other hand, at least he had the excuse of having a 4-year-old kid to get him back into it.

* Disclaimer: There is a little bit of “language” in this video, so I wouldn’t watch in front of the kids.

HT: Bill Ward

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=398 Solomon’s Temple in Lego http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=392 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=392#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:07:40 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=392 I just came across the “Assembling Solomon’s Temple” blog via GodBricks. I must say, that this Lego model of Solomon’s Temple is absolutely brilliant!

Picture of Temple

Inside View

High Priest

Check out Thomas’s blog for more pics.

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=392 help with an article? http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=385 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=385#comments Sun, 10 May 2009 01:48:12 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=385 William R. Baker (of Cincinnati Christian University) recently published an article in the Tyndale Bulletin titled “Searching for the Holy Spirit in the Epistle of James: Is ‘Wisdom’ Equivalent?” (TynBul 59.2 [November 2008]). I believe that this is a revision of a paper that Dr. Baker presented at ETS (available at Reclaiming the Mind).

Baker’s article addresses a fascinating take on the the function of “wisdom” in the Epistle of James proposed by J. A. Kirk (”The Meaning of Wisdom in James: Examination of a Hypothesis,” NTS 16 [1969]: 24-38). Kirk proposes that James uses “wisdom” in a way that is “more or less interchangeable with that in which other writers of the New Testament use the concept of the Holy Spirit” (Kirk, 24). Baker takes issue with Kirk’s hypothesis in his ETS paper.

I’d love to get a hold of this article, but this particular issue is missing from the library’s shelf at GCTS! Drat! So, if anyone out there has a copy and can send me a scan, I’ll be your best friend! :)

Incidently, Mariam Kamell of The Greek Geek’s Bletherings (and coauthor with C. Blomberg of the “James” volume of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) did her master’s thesis on the topic: “Wisdom in James: An Examination of the Roles of Wisdom and the Holy Spirit” (TREN).

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=385 Jacked Up Journal Prices http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=379 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=379#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:14:40 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=379 Roger Pearse at Thoughts on Antiquity has posted a letter to the VP of Wiley Publishing by varous theological libraries in the UK and in Asia regarding the astronomically increased prices of theological journals. Read the letter here.

Un-stinking-believable.

I hope to post more on this in the near future.

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=379 TLG Facelift; Updates to Perseus http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=374 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=374#comments Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:26:48 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=374 Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG) has been updated with a new look. From the website:

The TLG site has just been updated. The new site was designed by Marcie Hague. Cindy Moore put the finishing touches and added the extensions to the TLG databases. The new page includes a brief history of the TLG illustrated by a timeline, a link to Google Maps showing TLG Real-Time Access and FAQs for subscribers. The Abridged version has been expanded with more than 600 works from Migne’s Patrologia Graeca (MPG). The lemmatized search engine is now available on the Abridged version.

The full-version of TLG is only available to subscribers or individuals who are using their institution’s subscription. As the paragraph above mentions, however, there is an abridged version that is available to all which includes a subset of the works available in the subscription version (which now includes over 600 works from Migne’s Patrologia Graeca.

My co-blogger on the BibleWorks blog, Michael Hanel, reports that Perseus has recently made some updates to its library (see here). In addition to a new job announcement at Perseus, there have also been some improvements and additions:

  • Many improvements to the Art & Archaeology data and interface. You can now search the A&A data and image captions.
  • Euclid’s Elements have been added, as well as a large number of Plutarch texts, edited by Bernadotte Perrin. Links to these texts can be found on the Greek and Roman collection page.

Here are links to the additions from Euclid:

Below is a full list of the items added in Plutarch:

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=374 Panoramic Views on 360cities.net http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=370 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=370#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:42:36 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=370
Ephesus in Ephesus

I stumbled upon 360cities.net - an interesting site. In essence, it collects 360 degree panoramic views of various locations throughout the world, cataloged by location and linked with Google Maps. Point and click on the image above to move the picture around (both to the left and the right and up and down). This site has a great deal of potential for teachers. It allows you to virtually step inside a location and look around.

Here’s what the site says about itself:

Bringing the world to a wide audience in a new way, 360cities.net is a guide that lets you step inside. We bring the full spectrum of high-resolution immersive, virtual reality experience to the web. 360 Cities brings you closer to the reality of a place than has ever been possible before…

The site’s pretty nifty. The image embedded above is of ruins in Ephesus (Turkey). Below are some links to other countries of interest.

Here’s the page that’s for the Middle East in general.

There’s a similar downloadable program that is available for free from Ted Hildebrandt (professor at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass.). Get Lost in Jerusalem (550 MB download) provides similar 360 degree views of various locations in Jerusalem that allow you to take a virtual tour. If you don’t know about Ted’s Biblical eSources site, you need to take a look. He has some absolutely fantastic resources available! His bibliography on Proverbs is a thing of beauty!

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=370 New Provost at Gordon-Conwell: Frank James of RTS http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=367 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=367#comments Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:49:47 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=367 Via Justin Taylor at Between Two Worlds & Adam Couturier at Thoughts from a Young, Slightly Cantankerous, Aspiring Theologian:

Frank James, president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., will become provost at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. An announcement delivered to the students of RTS by Mark Futato (academic dean at RTS) is available online.

Dr. James’ bio is available on the RTS website:

Texas Tech University, B.A.
Westminster Theological Seminary, M.A., Ph.D.
Oxford University, D.Phil.


Frank Allison James III is President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. He also serves as Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology and Professor of Church History. He was awarded the D.Phil. in History from Oxford University in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary/Pennsylvania in 2000. He was a recipient of a Lilly Theological Research Grant (1999), elected by the faculty of Keble College, Oxford University, to membership of the Senior Common Room (1994); was awarded an Overseas Research Students Award, (1991-1992); Isaiah Berlin Bursary at Oxford University (1990 91); Leonard J. Theberge Memorial Scholarship at St. Peter’s College, Oxford University (1991-1993); Oxford University Research Grant, (1991); The Christina Drake Research Award for Italian Studies at the Taylor Institution, Oxford University (1991); and the St. Peter’s College Graduate Award, Oxford (1990-1992). He has given lectures at distinguished universities and research institutes around the globe including, All Souls College, Oxford University, Institut fur schweizerische Reformationsgeschichte at the University of Zurich, Johannes A’ Lasco Bibliothek, Emden, Germany, The University of Padua, Italy and the Evangelikaini teologicky seminar, Prague, Czech Republic.

Selected Publications
His publications include: Editor/Author, Peter Martyr Vermigli and the European Reformations: Semper Reformanda, Studies in the History of Christian Thought (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2004); Co-editor/Author, with Charles E. Hill, The Glory of the Atonement: In Biblical, Theological and Historical Perspective (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2004; Editor/Translator, Two Theological Loci: Predestination and Justification. Peter Martyr Library vol. 8, (Kirksville, MO: Truman State University Press, 2003)); Co-Editor/Author, with Emidio Campi and Peter Opitz (both of the University of Zurich), Peter Martyr Vermigli: Humanism, Republicanism and Reformation, Travaux d’Humanisme et Renaissance CCCLXV (Geneva: Librairie Droz, 2002); Coeditor/Translator, with J. Patrick Donnelly and Joseph C. McLelland, The Peter Martyr Reader (Kirksville, Missouri: Truman State University Press, 1999); Author, Peter Martyr Vermigli and Predestination: The Augustinian Inheritance of an Italian Reformer, Oxford Theological Monographs (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998); Co-editor/Author with Heiko Augustus Oberman, Via Augustini: The Recovery of Augustine in the Later Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation, Studies in Medieval and Reformation Thought 48, (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1991); and since 1996, he has been General Editor of the Peter Martyr Library (with Joseph C. McLelland of McGill University and J. Patrick Donnelly of Marquette University); and Senior Editor, Ad Fontes: Digital Library of Classical Theological Texts, with Alister E. McGrath (Oxford University), Richard A. Muller (Calvin Seminary) and Herman Selderhuis (Theologische Universiteit Apeldoorn). In addition, he has published many articles and essays in academic and popular journals.

He was Lecturer in Philosophy and History, Villanova University (1986-87); Assistant Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Westmont College (1987-89); Contributing Editor at Christian History Magazine, (1986-89); Regular Visiting Professor of Reformation History, Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, affiliated to Keble College, Oxford University (1989-2001).

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=367 SBL Greek font released http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=359 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=359#comments Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:27:12 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=359 SBL just posted a new Greek Unicode font (SBL Greek). Here’s James 5:17-18 in the new font:

Here’s a screenshot of the SBL Greek font next to a few other Unicode Greek fonts (Gentium, Palatino Linotype, Vusillus Old Type, and Arial Unicode MS):

The font looks pretty decent. Here’s a screenshot of what the font looks like embedded with English (Latin) letters in Times New Roman:

I’m not sure if I like the ’slant’ of the font. It looks as if the Greek is ‘italicized’ by default (though the ’slant’ is not nearly as pronounced as Vusillus Old Type). The line height is not exactly the same as Times New Roman either (the difference is very slight, but there’s still a difference). I think I still prefer Gentium for writing and Palatino Linotype for web browsing.

I will be interested to see how it looks against the SBL BibLit transliteration font (yet to be released). I do hope they combine SBL Hebrew, SBL Greek and SBL BibLit into a single über-font similar to Cardo. That would be quite handy.

The font is available for download at the SBL Biblical Fonts page.

HT: Rod Decker at the NT Resources Blog.

UPDATE: Mark Hoffman notes on the BibleWorks Forums that “According to John Hudson who designed the SBL fonts, once both fonts have stable versions, there will be a combined font called SBLBibLit.”

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=359 Job in James 5 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=354 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=354#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:10:05 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=354 Patrick Woods of “So Much For Straw” has been blogging on James’ use of Old Testament figures as “verbal icons” [here]. His most recent post focuses upon James’ reference to Job’s patience/endurance (Jas 5:11) [here]. His posts reminded me of some of my own thoughts on this passage, so I figured I’d write a note for the blog… Please excuse the scattered thoughts:

I’ve wondered about the juxtoposition of “compassionate and merciful” with Job in James 5. I think that this is an allusion to the declaration of YHWH in Exodus 34:6 “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” The LXX’s οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων does not completely line up with James’ πολύσπλαγχνός … καὶ οἰκτίρμων, but the gist is there. The self-revelation of YHWH in Exodus 34 is referenced in several places throughout the OT (Neh 9:17, 31; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 110:4; 144:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). James’ use comes on the heals of his description of the eschatological judgment of the rich (5:1-6) and his admonition to the community to endure patiently through present-day trials in light of the imminent arrival of the Lord (5:7-9). The emphasis is upon the patience/endurance of the community in light of temporal and/or physical nearness of the Lord/Judge. In the canonical story of Job, “the end” of the story rests in God’s theophanic ‘nearness’ in the midst of “the whirlwind and clouds” (Job 38:1). The original declaration of God’s graciousness and compassion in Exodus also takes place in the midst of Gods’ theophanic nearness (see Exod 19 for the description of Sinai). I wonder if James is pulling these themes together. Job’s suffering was vindicated in God’s revelation/arrival. The suffering of James’ community will be vindicated in the arrival of the Lord/Judge. The flip side of God’s “mercy and compassion” in Exodus is his promise to “visit the iniquity of the parents upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation” (Exod 34:7). For James, the future arrival of the Lord will be characterized by his graciousness and compassion upon those who endure, but his judgment upon those who oppress.

Another reference to God’s graciousness and compassion occurs in Sirach 2:11. The context of this allusion is particularly pertinent to themes found throughout James:

My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. 2 Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity. 3 Cling to him and do not depart, so that your last days may be prosperous. 4 Accept whatever befalls you, and in times of humiliation be patient. 5 For gold is tested in the fire, and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation. 6 Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him. 7 You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or else you may fall. 8 You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. 9 You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. 10 Consider the generations of old and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed? Or has anyone persevered in the fear of the Lord and been forsaken? Or has anyone called upon him and been neglected? 11 For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of distress. 12 Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks a double path! 13 Woe to the fainthearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter. 14 Woe to you who have lost your nerve! What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes? 15 Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his words, and those who love him keep his ways. 16 Those who fear the Lord seek to please him, and those who love him are filled with his law. 17 Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts, and humble themselves before him. 18 Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, but not into the hands of mortals; for equal to his majesty is his mercy, and equal to his name are his works. (Sirach 2 NRSV)

Note the themes of testing and endurance/patience (vv. 1-2, 4-5; cf. Jas 1:2-8; Jas 5:7-11). Note also the admonition to “wait” for the Lord’s mercy and not to stray (v. 8; cf. Jas 5:7-11; Jas 5:19-20) and the warning against walking a “double path” (v. 12; cf Jas 1:8). Sirach asks “What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes?” (v. 14; cf. Jas 5:1-11). A detailed comparison of James and Sirach (looking for similarities, differences and possible allusions) would be fruitful. Several commentators (Hartin, Davids, Johnson, Frankemölle, Chaine, Cantitat, etc.) have done so in the introductions to their commentaries. Also see Antonius Boon’s 1860 dissertation (unfortunately only available in Latin) and the works by Núria Calduch-Benages.* There are other parts of Sirach that may have had an influence on James’ letter. See some of the discussion in my thesis on Elijah in Jas 5:17-18.

  • *Calduch-Benages, Núria. “Amid Trials: Ben Sira 2:1 and James 1:2.” In Intertextual Studies in Ben Sira and Tobit: Essays in Honor of Alexander A. Di Lella, ed. Jeremy Corley and Vincent Skemp, 255-263. Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 38. Washington, D.C.: Catholic Biblical Association of America, 2005.
  • ——-. “Ben Sira 2 y el Nuevo Testament.” Estudios bíblicos 53 (1995): 305-316.
]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=354 So Much for Straw - new James biblioblog http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=350 http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=350#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:40:35 +0000 jdarlack http://www.oldinthenew.org/?p=350

Patrick Woods, a student at Truett Seminary (of Baylor University) has recently started blogging on the Epistle of James at So Much for Straw. Looks like some interesting stuff.

]]> http://www.oldinthenew.org/?feed=rss2&p=350