Reviews
Michael Parsh
Book Review
Elizabeth Struthers Malbon’s book, In the Company of Jesus; Characters in Mark’s Gospel, is a collection of seven essays written by the author. The first chapter gives the reader a background in narrative criticism, which is the basis for the rest of the essays. Each of the essays takes a look at a different set of characters in the Gospel of Mark. They range from the women in the Gospel to the disciples. I found the book to be enjoyable, but I can see that a little instruction in narrative criticism would be helpful in reading this work. Overall I enjoyed this book, but I would recommend it for someone who has had some instruction in narrative criticism.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:12 am
A Feminist Companion to Mark
Edited by Amy-Jill Levine
This collection of eleven essays dealing with feminist theology gives the reader an introduction into the type of research that has been done in this field. I found the book to be very interesting but feel that it is better read after one has had some classes in systematic theology and biblical Greek.
These essays look deeply into the role of women in the Gospel of Mark. Focusing on stories where women played an important role but perhaps were not given the credit they deserved and reasons behind that. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to students studying feminist theology.
October 11th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Donald H. Juel’s Master of Surprise, Mark Interpreted is an impassioned, readable text. His review of scholarship current to this work and that previous is given honest discussion. Engagement of the reader in the Gospel of Mark is his principal interest. Of concern is the loss of theology, or discussion of God in the discussion of scripture and of this Gospel.
In the middle of three sections, Juel discusses the “Challenging Promises” found in Mark. Here he engages the text and looks into the details of the story, those that are present as well as those that are not. Rather than follow the narrative from start to end, Juel pulls passages from the story together to bring greater meaning.
Master of Surprise, Mark Interpreted is thought provoking and presented in a way that engages the reader to this text as well as the Markan text.
October 11th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Conflict in Mark by Jack Dean Kingsbury
Conflict in Mark is a great book for literary criticism for the Gospel of Mark. Kingsbury does a great job of describing the interaction of Jesus, disciples and the religious authorities with each other and what they communicate to the reader. Unfortunately with such a short book, Kingsbury leaves the reader wanting to know more. There is little or no explanation of minor characters, including the crowd, in their role in the Gospel of Mark. At times, Kingsbury can be a bit repetitive because he is dealing with the three characters repeatedly in each of the three chapters. Overall, it is a good book to begin studying the Gospel of Mark.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Debbie Mahady’s book review on:
Elliott C. Maloney, “Jesus’ Urgent Message for Today”
Elliott C. Maloney’s book entitled, “Jesus’ Urgent Message for Today”, is a thought provoking discourse on how to view, interpret, and understand eschatology in the Gospel of Mark. Using historical and narrative criticisms, and exegesis as a way of approaching the text, maloney wishes to counter our North American understanding of literal biblical symbolisms, our concept of linear time, and our individualistic thrust when interpreting scripture. He replaces these cultural biases with a new lens from the Latin American culture. Detailed enough to keep serious students’ attention, yet plainly written even for the lay persons to follow, Moloney contends that the message for today is that we have forgotten that the Kingdom of God is already at hand. Based upon this emphasis of the “already”, we need to reorient ourselves to actively witnessing to this current reality, incorporating ALL as opposed to waiting for some futuristic event. I would recommend this book to others.
November 8th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Jason Shank’s book review on
Francis J. Moloney “Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist
In his book, Francis Moloney presents a very thorough and detailed introduction to the Gospel of Mark. He does this by breaking down the book into various segments. Within these segments Moloney portrays the author and text in light of the early Christian Community in which and for which the gospel was written. The book begins by touching on the historical and theological aspects of the author and the text. This is presented by discussing the Roman influence of the text and the mission to the Gentiles which is seen throughout. Moloney also discusses the various traditions which are given to the text and the date in which the text probably would have been written in light of various historical insights within the text such as the destruction of the temple. Throughout the rest of the book, Moloney presents different aspects of Mark. As the storyteller, Mark is shown as an author that was presenting a plot with different characters and the interaction which is made between these characters and the importance of each. Also, as the storyteller, Moloney shows how Mark portrays Jesus story by framing it in the prediction of his death. This then relates to the characters of the disciples because the destiny of Jesus is to be the destiny of the disciple. Also, Moloney shows how the disciples are portrayed over and over again as failing to understand who Jesus is and how he does the things he performs. They also fail to understand that they are to be doing these same things that he does and that through him, they have the power to do this. Yet through it all, Mark portrays Jesus as never leaving the disciples and being with them to the end. This also speaks to the readers of the gospel. Mark is then presented as the Interpreter. Mark was written around various traditions which were presented to him and his interpretations of these traditions. One of Moloney’s most interesting examples of this was they way he shows Mark using the title “Christ” in relation to Jesus. He shows how there was not a fixed idea in first century Judaism of the “Christ” and how this was then born into the Christian movement. When Mark portrays Jesus as “Christ” this was a creative theological device which was used by and early Christian thinker and author. As the interpreter, Mark then shows that the messianic understanding of Jesus as “the Christ” was within the suffering and death of Jesus which was portrayed in light of the story as Mark as a whole. As Moloney writes “it is on the cross that Jesus is the Christ.” Also “Mark has focused intensely on the death of Jesus as the place where he reveals himself as both the Christ and the Son of God.” The final segment is dedicated to Mark as the evangelist and centers around the question what good news can be brought by someone who dies an apparent failure on a cross? The good news that can be seen in Mark is that in the end human beings (represented in the disciple) fail but God succeeds. Though the disciples failed, God did not and Jesus did not. Jesus never left his disciples (humanity) and God never left humanity. Though humanity fails, God never fails. Humanity can find strength in the fact that through the resurrected Christ we can overcome all failures and all things. I learned a lot from this book and was challenged by the views it presented to see the Gospel of Mark in ways that I never have. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the gospels and who wishes to have a better understanding and insight into this particular gospel.