Ken Brown tagged us on a meme regarding 5 books or scholars that had the most immediate and lasting influence on how we read the Bible. Here are Daniel’s 5.
1. Siddhartha by Herman Hess – Taught me that seeking questions is more productive than seeking answers.
2. Inspiration and Incarnation by Peter Enns – This book was given to me by my undergrad Hebrew prof during my first journey to an SBL Annual Meeting (Philadelphia ‘05). I was an undergraduate and had only been studying Hebrew for three months (and was pretty much lost at SBL). I asked my prof questions about Genesis that exposed my dispensational upbringing. Rather than giving me straight answers, he gave me this book and I am indebted to him for that. If you don’t have this book, get it. In the same regard, Mark Noll’s Scandal of the Evangelical Mind was also hugely helpful.
3. BHRG by Christo van der Merwe, J. Naude, and J. Kroeze – Using this book repeatedly as an undergrad (after deciding that BBH wasn’t enough) cemented in my mind that I wanted to study Hebrew with this van dur mur guy. My Hebrew prof talked highly of him and this grammar (despite T&T Clark’s screw-ups) provides answers to a student in the most efficient manner I’ve seen. We look forward to participating in the next version.
4. To Each Its Own Meaning by Steven McKenzie – This was one of our HBU hermeneutics textbooks under Dr. Randy Hatchett. Every serious academic Bible reader needs (at least) an introduction to various forms of biblical criticism. This text does a fantastic job.
5. The Architecture of the Language Faculty by Ray Jackendoff – Unfortunately, when I first got into linguistics no one told me what to start reading. I saw this book on Amazon and bought it. And I’ve used it ever since. Its certainly not an introduction to generative linguistics, its advanced. I’ve read it a few times and still learn from it when I go to it for information. Its also worked its way into a post on Hebrew Bible.
We hereby tag Jared Calaway, Anglopressy, JK Gayle, Mike Aubrey, and Adam the Artist. What are your five?
UPDATE: Jared Calaway has deferred the issue to think it over. Jared “Anglopressy” Thomasson asks, “What the hell is a meme?”. Adam the Artist has posted his five and tagged Calvin and Mandy.
Ooh, I haven’t read the last two, but the others are all interesting choices. I read Siddhartha as a senior in high school; it was my first significant exposure to Buddhism, and I found it fascinating.
Thanks for posting!
A friend gave me a copy of Siddhartha and Franny and Zooey after I quit high school (we were book buddies). It was the only thing I’d read at the time.
to each its own meaning reminds me of the good ol days of Biblical Exegesis class in the spring of 2000. We actually read that book, Scalise’s From Scripture to Theoogy and Hayes & Holidays’ Biblical Exegesis. Of course, the best required read of the class was Chaim Potok’s The Promise. Not many students understood why at first, but I’d say a few more years into their B.A. they finally got it.
Levi,
Heads up- I’m gonna post mine soon and I’m gonna tag you.
T
please do
I love that my moniker is Adam the Artist. I have never considered myself an artist. Infact, if I could have persuaded my artistic friends to create some of the pictures that I had envisioned, my art would never have been known. And sadly, my moniker would not exist.
I have been meaning to read Enns book for a while now, but I never remember to take it out from the library or buy a copy. I feel like the kid that shows up to a party and all the cake has been eaten and the games played.
There’s sill cake left. If you haven’t gotten a piece by Nov, you can borrow mine (assuming you’ll be in New Orleans).
D
Nice list, I’ll be putting up some books this evening.
We’ll be waiting.
I agree with Mike. Wondering what he thinks of your listing Jackendoff’s influence on you. What I think are nice is this: “seeking questions is more productive than seeking answers” and “Rather than giving me strait answers,…” – which betrays a theme, doesn’t it? (FYI – I played your meme, not just once either. Thanks for the tag? And aren’t we now asking lots more questions of one another?)
To the question, “what the hell is a meme?” A meme is a term coined by the notorious biologist Richard Dawkins in his book, “The Selfish Gene.” It comes from the Greek word, Mimema (“something imitated”). It is a postulated unit for a trait, idea, characteristic, etc., that replicates itself primarily through behavior. It usually mutates a bit when it replicates itself, as well, and sometimes can continue to replicate itself even when it becomes detrimental to its host (for Dawkins, this would be the idea of God). Don’t believe me? Google it! That’s what I did when I received my first meme.
Jared,
I’d like to see Dawkins play Ken Brown’s meme. He’s not as original as we, at first glance, might think: http://lingamish.com/2008/05/the-u-in-meme/comment-page-1/#comment-3834.
BTW – I love your post re: this meme. Glad you spotted mine too.
I might take you up on it, but I sadly don’t think I will be able to make it to SBL in New Orleans. Airfare is a bit too high right now.
Kurk: I generally like Jackendoff, at least what I’ve read. I’ve only read one book by him, co-authored with Peter Culicover: Simpler Syntax. I like that fact that neither Jackendoff or Culicover are tied to Chomsky’s views of syntax – i.e. their apprehension for viewing syntax as autonomous from other parts of grammar. Its been about a year now, I should go back and reread at least parts of it again.
D&T: Still working on the list. Its harder than I expected and I’ve had less time than I’ve expected too.
It’s up.