Mike Bird challenged me to join the blog meme “A Book You’d Be Surprised to Learn that I Like,” so here I am.

My book is:

J. Christian Beker, Paul the Apostle: The Triumph of God in Life and Thought

In fact, I really enjoy several of Beker’s works, and it saddens me that his scholarship is not given much attention these days. I discovered Beker when I was in seminary and he was the first “apocalyptic” Pauline scholar I encountered. I was very attracted to his approach to Paul’s thought, and for those two or three people out there who have read my dissertation, you could perhaps tell that I am a Beker-ian at heart. I do not identify myself with the “apocalyptic Paul” movement that is popular today because Martyn is considered the figurehead of that group; it is a shame that in the long run Beker’s works will be overshadowed by Martyn and de Boer (I fear).

As for me and my household, we will honor Beker!

(Also, I like The Hunger Games books, let the mocking begin…)