Intermountain West Journal of Religious Studies

Volume 8 Number 1 Fall 2017 Article 5

2017

Book Reviews

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Book Reviews ‡

Culpepper, R. Alan, and Paul N. Anderson, regarding the authorship, composition, and eds. Communities in Dispute: Current historical background of the epistles, how Scholarship on the Johannine Epistles. the epistles should be approached, and how Society of Biblical Literature Early to interpret the various themes and and Its Literature 13. Atlanta: concepts found within the epistles. Yet the SBL Press, 2014. 316 pp. ISBN 978- multiplicity of perspectives is the great 1628370157. strength of the book. Since the field is so

contested, the editors did a fine of Communities in Dispute: Current providing the reader with an introduction Scholarship on the Johannine Epistles is a into the disputed material. Culpepper and volume which—as the subtitle states—aims Anderson deserve praise for showcasing the to “catch up” readers on the current many complexities of the field, as well as of scholarship regarding the New for allowing both liberal and conservative Testament epistles of St. John. Alan perspectives to be heard. Culpepper and Paul Anderson have done The book is also well organized. contemporary students of Johannine There are three parts; but due to the nature literature an invaluable service by editing and size of each part, the book can be this admirable book and have succeeded in divided into two halves. The first half deals doing the very thing they set out to do. with issues related to textual criticism, Communities in Dispute lives up to order of composition, and the historical its title. Culpepper explains: “The title for setting of the epistles. The second half this volume conveys an obvious double explores the and ethics of the entendre…It signals both that the essays in epistles. This division is helpful as it enables this volume deal with the Johannine the reader to mentally organize the Epistles as artifacts of ancient communities different issues that need to be addressed in dispute…and that they represent the in studying the epistles of John. It also disputes in current scholarship over the enables the reader to see how one’s view of interpretation of these short letters.” (3) the origin and context of each epistle Bringing together a diverse group of experts influences how the content of the epistles is in the field, who each contribute a state of understood. the art study of a live issue in the epistles of The book, however, is quite limited John, the editors and contributors in what it can accomplish. As an demonstrate that the Johannine epistles are introduction to the state of scholarship on some of the most difficult and contested the Johannine epistles and of various books of New Testament. The reader learns perspectives on theological subjects found that there is little agreement among experts in the literature, it is tremendously useful, INTERMOUNTAIN WEST JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES but what it gains in breadth it lacks in appears to be a gaping hole in Johannine depth. The space each contributor has to scholarship (i.e., the precise meaning of the develop their ideas is only one chapter, and love of the brethren), Anderson seems although they make use of that space well, unaware that there is a problem. As far as the authors are inevitably limited by the the love of the brethren is concerned, he constraints of the book’s format. Therefore, only proposes that scholars seek to while technical and scholarly (it is not for understand how the love of the brethren the casual reader), the book is introductory. may be related to the mission of the Church This is, of course, the expressed goal of the to the world (which is a wonderful proposal editors—a goal accomplished with flying to be sure). colors. Readers who are looking for more Anderson’s understanding of the depth can consult the Works Cited located love of the brethren is revealed when— in the back of the book. earlier in the book—he makes the following Among the contributors, Urban von statement: “While some interpreters have Wahlde’s exposition of Raymond Brown’s distanced the appeal for love within the Johannine community hypothesis is community from the exhortation of the extremely helpful for understanding the Synoptic Jesus to love one’s enemies, in theory. Judith’s Lieu’s strictly inductive addition to loving God and neighbor, the study of the epistles was a refreshing difference is directional rather than approach that counterbalanced the Brown qualitative. Indeed, it can be more difficult hypothesis and yielded useful insights. The to love those with whom one is close than missional nature of the Johannine epistles to love a more distanced adversary.” (91) In was skillfully traced by Peter Rhea Jones other words, for Anderson, the love of the and then profoundly contemplated in the brethren is not at all different than the love superb chapter by Rensberger. for our neighbors; it is rather the prime Andreas Köstenberger’s chapter on the example of it (simply due to our brethren’s cosmic trial motif in John’s writings was closer proximity)! This statement is brilliant, showing the deeper theological representative of a great oversight in unity within the entire Johannine corpus Johannine scholarship: the failure to see the (i.e., Gospel of John to Revelation), thus exclusive and intra-fraternal nature of the providing a significant argument for love of the brethren in John (i.e., the love of common authorship. the brethren is not the love of our The state of scholarship on the neighbors, but something quite different). Johannine epistles leaves much to be While other contributors in the book do not desired. In the opinion of this reviewer the miss the exclusive nature of the love of the failure of contemporary scholars to brethren, they too fail to give a satisfying incisively probe the crucial question of what explanation of what precisely this love of precisely John means by his concept of the the brethren is. In this particular area within intra-fraternal love of the brethren is the field of Johannine scholarship, the particularly remarkable. In the final chapter, harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Anderson summarizes the contributions of Communities in Dispute delivers on the book and performs the welcome task of its promise to inform readers about current underscoring and recommending areas that scholarship on the Johannine epistles. I Johannine scholars need to focus upon and highly recommend this book for anyone further develop. However, despite what desiring to learn the latest developments 86 BOOK REVIEWS within this exciting field of biblical studies. traditional.” American Christianity, in This is a valuable book and an ideal Herbel’s eyes, is characterized by this launching pad for the enthusiastic aversion to traditional religion and the Johannine scholar. continual fracturing and reforming of Eli Brayley Christianity, often in the pursuit of Utah State University “restoring” the early Christian church. (4) Therefore, American conversion to

Orthodoxy is seen as keeping within that

tradition of anti-tradition, as converts seek to Herbel, D. Oliver. Turning to Tradition: both to reject their previous traditions and Converts and the Making of an American restore the early church by, paradoxically, . Oxford: Oxford turning to the tradition of the ancient church. University Press, 2014. 244 pp. ISBN For Herbel, each of his examples utilizes 9780199324958 this “anti-traditional tradition” in their own D. Oliver Herbel obtained his Ph.D. contexts to deal with their own issues. in historical theology from the Louis For St. Alexis Toth, an Eastern University. He currently ministers as a Catholic priest from the Subcarpathian in the Diocese of the Midwest at the Holy region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Resurrection Orthodox Church in Fargo, Herbel sees his conversion to Orthodoxy as North Dakota, and also serves as a military serving two ends. First, Toth rejects his chaplain in the North Dakota Air National previous tradition of Roman Catholicism for Guard. In the eyes of most Americans, the its oppressive (and at times racist) treatment Orthodox Church is either unnoticed or seen of Eastern Rite Catholics, especially his own as ethnic enclaves for various immigrant Carpatho-Russians. Second, Herbel argues groups such as Greeks (popularized in films that Toth perceived his own personal and his such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding). parishioner’s conversion to Orthodoxy not However, with increasing interest in this so much as arriving at a new faith, but rather ancient faith, scholars have questioned what a return to the faith of their ancestors, as the is drawing people to a faith so foreign to Carpatho-Russians were once Orthodox, but traditional American Protestantism? Herbel had converted in mass to Roman answers this question by arguing that we can Catholicism in 1646 (29). Thus, Toth is seen understand this phenomenon as being very as a form of restorationism, albeit not a much at home within American cultural typical one. This chapter also introduces two traditions. In his monograph Turning to themes Herbel expands on further in the Tradition: Converts and the Making of an following two chapters: the role American Orthodox Church, Herbel uses a race/ethnicity plays in conversion and the variety of published and unpublished turning to tradition as a means to escape sources and analyzes the stories of St. Alexis oppression. Toth, Fr. Morgan, Fr. Berry, Herbel’s next two chapters deal with and Fr. Peter Gillquist and the Evangelical Fr. Raphael Morgn and Fr. Moses Berry’s Orthodox Church (EOC) as case studies to conversion to Orthodoxy. Fr. Raphael understand the nature of conversion in Morgan was most likely born in Jamaica in America. 1869 (details on Morgan’s life are obscure, a For Herbel, the answer to fact that Herbel acknowledges) and in his understanding conversion is to understand adult life was an ordained minister in the that they are “a turn to tradition, one that Protestant Episcopal Church, a historically occurred through a unique kind of black denomination. (62-63) During his time restorationism” (3). Herbel describes this there, Morgan not only struggled with the idea this idea as the “anti-traditional INTERMOUNTAIN WEST JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES inner of the Episcopal Church, but become disillusioned with the ministry and also began to express doubts theologically began an in-depth study into the history and about the doctrines of the protestant faith. tradition of the Church. Eventually, they Morgan began to encounter Orthodoxy came to the conclusion that they distanced through interactions with members of his themselves from the historical church and in own circles and a traveling schismatic 1979 (110) established the Evangelical Rene Vilatte, who was Orthodox Church, ordaining each other as infamous for his non-traditional . . Their early years were filled with After a trip to Russia and his encounter with both internal and external controversy, the kindness and racially progressive especially their questionable ordinations in attitude of the Russian church, Morgan the eyes of more established Orthodox converted and was the first African- churches. They were eventually received American in the history of the into the Antiochian Orthodox Church in Church. He served the rest of his life as a 1987 (125) among much controversy. The priest, traveling around America and following chapter deals with several specific Jamaica. This chapter also contain a section instances of controversy. For Herbel, the on George Alexander McGuire, another EOC demonstrated the “anti-traditional African-American convert, who established tradition” and restoration by first rejecting the (a church organizations like Campus Crusades and which sought to create a church with black instead sought more authentic understanding leadership). Fr. Moses Berry’s own of the early church by first searching for, conversion to Orthodoxy followed much the then attempting to recreate their own same path of Morgan’s. Berry came to adore tradition, and finally seeking to return to a the liturgy and traditions of the Orthodox long-established tradition. Church, while appreciating the presence of Herbel’s understanding of the nature black such as St. Moses the Black. He of conversion in America is both in-depth converted, was ordained in 1989 (90), and and groundbreaking. Herbel’s theory of founded the Brother of St. Moses the Black, “anti-traditional tradition” is a remarkable a movement that sought to promote description of the American Christian Orthodoxy among . For experience and he proves that it is an apt Herbel, both cases offer examples of description of the Orthodox convert. African-Americans using tradition as means Moreover, the fact that Herbel connects his to both escape racial oppression and to theory with the idea of Christian restore the Church to its pre-western and restorationism makes his understanding of pre-racial roots. Moreover, Herbel argues conversion even more remarkable. I have that though race played a large role, it was but two critiques of the book. The first has primarily theological reasons that were the already been mentioned, which is that the ultimate factor in conversion. One critique fascinating section on George Alexander of these two chapters is that I would have McGuire should have been its own chapter. liked to see the case of McGuire explored in The second critique has to do with the its own chapter rather than a subsection of apparent lack of study into the conversions the chapter on Morgan. of American women. While Herbel does a Herbel’s final two chapters cover the well enough job of discussing race, the study case of Fr. Peter Gillquist and the of gender and its related power structures in Evangelical Orthodox Church. In the relationship to Orthodoxy would only decades of the 1970’s and 1980’s, a group of improve this monograph. Despite these evangelical ministers, led by Peter Gillquist missing areas, Herbel’s analysis of in the Campus Crusade for Christ, had American conversion to Orthodoxy provides 88 BOOK REVIEWS a solid foundation for future study into the the race has found of ultimate field and would prove useful to anyone significance.” (7–8) interested in the histories of American Orthodoxy, American religion, and the Thus, liturgy is the entrance point into the history of conversion. Christian life. It is a ritual enactment of the Jackson Hager sacred drama of salvation history. It is also a Abilene Christian University collective form, stemming from ancient tradition, rather than the invention of any lone thinker (7–10). Pfatteicher, Philip H. Journey into the Heart Pfatteicher fittingly begins his review of the Church year with Advent, the of God: Living the Liturgical Year. New York: traditional start of the liturgical year. Oxford University Press, 2013. 415 pp. ISBN Advent, he writes, presents the paradox of 978-0-19-999712-1. waiting for an event that historically has Drawing on his experience as a already happened; “past-present-future are minister, liturgist, and literature professor, made one and experience as a single whole” Pfatteicher has written a hefty yet accessible in ritual time (28). In his review of the tome that serves as an excellent guide to the Sunday Advent readings, collects, and spiritual practice of the church year. His hymns, he demonstrates how this dynamic Journey into the Heart of God guides the of waiting increases in intensity. He also reader through the church year examining explores how the roots of the prayers and various traditional folk practices, communal songs were traditionally used. For example, prayers, collects, hymns, and poems that are he reveals how steeped the ancient authors incorporated in Catholic and mainline were in the language of Scripture by Protestant calendrical-liturgical traditions. charting the biblical quotations in the hymn The book begins with Advent and ends with from the Aspiciens a longe responsory in the an exploration of Ordinary Time, and First Sunday of Advent (36–37). He includes several chapters on the meaning of provides a similar treatment of the “O” liturgy. Pfatteicher’s book might be best antiphons, which occur on the final week of read alongside the Church year it explicates. Advent and demonstrates how these ritual Pfatteicher begins his book with a chants are also draw from Holy Writ. broad bird’s-eye view of liturgy. According Pfatteicher also includes practices of ancient to the author, liturgy is a pilgrimage through origins that have faded from the the year, a journey that is both linear as it contemporary tradition, such as the Ember moves through Jesus’s life, and cyclical as it Days, and various Advent folk practices repeats year after year. He writes: such as the Advent wreath, candle-lighting, and paper stars. He concludes the chapter by “Liturgical action in its largest sense asking what Advent means for in is the most generally accessible a commercial context which he asserts has statement of the experience of “transformed some of the Church’s symbols Christianity. The liturgy is the into merchandising encouragements” (70). Church’s peculiar literature, its The next chapters analyze Christmas, Lent, imaginative appropriation of its own Easter, and Ordinary Time. past, its present life, and its In addition to the liturgical year’s expectation of the future, which cyclical ritualization of salvation history, draws upon the whole experience of there is another calendar commemorating humankind of the divine and what saints both ancient and recent explored in ninth chapter of this text. For Pfatteicher, INTERMOUNTAIN WEST JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES saints are “those in whom the paschal victory of Christ is clearly manifest, those in whom the holy and life-giving Spirit is clearly at work” (325). The reminds believers that God’s gifts work in a variety of ways. Pfatteicher reminds his readers that the saints are fellow pilgrims both in the Church year and in our journey to sanctification. Pfatteicher begins his concluding chapter by pointing out that “the liturgical year is a most peculiar construct that can drive logical fundamentalists crazy” (341). Hemispheric differences are one obvious offense, as much of the music accompanying the Church seasons reflect a northern-hemisphere location. (It would be rather odd to sing “In the Bleak Mid- Winter” (78–80) during December in Australia!) Yet rather than reject these oddities as unbefitting our modern era, Pfatteicher encourages his readers to begin a “disciplined search for new insights in the old words and odd ways” (343). The author argues, the deeper we dig into the linear- cyclical, art-filled pilgrimage that is the Church year, the closer mankind comes to the heart of God. Into the Heart of God explores the rituals that are too often lost in repetition. In the American context, where high-Church liturgy is often seen as irrelevant and dated, Pfatteicher defends ritualized worship. Because much of his book comments on individual days in the Church calendar, it could be helpful to pastors wishing to incorporate liturgical commentary in their homilies. However, it is also written rather densely and packed full of examples— sometimes Pfatteicher gives more examples than he unpacks—making it less useful as an introduction for a newcomer to traditional liturgy. Overall though, his book delights with poetry and devotion.

Jonathan Homrighausen Graduate Theological Union