Tagged by Karyn:

Name the 5 books or scholars that had the most immediate and lasting influence on how you read the Bible.

I choose (in chronological order of when I read them or was taught by them):

1. N.T.Wright. Talks on Isaiah 40-55 at the OICCU in (I think) 1993.
2. David Jackman. Various talks and books, but most particularly his teaching on the Cornhill Training Course which I did in 1999-2000.
3. Robert Alter. I read The Art of Biblical Narrative first, then The Art of Biblical Poetry, then The Pleasures of Reading, and I’m reading his translations of the Psalms at the moment.
4. David Field. I enjoyed every class of David’s that I took at Oak Hill, but particularly influential on the way that I read the Bible were his modules on Biblical Theology and the Book of Revelation, and Puritan Perspectives on Ministry.
5. James Jordan. Lots of things but especially Through New Eyes.

I don’t much like choosing top fives. If you ask me this time next week I might well have a different list. I would say that all my biblical studies lectures have influenced the way that I read the Bible, as well as all my pastors and all those I’ve been in bible studies with over the years. If I had to recommend one book on how to read the Bible, it would probably be Through New Eyes. But I would warmly recommend all of Alter’s books and David Jackman’s books too. I’d recommend Tom Wright’s books as examples of biblical exegesis and hermeneutics, too.