John

Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist

by: Warren Carter

• Format

  E-Book

  ISBN

  9781441237163

  Pub. Date

  Jun 2006

  SRP

  $28.00

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About

The Final Volume in a Well-Received Gospel Study

John: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist is an accessible introduction to the Fourth Gospel. This book examines three aspects of John's Gospel: John's telling of the story of Jesus, his interpretation of Jesus for his readers, and his formulation of all of this into the Gospel of Jesus.

Carter surveys the central issues of this Gospel and engages with narrative and historical approaches, the two dominant methods used in interpreting John's Gospel. In addition, he introduces his readers to a consideration of the Gospel's negotiation of the Roman imperial world.

This book is written for college and seminary students, clergy seeking resources for teaching and preaching, and the laity, especially Bible study groups who like to engage a topic in some depth.

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Endorsements

"The adage that the Gospel of John is a pool in which a child can wade and an elephant can swim is repeated often. While John is widely accessible on a superficial level, it demands a great deal if one is to read it perceptively. Warren Carter provides serious readers with a thorough orientation to the Gospel, leading students of the Gospel into its literary, historical, and theological facets while providing an overview of key figures and contributions in Johannine scholarship. Everyone needs a guide when entering unfamiliar territory, and, for the adventurous, Carter is surefooted, reliable, and insightful. Those who follow his lead will quickly find John to be a source of endless fascination."--R. Alan Culpepper, McAfee School of Theology

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Reviews

"This is an excellent and substantial introduction to the Gospel of John geared for seminaries or college courses but also useful to anyone wanting to gain a deeper knowledge of this gospel. . . . Equipped with a rich bibliography and laid out in an organized fashion, this introduction provides a strong orientation to the gospel and its interpretation."--The Bible Today

"Under the heading of 'Storyteller' Carter explores issues of genre, plot, characterization, language, and style in the gospel. His analysis is heavily informed by recent literary approaches to the gospel, but Carter offers his own insights and suggestions to build on the work of others. Considering John as 'Interpreter' leads Carter to tackle the Gospel's handling of historical traditions and contextual shaping of those traditions in the light of historical circumstances. It is here that Carter's previous work in the area of the New Testament in the context of the Roman Empire shapes his distinctive reading of the Gospel. . . . Carter's view--that John is written to contest the vision of human society and flourishing promulgated by Roman imperial ideology--is innovative and compelling. A final section on John as 'Evangelist' includes treatment of the thorny issue of authorship, John's distinctive understanding of the Christian message, and reflections on what it means to read a largely sectarian text in a multicultural / multireligious world today. Throughout, Carter clearly outlines the main scholarly alternative positions on key interpretive issues, provides ample suggestion for further reading and reflection, and enables genuine interaction with and understanding of the text of the Gospel itself. . . . I will be recommending this book to my students as perhaps the best 'first stop' for study of this Gospel. Any out there who have left theological college might also be so encouraged. Carter's book gives as good an overview as any of where Johannine studies have reached, as well as an intriguing insight into where they might be heading."--Regent's Review

"Carter provides an accessible and jargon-free map of the Gospel of John that is instructive for pastors and laity alike."--Christian Century

"The greatest strength of this book is its emphasis on reading the narrative as an autonomous story and allowing John's Gospel to speak independently of any other tradition. Evangelical students of the Gospels have a tendency to get mired in the historical minutiae of the text or to harmonize first and thereby miss out on the distinctive theological contributions of the writers. Because of these all too common tendencies, Carter's volume will prove useful for helping beginning evangelical students read the Fourth Gospel as an independent narrative. This text will prove useful for introductory classes on the Fourth Gospel and is highly recommended."--Journal of the Evangelical Society

"The book will serve college and seminary students well, and clergy wanting to do some solid work with the Gospel."--Biblical Theology Bulletin

"This handbook makes for an excellent primer on its topics and can be warmly recommended."--Bulletin for Biblical Research

"In John: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist, author Warren Carter explains that he is writing for college and seminary students, for clergy seeking resources for preaching and teaching, and for laity seeking to engage in the study of the Fourth Gospel in some depth. He is thus not writing this book for his peers, although specialists will undoubtedly learn from it. In addressing a general audience, Carter does not sacrifice his commitment to scholarly excellence and precision. The result is an erudite but accessible introduction to John's Gospel."--Toronto Journal of Theology

"This book is a first-class introduction to the Fourth Gospel which will prove invaluable to all those approaching serious study of the Gospel for the first time. In an engaging style, Carter comprehensively and clearly examines the significant issues in contemporary Johannine scholarship. . . . Carter has produced a very well-written and remarkably comprehensive introduction to John, which should be well received by student and scholar alike."--Journal for the Study of the New Testament Booklist