Blog to check: J. David Stark | Hone Your Craft, Enrich Your Life - Gospel or gospel?

I've been meaning to promote J. David Stark's blog for some time. Stark is a research professor in the biblical studies field at Faulkner University. Here's how he describes his "Hone Your Craft" blog:

For biblical scholars, “craft honing” includes things like

• Productivity habits and practices to help you do biblical studies as a skilled “knowledge worker,”
• Tools and resources to make your life and work in biblical studies easier, more focused, and more fruitful,
• How to use technology to get what you need done rather than spending hours frustrated over minutiae when you could have invested that time and effort elsewhere, and
• Strategies for ensuring your life is full both in your work and beyond.

He regularly posts items on resources, writing, and technical skills. For example, his latest one is on a topic that addresses an issue I regularly have to ponder: A Simple Guide to When You Need to Capitalize “Gospel(s)”

Check it out and poke around his blog.

Western Mediterranean: New Volume in Pictorial Library of the Bible Lands Series

BiblePlaces has released a new volume (#20!) on the Western Mediterranean in their Pictorial Library of the Bible Lands series. This one includes sites in Gaul (France) and Hispania (France).

All images are high-resolution jpg files (2400 x 1600). Ideal for projecting in a classroom, viewing on a monitor or printing. Also included on each DVD are pre-made PowerPoint presentations for each region (with photograph annotations), maps for site identification, and an image index.

These have been excellent and well-organized resources with outstanding photography. As for this volume, be sure to read Todd Bolen's description in the June 2020 newsletter HERE. Whether or not Paul ever made it to Spain, the main takeaway is that their are Roman structures built in the same time period as the New Testament that are much better preserved in Gaul and Hispania. You can get a much better idea of what things actually looked like. At the newsletter link, you can find a link to download a PowerPoint with an East/West comparison of similar structures that is very helpful.

Synagogues of Israel Interactive Map

Here's a great use of Google Maps to create an interactive map of synagogues in Israel. Note that filters include Early Roman; Late Roman and/or Byzantine; Un/Excavated; Jewish or Samaritan. It includes all the interesting ones I could think of: Capernaum, Chorazin, Gamla, Migdal, Arbel, Khirbet Kana (Qana), Huqoq... Clicking on the marker will give quick info reflecting the filter categories. You can then use the menu to get a list of the Ancient Synagogues to get further info, bibliography, and pictures. Definitely worth checking out.
HT: Philip Murray on FB, Nerdy Bible Backgrounds and Bible Geography Majors group.

Word & World Issue on Jerusalem

Word & World is published in print and shared freely online by Luther Seminary. It is described as:

A journal of theology whose readers are concerned with Christian ministry in and for the world. A glance at our articles and our issue themes will show how we propose to bring Christian thinking to the questions posed by life in our world today.

The latest Spring 2020 issue focuses on "Jerusalem" from a variety of perspectives. An article I wrote--Jesus and Jerusalem and the "Things That Make for Peace"--is one of the articles. It's a review of all of Jesus' activity in Jerusalem reported by each of the Gospels, especially his final week there. There are certainly uncertainties about some of the details, but I believe it's a helpful overview. It's a free PDF to read, so I hope you check it out. I'm happy to address questions and comments here.