Volume 2 Issue 2

This is now the fourth issue of SCJ. Readers may be interested in knowing how we are doing in attaining our goals. First, the very practical goal of financing the expenses of the journal continues to be attained but only by the generosity of College Press. With the subscriber list growing, each issue gets closer to paying for itself. The number of subscribers is approaching 700. However, I am told the break even point will occur at about 900 subscribers. So, we are close and expect to reach that goal within the next year. Subscribers can help us greatly by renewing in a timely manner, or better yet, enlisting for the automatic renewal option. You can also help by encouraging colleagues, friends, local ministers, and graduate students to subscribe and by making sure your school or church library receives the journal.

A second goal of SCJ has been to feature as wide a spectrum of scholars from the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement within the pages of each issue as possible. So far 99 scholars from 35 different colleges and seminaries plus 12 local ministers and 8 seminary students have authored 26 articles and 112 book reviews in just four issues. Within this goal has been the desire to reflect the composition of our editorial board by maintaining a ratio of about two A Cappella Church of Christ authors for every four or five Independent Christian Church authors. So far 23% of the book reviews and 20% of the articles have been from people from the A Cappella Church of Christ. Further, it is not our goal to exclude worthy scholars who are familiar with Stone-Campbell ideology but function in other church bodies. This current issue welcomes our first article from such a person, Craig Blomberg, Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary.

A third goal has been to be recognized as a journal worthy enough to be included in major periodical indexes. To date, relevant articles from SCJ are now referenced in New Testament Abstracts, Old Testament Abstracts, Religious and Theological Abstracts, as well as Christian Periodical Index. Other important indexes are still in the processing stage. The achievement of this goal assures authors that, even though the SCJ has a relatively small subscription base, others interested in their topics will be able to locate and obtain their articles.

A fourth goal has been to get a web site up and running. This began in February, 1999. Our web site (Stone-CampbellJournal.com) has received over 3000 hits and has nearly 100 people registered to receive update notices. Not too many have ventured to leave comments about article. So, you are encouraged to check out the web site and offer your positive or negative critiques of article or book reviews and get some conversations going.

A fifth goal has been to offer a substantial number of timely but not cumbersome book reviews in a wide variety of areas. So far, we have reviewed 112 books. Of those, the vast majority have been done within a year of publication and only a handful beyond two years.

The final goal I wish to mention hasn't been a conscientious goal but now that it has occurred, as editor, I am breathing a little easier. This current issue is the first time we have had more completed and board approved articles than we have room for. It is also the first time, we are carrying over completed book reviews (about nine) to the next issue (all being books published in 1999). Apologies to authors, but it is a relief to know that a good number of people are now sending us quality articles. Most of these are on Stone-Campbell issues. So, I want to use this opportunity to encourage people in the other fields, Old Testament, New Testament, theology, and contemporary culture, to think of submitting your next article to SCJ. Feel free to contact me to discuss any ideas you have at editor@stone-campbelljournal.com. You don't have to be a professor or a minister to submit an article. Ambitious graduate students are encouraged to submit articles, as well. Also, if you are interested in doing a book review, let me know, but please include information about your qualifications and interests so we can get you a book you would enjoy reviewing. We do take suggestions for reviews but do not accept unsolicited reviews.

Another goal has been to get some dialogue going on key issues. Thanks to John Castelein and Phil Kenneson who have started the ball rolling on the issue of 'objective' truth in a postmodern culture and the relevance of this to the Stone-Campbell Movement. I recently received a third article on this issue and encourage others to tackle it for subsequent issues. This current issue initiates an effort to bring the postmodern debate into the realm of Christian college education, particularly the role of the Bible in such education. Lynn Gardner, currently Professor of Apologetics and New Testament after serving 17 years as Academic Dean at Ozark Christian College, and Jim Estep, Academic Dean at Great Lakes Christian College, tackle this issue from different vantage points. We are hoping these two articles will generate others, particularly from the perspective of the Christian liberal arts college and the Christian University. Relevant to this issue is also the review of James Burtchaell's The Dying of the Light: The Disengagement of Colleges and Universities from their Christian Churches, by Richard Hughes (Pepperdine University), which heads the book reviews in this issue.

This issue also features two interrelated presentations from the 1999 North American Christian Convention in Denver. Craig Blomberg's article on material possessions highlights key points from his recent book release from Eerdmans entitled Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Material Possessions. Michael Pabarcus, who shared the NACC session with Blomberg, reflects on how Blomberg's article and book should impact the churches in the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement.

Dale Manor's article is the first venture of SCJ into the crucial area of archaeological research. His extremely interesting and very readable article should give readers a good impression of this exciting field.

Finally, in this issue Bruce Shields offers a very thoughtful and important article which analyzes the hermeneutics of Alexander Campbell in his Sermon on the Law.

William R. Baker, Editor