Volume 13 Issue 1

One of the delights of my role as SCJ editor is encouraging scholars to write. Young scholars emerging from immersion in their Ph.D. studies need to know that others want to read about their research in SCJ. Other scholars, buried in grading papers, active in institutional committees, with families in full bloom need sympathetic encouragement to write in their fields of expertise. SCJ is pleased to be the medium of the first publication of such people. Hopefully, this will build confidence to complete larger projects, like publishing theses and dissertations, editing symposia and reference works, and releasing books through major publishers. And when books begin to appear, SCJ makes it a priority to review them.

The annual SCJ Conference brings scholars together, young and old, to be energized in their academic pursuits, including their writing. To discover even one other person who understands one's narrow area of study and shares other interests can provide the boost to get back to work on that article or book idea.

But it also provides an opportunity to have a book published. Most are aware that many meetings between editors and potential authors take place during the Society of Biblical Literature and Evangelical Theological Society annual meetings. Now, something like this has happened via the SCJ Conference. One of our regular attendees, Les Hardin (Florida Christian College), talked about an idea with Jack Kragt, who was representing Kregel with their book display. This led Les to make a formal proposal to Kregel that was accepted. The book, The Spirituality of Jesus, was published in Fall, 2009, and Kregel even placed an ad for it on p. 234 of SCJ 12.2. A complementary notice about it also appeared in the November, 2009, issue of Christianity Today.

Such things give me great satisfaction. They signal the growth of our scholars to find publishers ready to publish their work. They signal the SCJ Conference accomplishing the type of goal that one associates with major academic conferences.

Our scholars are writing in more venues than ever before. The opportunities are there. Publishers have told me that they want to hear from potential authors from the heritage of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement because they know we come from a strong, biblical foundation, and that people from our heritage are avid readers. So, if you are wondering if anyone would ever want to publish your work, be encouraged: they do. If you know scholars who are not finding time to write, encourage them, ask them to tell you about their ideas, tell them to submit their idea to me or to a book publisher. Publication does happen, but it requires dedication to the task of writing and confidence to connect with a willing publisher.

This issue of SCJ features the work of three young scholars and three veteran scholars. Ethelene Bruce White's novel article covers a revealing slice of Stone- Campbell history as she identifies the distinctive position of Alexander Campbell's sister, Jane, regarding slavery with that of her more famous brother. White, a student at Harding Graduate School of Religion received first-place in the 2009 SCJ Conference Student Paper Competition for this interesting article. Peter Cariaga, another student scholar, writes the first article ever on the specialty field of Stone-Campbell hymnology with an interesting article that examines Alexander Campbell's first hymnal. Gregory McKenzie, a recent graduate of Harding Graduate School of Religion and an active missionary in Peru, engages in a study of Barton Stone's Christology, always a challenging topic.

Veteran scholars fill out the rest of this issue. Hugh Henry and Dan Dyke engage in a fresh way with the issue of evolution, J.J.M. Roberts tackles Isaiah, which represents one of his 2009 SCJ Conference presentations, and David Fiensy, an SCJ Consulting Editor, deals with the matter of the influence of Jesus on Paul.

Readers will see that the review section features two reviews of the same book, the new book by Richard Hughes, Christian America and the Kingdom of God. Both Kathy Pulley (Missouri State University) and Ron Highfield, an SCJ editor (Pepperdine University) review this important book from a highly respected historian.

A note on our totally revamped website is in order. For two years we have anticipated having available all the SCJ articles and reviews in pdf format. This is now accomplished. Book reviews for each issue are available for free download (with registration), a complete index of articles can be downloaded, individual articles are available to print (for a cost), and electronic pricing schemes can now be chosen. Take a look. Use it for research and a teaching tool.

William R. Baker, Editor

Quotables for this issue were chosen by Adam L. Bean, Emmanuel School of Religion

"When one has made Yahweh one's object of fear, one can remain calm in the face of other fears . . . and live by God's standard of justice and righteousness."

J. J. M. Roberts, "Security and Justice in Isaiah" (SCJ 13.1:79)

Jane was described as "the rankest kind of an abolitionist and never hesitated to denounce slavery as an abomination."

Ethelene Bruce White, "Jane Campbell Mckeever (1800-1871): A Brief Biography with Comparison to her Brother Alexander on the Issue of Slavery" (SCJ 13.10)

"Although her area of influence was not as extensive as was Alexander's, Jane Campbell McKeever used her particular talents, resources, and circumstances to advance higher education for women, to promote freedom for slaves, and to lead others to the deliverance available in Jesus Christ"

Ethelene Bruce White, "Jane Campbell Mckeever (1800-1871): A Brief Biography with Comparison to her Brother Alexander on the Issue of Slavery" (SCJ 13.16)

"In addition to singing correct theology, Campbell wanted Christians to know the content of their songs and to engage their minds when they sang."

"'Creed in Metre': A Study in Campbell's First Hymnal" (SCJ 13.1:23)

"While much study remains to be done on the whole line of Campbell hymnals, the first one represents Campbell's successful effort to provide a statement of faith, a "creed in metre" for the Christians in his care."

"'Creed in Metre': A Study in Campbell's First Hymnal" (SCJ 13.1:29)

"Stone's staggering reply was that if Campbell called brother only those who pray to Jesus as God and "supremely" worship him, then Campbell should not call him brother"

Peter H. Cariaga,"Barton Stone's Unorthodox Christology" (SCJ 13.1:45)

"The solution to the vexing problem of how to decide on the meaning of our "bare minimum"—whatever that may be—is not to be found in claiming that "orthodox" confession is indisputable or obvious. That is precisely the lesson that Stone and Campbell's literal-logical Biblicism teaches."

Peter H. Cariaga,"Barton Stone's Unorthodox Christology" (SCJ 13.1:45)

"Microevolution is the strongest pillar of evolution, supported by everyone except the most fundamentalist Young Earth Creationists."

Hugh Henry and Dan J. Dyke,"Evolution as Mythology: Is The Modern Theory of Evolution Science or Myth?" (SCJ 13.1:49).

"Macroevolution is therefore an extension of microevolution. As noted above, microevolution is an established fact; the only question is its mechanism."

Hugh Henry and Dan J. Dyke,"Evolution as Mythology: Is The Modern Theory of Evolution Science or Myth?" (SCJ 13.1:49).

"In contrast to his political opponents, Isaiah maintained a consistent view throughout his long ministry. Peace, security, and well-being could not be obtained by the politics of fear, by ruthless and oppressive military preparations, or by cunning and dishonest military alliances."

J. J. M. Roberts, "Security and Justice in Isaiah" (SCJ 13.1:78)

"When one has made Yahweh one's object of fear, one can remain calm in the face of other fears and thus live out God's demands to give relief to the poor and needy, to live by God's standard of justice and righteousness."

J. J. M. Roberts, "Security and Justice in Isaiah" (SCJ 13.1:79)

"Paul as a Hellenized lone wolf going his own way in the early church is decreasingly the picture portrayed in the literature. Yet the disagreement about the presence of allusions to Jesus' logia continues."

David A. Fiensy, "The Synoptic Logia of Jesus in the Ethical Teachings of Paul" (SCJ 13.1:71)

"Another author [Cottrell] offers that it is misguided to assume that Jesus' teachings are important for Christians. But if Paul (not to mention the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John) placed such value on Jesus' ethical teaching, then perhaps this author's statement is, itself, misguided. Paul… considered the ethical teachings of Jesus one of his main gifts to the church."

David A. Fiensy, "The Synoptic Logia of Jesus in the Ethical Teachings of Paul" (SCJ 13.1:98)