Best Books in 2006

Since this is the first year of the Biblical Foundations book awards, books published in 2003–2006 were eligible. Awards are given with strict impartiality and based solely on academic merit. No favoritism as to authors or publishers. Books I wrote, endorsed, or to which I contributed in any way are ineligible. This is a no-spin zone! Who says CT or the ECPA should be the only games in town? These are the best per category, including a brief rationale:

Bible, Commentary & Reference

Kevin J. Vanhoozer, ed. Dictionary for the Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005. Not perfect in execution, but groundbreaking in its vision and scope.

Greek & Lexicography

John A. Lee. The History of New Testament Lexicography. New York: Peter Lang, 2003. Masterfully chronicles the history of NT lexicography and exposes the many sins of the guild.

Jesus & Synoptic Studies

Aquila H. Lee. From Messiah to Pre-existent Son. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2005. Presents a well-argued, plausible scenario for the early church’s belief in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God.

Johannine Studies

Charles E. Hill. The Johannine Corpus in the Early Church. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Denounces once and for all the Bauer thesis of second-century “orthodox Johannophobia.”

Pauline Studies

D. A. Carson, Peter T. O’Brien, and Mark A. Seifrid, eds. Justification and Variegated Nomism, 2 vols. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001, 2004. Invaluable resource for the “new perspective” debate.

Missions

Eckhard J. Schnabel. Early Christian Mission, 2 vols. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2004. The new Harnack for a new millennium.

Church History

Charles Kannengiesser, ed. Handbook of Patristic Exegesis. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2004. A landmark compendium and reference work for the patristic interpretation of Scripture.