We are undertaking a season on James at the 10.30 service at St Marks, over the next month or so, and to help me along with my preaching slots, as well as a chance to indulge in some deeper exploration of James, a favourite of mine, I decided to indulge in some exploratory, rather than straight commentary, reading matter.
I discovered Richard Bauckham's book on James. Bauckham is a name I had hear before in more academic circles but never actually read anything of his before.
To my surprise his journey with James is also a journey with Kierkegaard, someone whose philosophy I have been attracted to through glimpses but never had the chance to delve further.
Richard Bauckham's book is a wonderful exploration of James through the eyes of Kierkegaard and brings the Epistle of James back into its rightful place in the bible, having been marginalised for so long by the "ingrained" attitudes of the past.
A few quotes by Kierkegaard from the book:
"Biblical scholarship is the human race's prodigious invention to defend itself against the New Testament, to ensure that one can continue to be Christian without letting the New Testament come too close, or to ensure that one can continue not to be a Christian by not letting the New Testament come too close." (1)
"James warns against the error of observing the mirror instead of seeing oneself in the mirror . I merely make use of the remark and ask you, my listener: Does it not seem to be coined for our times and our situation and in general for the latter ages of Christendom?" (2)
Wise words from a man who was writing in the first half of the nineteenth century!
(1) Richard Bauckham, James (Oxon: Routledge, 1999), p. 2.
(2) Richard Bauckham, James (Oxon: Routledge, 1999), p. 158.