G.K. Beale's "A New Testament Biblical Theology" -- 2012 Reading Group discussion

So before we get too far, I am interested to know what everyone's eschatological views are.

I am historic premil with amil sympathies. Confused? Don't worry, so am I:)

Quite honestly I'm not well enough informed on the matters to make put myself in position. If at gun point I had to make a decision I would make whatever decision the gunman wanted me to make! That being said, I'm likely close to a leaky premil position simply based on the influences Jim Hamilton has had on me.

Greg, being @ Northland, you can't be anything other than some form of premil right....:)

I am reading through Hamilton's Revelation commentary and I am enjoying it so far. I would like to follow it up with Beale's commentary once I am done.

I am Covental thanks to the book "The Drama of Scripture" which was my first intro into looking at the bible as one grand metanarrative. Funny I learned that in a NT Theology course in a dispensational theological school lol. I would have to concurr with G.A. I am a very...very...leaky premil. Its shaky ground at the moment to say the least.

Craig wrote: "Greg, being @ Northland, you can't be anything other than some form of premil right....:)

That is not the most straight forward answer :) There are a few things in my theology that do not totally mesh well with Northland...think to my Sovereign Grace past. So I just keep some of those things quiet and don't major on them (which I don't need to). However, when it comes to the dispensational/covenant conversation...it is a part of our articles of faith. I don't worry too much about it though.

Robert, I read that book as well as the one by Wolters. Loved them both! Reading them was my first wake up call that Dispensational theology just didn't get it for me. In that case I would be Covenantal but I prefer to say Reformed Baptist because I am still credobaptist and credocommunion.

I am amil and covenant, the book that helped me in that direction was The Christ of the Covenants by O. Palmer Robertson. You can read my review of that book here on Goodreads.

There were some good articles from Nathan Pitchford (psalm45publications.com) that helped too. And Vern Poythress has a great article on 2 Thess. 1 which is very convincing on the topic. (Don't read it if you are on staff at Northland, though. -- totally tongue-in-cheek). My brother graduated from Northland, but my schooling was in a much more hyper-fundy type environment....

Bob, I read The Christ of the Covenants when I was in high school and it rocked my world. Needless to say my dad did not like me reading it as he is a big D dispensational. I forgot about it after awhile but it shaped me more than I realized.

I need to read the Goldsworthy books myself. I have Vangemerens' book The Progress of Redemption which I need to read also. Ah! So many books to read and not enough time. I need to adopt one of those 4 hr a day sleeping schedules so I can have more time to read!

Bob...I knew Nathan when he was at Northland and I remember your brother Dave, though I didn't know him. For some reason I thought you went to Northland as well...apparently not. Oh well...got to read!

Yeah Craig, I would end up along the same line of thought because I am also credobaptist and credocommunion. I have heard nothing but great things about Goldsworthy books. Just have not read one of his yet.

for the record I'm credobaptist too, and I haven't heard the term credocommunion floating about but I'm for open communion (for those who profess faith in Christ).

I came to know Nathan some from his time with my brother in North Dakota. He's a great guy. I went to Fairhaven Baptist College, in NW Indiana. Sort of like Hyles-Anderson except they believe in repentance....

Hey guys. I'm an openhanded pre-trib/pre-mil with classic pre-mil sympathies (and a few amil sympathies thrown in there):). I went to school at Northland and then to CBTS of Virginia Beach. In my last couple of years at CBTS, I was greatly influenced by an OT prof who had done his doctrinal thesis in Genesis 1-10. He was still dispensational ("little d" dispensational) but more influenced by biblical theology. And the biblical theology that he modeled from the Text was compelling. It blew my paradigm. That's why I'm currently at where I'm at.

Bob, Dave was a good friend at Northland. In fact, his missionary "prayer card" magnet is sticking on our fridge.

Cool, Tim. Small world. Beale will be helpful for where you are, I think. He sticks to the text but shows connections between OT and NT that will blow your mind.