[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ecently I was reading through John Nolland’s commentary on the Gospel of Luke when I came across the following passage.
A number of scholars have attempted to support Lukan authorship on the basis of a claim that the medical background of the author was evident in his writing. The argument takes its rise from the study of Hobart (The Medical Language of St. Luke) published in 1882. Hobart compared the language and style of Luke with that of ancient medical writing in Greek and found many similarities. The argument is not finally persuasive because Hobart focused on the distinctiveness of Luke over against Mark but failed to take any benchmarks from other literature of the period of a nonmedical nature. What distinguishes Luke from Mark is a use of language that is slightly more literary. As Cadbury has demonstrated (The Style and Literary Method of Luke, 50-51; ]BL 52 [1933] 55-65), we may find the same sort of language use in the LXX, in the works of ancient Greek veterinarians, and indeed we should expect to find it in any reasonably large body of literature written by a well-educated Greek writer with some modest literary pretension for what he IS wanting. Luke’s writing is certainly consistent with experience as a physician, but it cannot be claimed that only a physician would write as Luke does.{1}
I found it interesting that Nolland, writing in 1989 cited an article by H.J. Cadbury written in 1933. Reading on I found many other references to articles by Cadbury, which made me think that it might be a good idea to make these articles more widely available. I contacted the Director of SBL Press at the Society of Biblical Literature who was enthusiastic about the idea. The librarians at Tyndale House, Dr. Williams’s Library and Heythrop College also gave their willing assistance in providing photocopies and scans. Thanks to all of them I can now make the complete of collection H.J. Cadbury articles from the Journal of Biblical Literature available for free download in PDF.
In line with my ongoing commitment to make available theological resources from around the world, I am very pleased to announce that what is probably the only bilingual khmer-English Theological Journal – Honeycomb – is now available on-line for free download.
Originally published in Cambodia this journal is a unique resource which I trust will be widely used both in that country and around the globe. Each article is available in single pdf files which include both the English and Khmer version. The order in which they appear indicates the language in which it was originally written in. It is also possible to download complete issues as one file.
My thanks to my friend from P.K.A. Ming-Au for introducing me to Honeycomb journal and for the loan of his personal copies, and to Dr Russell H. Bowers, Jr., the editor, for his kind permission to reproduce and host it on biblicalstudies.org.uk.
Last year I hosted a series of interviews with Faculty members of a number of Bible Colleges and Seminaries around the Globe. This series will continue on an occasional basis. This week I interview the Vice-Principal of Wycliffe Hall in Oxford.
I would like to note that Wycliffe Hall has given great support to the work of Theology on the Web by making resources from its library available for digitisation, for which I am extremely grateful.
1) Please introduce yourself and your role at Wycliffe Hall.
Revd Dr Simon Vibert
I am Revd Dr Simon Vibert, Vice Principal Wycliffe Hall, Oxford; Tutor in Homiletics and Leadership.
2) Tell us a little about Wycliffe Hall.
Wycliffe Hall was founded in 1877 to provide a Protestant response to the growing tractarian influence in Oxford. One of the founders, JC Ryle, was later to become Bishop of Liverpool. Key evangelical leaders such as Frank Chavasse, Griffith Thomas, J.I. Packer, N.T. Wright and Nicky Gumbel have all also been associated with the Hall. During the Principalship of Prof. Alister McGrath Wycliffe Hall became a permanent private Hall of the University of Oxford (in 1996). Our total student body is 140. Fifty students are training for Ordination in the Church of England, others are part of the Apologetics track, training for ministry in other denominations or engaged in research. Most students are part of the University of Oxford on a range of courses from Certificate to Doctoral level. A small number of our Students are studying for the Durham Common Award in preparation for Anglican Ordination. See wycliffe.ox.ac.uk for more detail.
3) Are the courses full-time, part-time or a mixture of both?
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is primarily a full-time residential community – an environment which we believe gives the best context for academic, ministerial and formational training. After all, Jesus trained the 12 by living with them as well as teaching them. We have a small cohort of Mixed Mode students (half time in the Hall and half time training in a parish) and a part-time evening course leading to a Certificate in Theological Studies over two years.
4) How do Wycliffe Hall students fund their studies?
Anglican Ordinands receive funding from the Church of England. Some are able to access HEFCE funding. We have very little endowment and, like most similar institutions, we depend on the generosity of alumni, churches and friends to supplement student fee income.
5) Does Wycliffe Hall take students from overseas?
Yes. If enrolled on a University Course, it is possible to apply for a Tier 4 Student Visa.
6) What type of ministry is Wycliffe Hall intended to prepare students for?
The founders of Wycliffe Hall envisioned training Protestant Men for Ordination in the Church of England. Today, Wycliffe Hall trains men and women for all spheres of ministry across a variety of denominations, although with a particular Anglican flavour. We emphasise Leadership, Evangelism and Church Growth, Preaching and Apologetics which all require grounding in traditional disciplines (Biblical Studies, Doctrine, Church history etc.) alongside time and space to grow in personal holiness, disciplined prayer and practical ministry training.
7) When students leave Wycliffe Hall what kind of ministries / jobs do they go into.
For some, their time at Wycliffe Hall is preparation for Anglican Ordination; others are training for a variety of lay or ordained ministry. For others, this is the pathway to further research and/or a career in Seminary/Bible College.
8) What is distinctive about what Wycliffe Hall offers compared with other colleges in the UK and overseas?
Wycliffe Hall has a privileged relationship with the University of Oxford. We are guided by an evangelical Trust Deed which means that the Hall provides a home for evangelical students to experience the rigour of the University of Oxford within a worshipping Christian Community. Our vision for Wycliffe Hall is that we should be:
• A Centre for the Intellectual Renewal of the Church, and, through the Church, of Society
• A Centre for the Renewal of Christian Preaching
• A Centre for the Renewal of Christian Character
• A Centre for the Renewal of Christian Prayer
9) Please tell us about the library and other research facilities.
Our own library has 24,000 books and journals key journals in our field. All Oxford University students can use the University Libraries including the Bodleian and access to 300,000 e-books via SOLO.
10) Does Wycliffe Hall offer a distance or on-line learning option?
Wycliffe Hall prizes the value of a residential/communal learning and has not offered distance or online learning.
My thanks to Dr Vibert for his contribution to this series.
