Yesterday I had occasion to talk with a colleague about what my research and writing plans, and since that’s easier to write about in my blog than are the various other topics I might address, I’ll take a minute to sketch my research programme (as best I can envision it).
First, I owe Westminster/Knox the ‘Exegetical Method’ volume of the New Testament Library, and that will become the focal point of my research and writing as soon as my +*^]£&! REF obligations are done and dusted. The posts I’ve mounted here about ‘how to do exegesis’ are preparatory to that book, in a way; although it will emphasise theory as is appropriate for a reference work, the theoretical backend will be oriented toward supporting the frontend described in my ‘practice of exegesis’ posts.
That will involve thinking through the theory bit in several essay-length pieces, one of which I’ll present at the SBL in November. These, in turn, will probably be amenable to combination into a theory-book distinct from what I say about exegesis per se, and the practical essays, and the perspective derived from writing the reference book, I’ll expect to reconfigure into a classroom-oriented ‘How To’ book. Since those don’t count for REF, I may publish that digitally, or if a commercial publisher is interested I could expatiate on the homiletical, ethical, spiritual dimensions of the hermeneutics I advocate.
Theory is good, but what I truly love is reading stuff. I doubt that I’ll take on the genre of commentary ever again, but I have ideas for essays/lecture series about Christology and about Matthew (that’s another book debt, though it has been generously forgiven thus far). If I am granted such long life as would allow me to complete all of the above, I may turn to Paul or Hebrews or Revelation — but there’s a lot of work to be done before then.