Gordon in the News: last updated 05/26/2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2010
MEDIA CONTACT
Jo Kadlecek
Office of College Communications
978.867.4752
[email protected]
Wenham, MA—Gordon College Professor Marvin R. Wilson never saw
it coming. But on Saturday, May 15th during Gordon’s 118th commencement
ceremony, his colleagues publicly surprised him with a new book that
honors his life long commitment to dialogue between Jews and
Christians, just in time for his seventy-fifth birthday.
The book, Perspectives on Our Father Abraham: Essays in Honor of Marvin R. Wilson,
is a collection of articles that pays tribute to Wilson on the occasion
of his birthday and has been released through William B. Eerdmans
Publishing. A wide range of Jewish and Christian scholars, all good
friends of Wilson’s and experts in their field, came together to offer
thoughtful studies related to the biblical character of Abraham.
“Marv’s seminal text, Our Father Abraham (William B. Eerdmans
Publishing, 1989), has shown a generation of Christians, perhaps more
clearly than ever before, the Jewish roots of their faith,” said Steven
A. Hunt, associate professor of biblical studies at Gordon and editor
of the book. “With this new book, readers will benefit from engaging
and indeed groundbreaking studies of the Patriarch in the Hebrew
Scriptures, Christian Scriptures and other ancient and contemporary
traditions.”
Hunt said that the book took three years to plan and organize and was
not always easy to keep as a secret from his colleague Wilson. Many of
the contributors were present on Saturday to celebrate the award and a
book signing followed immediately after the graduation exercise.
“This book is a rare honor only extended to the best scholars in one’s
field,” said R. Judson Carlberg, president of Gordon. “I am thrilled
that Dr. Wilson’s scholarly colleagues chose to do a book of this
magnitude in his honor. As thousands of Gordon College students will
attest, he deserved it.”
The 400-page book is divided into three sections: “Abraham in the
Hebrew Scriptures”; “Abraham in the Christian Scriptures” and “Abraham
and Interdisciplinary Studies: The Dialogue Continues.”
Contributors include: William B. Barcley; Rebecca G. Brinton; R. Judson
Carlberg; Roy E. Ciampa; Gordon D. Fee; Roger J. Green; Ted
Hildebrandt; Steven A. Hunt; David Klatzker; JoAnn G. Magnusson; David
Mathewson; John N. Oswalt; Elaine Phillips; A. James Rudin; Mark L.
Sargent; H.G.M. Williamson; Lauren F. Winner; Edwin M. Yamauchi; and
David J. Zucker.
The hardcover book Perspectives on Our Father Abraham: Essays in Honor of Marvin R. Wilson is available for purchase at $26 through the Gordon College bookstore, or the publisher online.