"Doctrine, then, is the schematic drawing that will allow the reader to organize the vast heterogeneity of the words, images, and stories of the Bible into a readable, coherent whole. It is the rule that guides us toward the proper matching of keys to doors."This statement from the Series Preface encapsulates the goal of the Brazos Theological Commentary series perfectly. While critical methods have yielded untold treasures for the church; but the critical method does not allow the text to be appropriated as the living theological canon of the church in its myriad manifestations. Scripture cannot merely be studied or read, it must be interpreted. This is what the Brazos Series is all about.In this volume theologian Douglas Harink looks at 1&2 Peter through the theological lens of Christians living in empire. 1 Peter1 Peter and as such, he believes there is a rich theology waiting to be taken from the world of Peter's readers and brought thoughtfully in our own.In 2 Peter Harink traces a radically different trajectory as he examines the theological emphases found in the second book that to most modern Protestants are quite foreign. Thus, we find not only challenging theological categories, but also clear challenges to the dominant theological concepts that rule our interpretation of the faith. Indeed, Ernst Kasemann found them so problematic that he called it "perhaps the most dubious writing in the canon." Needless to say, all readers are going to find the commentary challenging not in the ways we live, but in the categorical assumptions we make.As with every commentary in the Brazos Theological Commentary series, this volume will challenge Christians on every level of faith, and indeed, challenge them in their faith and life as integrated realities. Every volume to-date is superb in both theological reflection, and world-class scholarship.
