Ecce Homo (II)

My good friend Ben Myers has a biblioblog (or let's call it a theoloblog in order to keep systematics and biblical studies a safe distance apart), called Faith and Theology. Ben's recent publishing exploits include the introductory essay to Alister McGrath's new book on Scientific Theology which you can read about here. There is his recent article on "Predestination and freedom in Milton's Paradise Lost" in a recent issue of SJT 59 (2006): 64-86 which is available on-line here.

I met Ben by accident when when I was reading through JETS book reviews and found a review by a chap called Ben Myers from James Cook University in Townsville. Since I spent several years in Townsville with the Army (it is a purgatgorial posting rather like Guantanamo Bay but with friendlier inhabitants) I was suprised that I never met him. I had been to JCU and had a harrowing experience of being attacked by either two Magpies or two black and white terradactals while cycling there. An email correspondence followed when I complimented him on his review and we have been friends ever since. Even better was when Ben moved to Brisbane where he got a job at the University of Queensland and we were able to meet and discuss religion, theology, and Bible over some gourmet pizza.

Despite all of our differences (I hate coffee, Ben loves it; I don't share his affection for Rudolf Bultmann; I'm sporty, Ben is not; then there's the whole physical resurrection thing!) we get along swimmingly. The most redeemable traits of Ben are his expertise on English literature, he's the greatest proof reader a friend can have, he's able to show how it is possible to appreciate and assimilate aspects of Barth's theology for those of us from the Evangelical constitutency, he can analyse the comparative strengths and weaknesses of some of the great modern theologians in ways that even leave them appreciative (e.g. McGrath), and all in all Ben is a very charitable fellow to have a drink with

Cheers to Ben Myers our Barthian-Evangelische comrade, syndoulos en kurio, an up and coming young theologian (not even 30 yet), whom we can expect great things from. We can wait anxiously for his book on Milton, his projects on post-enlightenment theology, his collected essays on modern theologians, the day when he writes the definitive work on Karl Barth, and when he finally publishes his own eighteen volumes on Christian Theology.

Let me also say for the record that I'm the one who first encouraged Ben to start a blog so you all owe me a coke!