I requested a copy of “The Baker Compact Dictionary of Biblical Studies” by Tremper Logman III and Mark L. Strauss from Baker Books’ BakerBookBloggers program so I could check it out for a review. My expectations were set to look at a concise book that had multiple entries of terms and definitions that one might encounter when either listening to or reading books related to biblical scholarship. I was not disappointed in the least. It is a very well written and handy reference book of over 500 terms relating to different topics of studying the Bible. I know that I will keep in my personal library and reference it quite often. The compact size makes this easy to carry around as well.
I would recommend this book if you are interested in understanding the terms that are often used in biblical scholarship. Very handy.
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I would give this book a 9.3 out of my normal 10 point rating scale. On a “5 star” scale that some websites use, I would give it a 5 star rating.
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In full disclosure, I was not required or requested by Baker Books to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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QUICK SUMMARY:
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who is a Bible scholar? Or maybe you are a beginning Bible scholar. Maybe you are just wanting to learn more about terms that are used in some of the books you read or talks you have heard.
The one volume Baker Compact Dictionary of Biblical Studies is an excellent, compact reference book that will help you immensely. It is very concise which makes it an excellent tool that you will want to add to your library.
If you are not interested in understanding some of the terms used in the deeper biblical scholarship talks or books, then you may not be as interested in this book. For me, I find it to be an excellent tool that I will reference very often. Topics cover methods, scholars, terms, ideas, theories and so much more.
From the entries of the Abomination of Desolation to Zoroastrianism, this reference book is a tool that will be used in my personal library quite often. As I said, this is a compact book, so across the 500 plus entries, they don’t go very in-depth. Think of this as a book more for a beginning Bible scholar or a quick reference for anyone interested in such things. Very easy to use and the definitions are very well written.
Please keep in mind that this is not a Bible Dictionary that many people think of. This is a dictionary that pertains to terms relating to the act of studying the Bible. It will have terms that some other Bible Dictionaries have, however, this really is more of an academic-type of a dictionary rather than one a dictionary for someone who does just casual reading or studying of the Scriptures. However, some portions of this would apply to those people as well, just not all of it
I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review from Baker Books and all opinions are my own.
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DESCRIPTION OF THIS BOOK:
Type of Book: Biblical Reference
Author: Tremper Longman III and Mark L. Strauss
Publisher: Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group) #BakerBooksBloggers @ReadBakerBooks
Publication Date: March 20, 2018
ISBN-13 of Book Reviewed: 978-0801019074
Price: At the time of writing this review, the cheapest place to get this book is at Christianbook.com. They have it for $7.49– suggested retail from the publisher is $9.99. Please note that these prices do not include any potential shipping charges.
If you would like to purchase this book, please support my blog and purchase by clicking any of the links to Christianbook.com on this page like the one below. Or if you would like to purchase it as an e-book for $6.89, you can click HERE to do that.
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The Baker Compact Dictionary of Biblical Studies By Tremper Longman III & Mark L. Strauss / Baker BooksEvery field develops its own specialized vocabulary that may appear as gibberish to a newcomer. Longman and Strauss accurately introduce you to topics, events, people, places, languages, and methodologies critical to understanding the biblical text. The Compact Dictionary of Biblical Studies contains clear, concise, and accurate definitions of more than five hundred terms and topics. |
Physical Characteristics:
•Paperback
•224 pages
•Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 7 inches
The Goal of the Book:
The authors’ goal is to provide readers with a quick reference guide for common and not-so-common terms that are used in biblical scholarship. This one volume work is a very handy reference tool to help you keep up on terms that you often may hear when talking with or reading works of biblical scholars. If you are a newer biblical scholar, this will be very good for you to have handy.
My Favorite Part:
I really appreciate the concise definitions and explanations given in this one volume reference book. Very well written and extremely handy to have in your library.
Recommendation:
If you are someone who is interested in biblical scholarship and diving deep into the Bible, then this book would be a very good one to have for reference. Given its one volume, compact size, it would be something that I would highly recommend.
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Dictionary Entries
About the Publisher:
From the Publisher’s website: Baker Books has a vision for building up the body of Christ through books that are relevant, intelligent, and engaging. We publish titles for lay Christians on topics such as discipleship, apologetics, spirituality, relationships, marriage, parenting, and the intersection of Christianity and culture. We also publish books and ministry resources for pastors and church leaders, concentrating on topics such as preaching, worship, pastoral ministries, counseling, biblical reference, and leadership.
#BakerBooksBloggers @ReadBakerBooks
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