Jim West (biblical scholar and biblioblogger)

James E. West, better known as Jim West (born August 29, 1960) is an anti-death penalty activist, Christian pacifist, biblical scholar and biblioblogger.[1] He is an adjunct professor at the Quartz Hill School of Theology, California.[2] He holds a Doctorate of Theology from the unaccredited Andersonville Theological Seminary of Camilla, Georgia.[3][4][5] West also pastors the Petros Baptist Church in Tennessee.[6]

Biblioblogging

Jim West was one of the first biblical scholars to blog, also known as biblioblogging,[7] highlighting trends in biblical studies, new findings in archeology, and acting as a pundit on cultural events. He currently (from January 8, 2010) blogs at Zwinglius Redivivus. He previously blogged at Jim West (deleted December 31, 2009), and before that at Dr. Jim West (deleted February 20, 2008), and before that at First Baptist Church of Petros (deleted October 2006), and originally at Biblical Theology (deleted January 1, 2006). His blog has frequently featured as the number one biblioblog of the month according to the rankings at Free Old Testament Audio Website Blog and previously at The Biblioblog Top 50.

Jim West was a key negotiator in the decision on September 11, 2009 by the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) to grant bibliobloggers affiliate status.[8] He was a founding member of the steering committee responsible for reviewing proposals for biblioblogging sessions at the SBL, the first of which is at Atlanta, November 2010,[9] although he no longer serves on that committee.

Areas of focus

West is primarily concerned with studies focused on Zwingli, the Reformation, and biblical archeology. He is a member of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) Media Relations Committee, which is responsible for debunking spurious archeological claims.[10]

Pastor

As a Baptist pastor, West has been outspoken on issues within the Baptist Church. West has rejected moves by some Baptists to observe Lent, "because for Baptists repentance can't be confined to a mere 40-day period preceded by the most intense gluttony and occupied with the setting aside of trivial pleasantries and followed by a return to the same-old, same-old".[11] West is also against the trend of some Baptists who are abandoning the public school system in favor of private religious education.[12] West wrote on his blog at time: "The only people who pull their kids from public schools out of fear are the same sort who haven't ever read the Bible in Greek or Hebrew. In other words, they are the sort of people who get all their information second-hand. This whole crusade is nothing but another in the long line of senseless crusades entered into by frenzied, uninformed, twaddling and prattling mobs of unwashed peasants. And it is doomed to failure. Fortunately."[13][14] West is also against home schooling, declaring "In short, in my estimation, the problem with homeschooling from a theological point of view is that it embodies a 'theology of glory' and ignores, or even discounts the 'theology of the cross'. It fears; it lives in fearfulness, and it has forgotten that 'perfect love casts out fear'" and "finally it supposes that society, social structures, and God ordained offices are evil."[15]

Publications

References

  1. ↑ Jim West, 'Blogging the Bible: A Short History' Bulletin for the Study of Religion (2010)
  2. ↑ James E. West, Quartz Hill School of Theology
  3. ↑ http://www.theology.edu/westbio.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.andersonvilleseminary.com/courses.html
  5. ↑ http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Andersonville+Baptist+Seminary&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=Andersonville+Baptist+Seminary&hnear=&ll=31.230949,-84.211707&spn=0.008275,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=31.22945,-84.212121&panoid=E1ae8V0ok3pfmOOn19SwTA&cbp=12,98.4,,0,9.66
  6. ↑ http://petrosbaptist.wordpress.com/
  7. ↑ Jim West, 'Blogging the Bible: A Short History' Bulletin for the Study of Religion (2010)
  8. ↑ http://www.sbl-site.org/publications/article.aspx?articleId=843 Bibliobloggers an SBL Affiliate
  9. ↑ http://www.bibleinterp.com/opeds/blog1357914.shtml Blogging the Bible
  10. ↑ http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/scholarly-squad-debunks-biblical-discoveries-noahs-ark-related-and-otherwise/19460930 Scholarly Squad Debunks Biblical 'Discoveries'
  11. ↑ http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/3881/104/
  12. ↑ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5436135
  13. ↑ http://icky.blogspot.com/2006/05/t-shirt-slogan-proud-to-be-unwashed.html
  14. ↑ http://melissawiley.com/blog/2006/06/10/practicing-what-one-preaches/
  15. ↑ http://martyrologist.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/23381.html
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