The Center for Biblical Studies Book Award
The Center for Biblical Studies is pleased to announce the winners and runner-ups of the Center for Biblical Studies Book Award 2020 in the categories of Old Testament, New Testament, and Biblical Theology.
You can read about the finalists for each category: Old Testament, New Testament, and Biblical Theology. Please note that the CBS Book of the Year will be announced on Monday, February 22, 2021.
The CBS would like to thank our panel of distinguished jurors: Will Kynes, Jason DeRouchie, Tremper Longman, Greg Goswell, T. Desmond Alexander, and Andrew Abernethy (OT); Bob Yarbrough, Ben Gladd, Andreas Köstenberger, Daniel Gurtner, Patrick Schreiner, Scott Duvall, and Craig Keener (NT); and Danny Hays, T. Desmond Alexander, Jason DeRouchie, Ben Gladd, and Andreas Köstenberger (Biblical Theology). We have included endorsements from our jurors for each respective winner and runner-up. We would also like to thank our sponsoring publishers: Baker Academic, Baylor University Press, B&H Academic, Christian Focus, Crossway Books, Wm. B. Eerdmans, Oxford University Press, InterVarsity Academic, Kregel Academic, Lexham Press, Sheffield Phoenix Press, T&T Clark, Westminster John Knox, Wipf & Stock, SCS Press, and Zondervan Academic. We congratulate each of the authors for their outstanding work.
OLD TESTAMENT
WINNER
Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters
By Sandra L. Richter
Published by IVP Academic
“Sandra Richter’s Stewards of Eden looks us directly in the eye and says: we are called to be stewards of God’s world and just look at the environmental crisis around us. It is biblically faithful, timely, and prophetic.”
—Andrew Abernethy, Wheaton College
RUNNER-UP
Advances in the Study of Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic: New Insights for Reading the Old Testament
By Benjamin J. Noonan
Published by Zondervan Academic
“Noonan’s work is true to its title, providing an exceptional overview and evaluation of key issues and influencers active in the current world of Hebrew and Aramaic scholarship. This introduction helpfully engages foundational issues like linguistics, lexical semantics, the verbal system, discourse analysis, and the dating of texts.”
—Jason DeRouchie, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
OT COMMENTARY
WINNER
The Book of Amos (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament)
By M. Daniel Carroll R.
Published by Eerdmans
“For depth of treatment, Carroll’s commentary on Amos stands apart as a significant contribution to our understanding of this important prophetic book. It will prove to be an important resource for anyone interested in getting to grips with the book of Amos.”
—T. D. Alexander, Union Theological College
NEW TESTAMENT
WINNER
Defending Shame: Its Formative Power in Paul’s Letters
By Te-Li Lau
Published by Baker Academic
“Te-Li Lau brings expertise in Chinese sources and cultural heritage to bear on Pauline thought in ways impossible for most Western interpreters. The results are highly fruitful for fresh appreciation of Paul’s convictions and teaching, both in his times and ours.”
—Robert Yarbrough, Covenant Seminary
RUNNER-UP
Jesus and the Forces of Death: The Gospels’ Portrayal of Ritual Impurity Within First-Century Judaism
By Matthew Thiessen
Published by Baker Academic
“The best books challenge tired tropes and interpretations. Thiessen reconfigures how we should view Jesus’s interactions with ritual impurity.”
—Patrick Schreiner, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
NT COMMENTARY
WINNER
The Letter to the Ephesians (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
By Lynn H. Cohick
Published by Eerdmans
“Cohick’s commentary on Ephesians is thorough, balanced, readable, relevant, and fair. Highly informative and up-to-date, it is the best evangelical commentary on Ephesians since Hoehner.”
—Craig Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary
BIBLICAL THEOLOGY
WINNER
Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption (Essential Studies in Biblical Theology)
By L. Michael Morales
Published by IVP Academic
“Morales successively shows the exodus motif is a pervasive and enduring theme across the entire canon. This event is not only for the past, but gives us hope in the present, and directs us to our future.”
—Patrick Schreiner, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
RUNNER-UP
Biblical Theology According to the Apostles: How the Earliest Christians Told the Story of Israel (New Studies in Biblical Theology)
By Chris Bruno, Jared Compton, and Kevin McFadden
Published by IVP Academic
“Biblical Theology According to the Apostles is a creative exploration of the theology of the New Testament writers. The important premise is that, when engaging in biblical theology today, we should take our cue from the biblical authors themselves.”
—Andreas Köstenberger, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
REFERENCE WORKS
WINNER
Introducing the Pseudepigrapha of Second Temple Judaism: Message, Context, and Significance
By Daniel M. Gurtner
Published by Baker Academic
“Again, Daniel Gurtner displays his erudition and careful analysis of the Pseudepigrapha. Anyone looking to delve into this tricky corpus should consult this volume.”
—Ben Gladd, Reformed Theological Seminary
