Winnipeg scholars on the Believers Church Bible Commentary

Scholars Gordon Matties and Dan Epp-Thiessen on their new commentaries

This Herald Press series of 44 commentaries is almost finished after 40 years. Who is it for and what approach does it take, Gordon Matties (editorial council chair)?

It’s for anyone, even high school and university students, curious about Anabaptist approaches. Each commentary uses a threefold rubric. Explanatory Notes offers a literary, contextual and theological analysis. Then there’s also The Text in Biblical Context and The Text in the Life of the Church.

Dan Epp-Tiessen, what does your new commentary on Joel, Obadiah and Micah add?

I discuss the passages about the destruction of human enemies in light of Jesus’ call to nonviolent discipleship (Matthew 5:38–48) and Christ seeking to reconcile the human community to God and each other (Ephesians 2:11–22).

Beyond the six "peace church" denominations, how can others benefit, Dan?

Churches have often used biblical texts to justify slavery, colonization, wars of conquest and oppression of women. My commentary encourages all Christians to read such texts on the basis of the movement of the whole biblical story and on how we see God’s saving work unfold through Jesus Christ.