Why Christ Matters

For half a century Leander Keck thought, taught, and wrote about the New Testament. He first served as a Professor of New Testament at Vanderbilt Divinity School and Emory University's Candler School of Theology before becoming Dean and Professor of Biblical Theology at Yale Divinity School. Keck's lifelong work on Jesus and Paul was a catalyst for the emerging discussions of New Testament Christology and Pauline theology in the Society of Biblical Literature and the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas. Keck wrote a staggering number of now industry-standard articles on the New Testament. Here, they are all collected for the first time. In Why Christ Matters and Christ's First Theologian, readers will discover how Keck gave new answers to old questions even as he carefully reframed old answers into new questions. Keck's work is a treasure trove of historical, exegetical, and theological interpretation.

Students would do well to disciple themselves to Keckâs approach to his subject matter, which is characterized by unusual clarity, independence of judgment, and theological acuity. Pastors and teachers who work through this volume will find in Keck an exemplar of theological reasoning and close engagement with biblical texts. -- Joel B. Green -- Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, â¦Keckâs essays are solid reminders of important, ongoing debates between historical analysis and theological interpretation of the New Testament writings. -- Jeffrey S. Siker -- Horizons

Leander E. Keck is Winkley Professor Emeritus of Biblical Theology at Yale Divinity School.