While I ultimately reached different conclusions about the righteous and the wicked, his books provided the impetus for my doctoral research, and thus my first book. I am grateful for his example of excellent biblical scholarship in service of the church. 2/2

Thank you, Gary!

Due out in time for SBL. Great!

This is wonderful! I'm really looking forward to your book, and I am very interested in how Wright will respond. Graciously, of course (he is so kind), but I am curious how he will respond theologically.

Don't push it, Chris!

I've read this and its sequel. I enjoyed it, but beware the conclusion is a real cliffhanger and if you liked it you will want to read the second book right away.

And now you and pi are forever associated in my mind

That last one 😂

I think this book will appeal if you are interested in the Psalter—there are several new readings of individual psalms within—or if your area is Hebrew semantics. It would be a huge help if you are interested to request your library purchase the book if you are a faculty, student, or alumni! 5/5

I thus focused on the linguistic features of the terms for "righteous" and "wicked" in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, in addition to looking carefully at the ways the two figures are utilized poetically. I looked closely at the psalms where both occur to show the creativity in their uses. 4/5

Instead, I noticed that the main ways they are characterized in the psalms is through their antagonism toward each other. Unlike in Proverbs, where the righteous flourish, the most common (though not exclusive) feature of the righteous in the psalms is that they suffer. 3/5

One scholar referred to the righteous and the wicked as the "chief" way the psalms taught ethics. But as I read about these figures, I could not see clear evidence of direct ethical teaching. The righteous and wicked figures had little to do with specific actions that were praised or condemned. 2/5