"THE NEW TESTAMENT MADE HARDER: Scripture Study Questions" by James E. Faulconer, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, $21.95, 536 pages (nf)
Pivoting on the last decade's trend of making scriptures "easier" and more surface-level, "The New Testament Made Harder" completes James E. Faulconer's collection of books designed to increase depth and thoughtfulness in scripture study. For those with basic understanding of New Testament history, doctrines and applications, "The New Testament Made Harder" is a revolutionary tool for understanding this book of scripture.
Faulconer, who parallels his divisions of the New Testament with those in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Sunday School manual, moves verse by verse through the text, asking specific, thought-provoking questions that challenge the reader to ponder the effects of differences in the synoptic gospels, why certain details would be included or excluded in an account, the reasons for and effects of literary devices, and the implications of teachings to various groups in early Christianity and in the latter days.
The background and explanations he includes delve deep into relevant history, connotations of words in the original Greek texts, and interpretations by noted biblical scholars, guiding readers to determine for themselves their implications and applications.
Faulconer's style of questioning is an unquestionably effective use of the Socratic method in which students, led by the questions of a master teacher, learn truth through their own efforts of gathering information and drawing conclusions. The use of this teaching style within a gospel context is an ingenious method of guiding at-home scripture study, helping learners draw very personalized conclusions and grow more meaningful testimony. It's so effective, and this method makes "The New Testatment Made Harder" a standout in the scores of books published about gospel study in the home.
Unfortunately, there are formatting and editing issues with "The New Testament Made Harder" that can get in the way. Faulconer often delves deeply into one section of verses while comparatively neglecting large chunks of a chapter. Formatting is occasionally inconsistent, and oftentimes it's unclear which translation of the Bible the author is referencing, which can make following along difficult, and scriptural cross-references are often incorrect. Sometimes the intended verses are easy to find, but at least once Faulconer cites an entirely different book of scripture than he references, creating needless confusion.
Notwithstanding the editorial oversights, though, Faulconer's final installment is a valuable study resource that will deepen any Latter-day Saint's understanding and testimony of the New Testament.
Jennifer Ball is a freelance journalist out of Los Angeles specializing in food criticism and LDS media.