(Part 1)

JBTM Book Reviews
155
A few other points of criticism also bear mention. The commentary is intended for general
readership and, indeed, the text is accessible. However, professors and pastors should be
wary of recommending the volume for lay readers who might not have the skills to evaluate
critically the myriad of issues presented in the book. The interpretive stance taken by the
commentary is highly influenced by reader-response methods, which are not always faithful
to the original intent of the biblical authors (303). While not all interpreters favor authororiented
meaning, most conservative biblical interpreters still do. Finally, on a minor note
of criticism, no indices are provided at the end of the text. Students or pastors interested in
obtaining the volume might prefer to purchase a digital version with searchable features.
Regardless of the stated problems, the commentary represents a valuable contribution to
modern biblical scholarship. The thoroughly researched and documented information places
centuries’ worth of biblical research at the reader’s disposal. More importantly, the attention
given to contemporary ethical issues reflects the contributors’ genuine desire to convey
the continuing relevance of the Bible today. The engagement with current discussions on
the relationship between Christianity and science, ecology, sexuality, and morality is wellappreciated.
Additionally, the variety of ideologies and interpretive methodologies coalesce
into a highly interesting, if not always orthodox, literary experience.
- Andrea L. Robinson, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, Louisiana
Going Public: Why Baptism Is Required for Church Membership. By Bobby Jamieson.
Nashville: B&H Academic, 2015, xi + 243 pages. Paperback, $24.99.
Bobby Jamieson is a PhD student in New Testament at the University of Cambridge.
Prior to his doctoral studies, Jamieson served as assistant editor for 9Marks in Washington,
DC. He is the author of Sound Doctrine: How a Church Grows in the Love and Holiness of God.
Since the days of John Bunyan, the relationship between baptism and church membership
has been a topic of debate. Recently, Bunyan’s arguments have taken on new life with Baptist
figures like John Piper arguing for open membership (i.e., church membership without
immersion baptism as a requirement). While Piper is not the only Baptist arguing for open
membership, he is one who has popularized this view.
Enter Jamieson’s Going Public. Jamieson is concerned with the necessity of baptism for
church membership. More than that, however, he is concerned with the nature and health
of the church, which includes baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and church membership. In Going
Public, Jamieson sets out to argue that “baptism and the Lord’s Supper are effective signs of
church membership: they create the social, ecclesial reality to which they point” (2). He goes
on to describe Going Public as “a constructive theological account of how baptism and the