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THE BOOK: WHY FOUR GOSPELS? The author, Dr. David Alan Black, obtained his Doctorate of Theology from Basel University and is a specialist in New Testament Greek. He is now Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, NC. America. Firmly committed to ‘Sola Scriptura’, he sees himself as part of the Protestant Church Culture in America. While he rejects “the dogmata of Councils and creeds”, he also deplores the ignorance amongst American biblical scholars of the writings of the early ‘Church Fathers’. The writings of William R. Farmer led him to accept the findings of Bernard Orchard osb regarding the authorship of the Gospels. Dr. Farmer was Professor of New Testament Studies at Southern Methodist University, Texas. Dr. Black, who had spent many years teaching, went to see Fr. Orchard in London. They agreed that as Orchard’s works had been composed for the scholarly guilds, there was a need for a book to explain Orchard’s approach suitable for students and the general public. Orchard still had pressing professional and clerical duties so, with permission to use Orchard’s materials; David agreed to write such a book. In this way: ‘Why Four Gospels? came to be written and published in 2000, with a second edition in 2010. While the book represents David’s own convictions and approach, it is based closely on Orchard’s views. After Orchard’s death in 2006, Section 3 of the website: www.churchinhistory.org was established in England. It had the aim of not allowing Orchard’s great breakthrough to be lost. Although not linked to Dr. Black’s book, it is also written for students and the general public. The two productions cover much the same material but, fortunately, they are complimentary. While the website has the advantage of being able to keep up with new developments, Dr. Black’s 106 page book provides room for the presumptions and philosophical prejudices, widely accepted in academia, to be analysed. The inexpensive 2010 edition, referenced as: ISBN 978-1-893729-87-2, is easy to obtain through booksellers.
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This version 24/05/2014 [G 350].
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