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Frederik Mulder

Radboud University Nijmegen, Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Alumnus

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Papers by Frederik Mulder

A Non-Anglican View of Orthodoxy and Unorthodoxy in the Church of England

Evangelical Quarterly 92, 2021

Internal debates about orthodoxy and unorthodoxy inside the Church of England have been going on ... more Internal debates about orthodoxy and unorthodoxy inside the Church of England have been going on for centuries. The new contribution this article hopes to make is to provide an outsider's view of these issues which will incorporate personal experiences, historical analyses, doctrinal developments, and diversifications, reflecting on three test cases, engagement with recent voices, and finally, retrospective reflection on key biblical texts which suggest that faithfulness to Scripture should lead to realignment from a dividing Church of England.

Cecil Rhodes' Brutal Mob of Homosexual Victorian Colonisers?

The English Churchman, 2019

In his contribution to a public conversation held at University Church, Oxford, in December 2014,... more In his contribution to a public conversation held at University Church, Oxford, in December 2014, Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch mentioned a case of an African homosexual being “brutally attacked” by a mob of men and rushed to hospital for medical attention. Bishops from the Anglican communion, he claimed, are encouraging this “work of hatred” and are “soft pedalling on the homophobic alliance” of conservative African Christians. It is time, he contends, for Bishops to be liberated from their “unthinking conservatism”. This column for The English Churchman (31/05/2019), attempts to answer MacCulloch by reflecting on probably the greatest Victorian Coloniser, Cecil Rhodes.

Gospel Contradictions, Harmonizations and Historical Truth: Francis Watson and Origen’s Paradigm Shift” in eds. Catherine Sider Hamilton and Joel Willitts, Writing the Gospels. A Dialogue with Francis Watson, LNTS 606 (London: T&T Clark, 2019), pp 166-83

"Gospel Differences, Harmonisations, and Historical Truth: Origen and Francis Watson's Paradigm Shift?" Themelios 42.1 (2017), pp. 122-43

Abstract: Claiming to stand on the shoulders of the later Origen, in Gospel Writing: A Canonical... more Abstract:
Claiming to stand on the shoulders of the later Origen, in Gospel Writing: A Canonical Perspective, Francis B. Watson makes a compelling case that all attempts to address alleged contradictions and establishing historical truth in and between the four canonical Gospels must be abandoned. Watson proposes that the later Origen’s preference for deeper spiritual and theological truth, in the wake of alleged empirical falsehood, should be embraced as a new paradigm and more ‘comprehensive approach’, subverting and destroying previous approaches. In this article, I test Watson’s relevant interpretations of Origen, focusing on his Commentary on John, Book 10 (Comm. Jo.); Against Celsus (Cels.); and On First Principles (Princ.). In addition, I offer evidence challenging Watson’s claim that the later Origen’s return to addressing some contradictions and establishing historical truth in Cels. reflects popular apologetics for the wider public, in contrast to more radical thoughts on hermeneutics in Book 10 of his Comm. Jo. It is argued that a more comprehensive and persuasive understanding of Origen’s approach to gospel differences and historicity, requires a close reading of his early and later treatises, resulting in a nuanced middle position.

“The Reception of Paul’s Understanding of Resurrection and Eschatology in the Epistle to Rheginos: Faithful Paulinism, or Further Development?”, in eds. Dan Batovici and Kristin de Troyer, Authoritative Texts and Reception History. Aspects and Approaches (Leiden: Brill, 2017), pp. 199-215

In this paper, I analyse and compare aspects of the Epistle of Rheginos (a letter from the Nag Ha... more In this paper, I analyse and compare aspects of the Epistle of Rheginos (a letter from the Nag Hammadi collection) and Paul’s understanding of (1) the resurrection body, and (2) eschatology. Rheginos presents us with a highly skilful articulation of important Pauline themes. Within the context of the canonical Pauline Epistles as a whole however, Rheginos has moved beyond what Paul would have allowed for. As for the notion that the author of the Epistle to Rheginos is Paul’s faithful servant, at the very least, several questions and ambiguities remain.

Review of Christopher Bryan, The Resurrection of the Messiah, Biblical and Early Christian Studies, facebook.com/RBECS.org, 27 September, 2012

In the years following the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, a group of people who claimed to be ... more In the years following the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, a group of people who claimed to be his followers, later to be called Christians, established the Christian church. When asked why this happened, they often responded with the claim that Jesus was raised from the dead despite the fact that it initially would have sounded just as surprising and unlikely to Jews and Gentiles alike. These followers of Jesus seem stubbornly to have persisted with their claims, expecting to be taken seriously and even appealing to named eyewitnesses. But why were these claims made? What did they mean? Why did these Christians stubbornly persist with them? What actually happened to Jesus of Nazareth? (pp. 3-4) Answering these questions form the heart of Christopher Bryans' 432 pages, 937 endnote volume: The Resurrection of the Messiah. Bryan covers Second Temple Judaism, the Greco-Roman world (with e.g. interesting discussions about the legend of Alcestis), 1 Corinthians 15 and the four canonical gospels to answer these questions. Following this, he discusses five modern objections/ alternative explanations to the claim that Jesus rose from the grave in a transformed body, claiming to debunk all of them (especially the views of Bultmann, Borg, Crossan, and Lüdemann), followed by the implications of Jesus' resurrection. The main contributions of this work are probably: i) the way in which it makes serious and often technical scholarship more digestible for the relatively uninformed reader; ii) some kind of middle ground position somewhere between the likes of Richard Bauckham and N.T. Wright on the one hand, and others like David Catchpole and C.H. Dodd on the other; iii) his academic rigor in the extensive endnotes (a full 146 pages!); iv) and also his creative and constant interaction with Anglo-Catholic liturgy, Reformed music, and poetry.

"EATING AND DRINKING IN THE RESURRECTION BODY", Tyndale Bulletin 67.2 (2016) 313-316

Review of Baptism in the Early Church: History, theology, and liturgy in the first five centuries, Everett Ferguson (Eerdmans 2009), 954 pp, Theology, March/April 2010, pp 142-144.

Review of The Early Church: History and memory, Josef Lossl (T&T Clark International 2009), 256 pp, Theology, November/December 2010, pp 454-455.

Review of The Resurrection of Jesus. A New Historiographical Approach, Michael R. Licona (IVP Academic 2010), 718 pp, in Theology, February 2012, pp 51-52.

Review of Christ’s Resurrection in Early Christianity and the Making of the New Testament, Markus Vinzent (Ashgate 2011), 276 pp, in Theology, April 2012, pp 123-24.

Review of Moral Formation according to Paul, James W. Thompson (Baker Academic 2011), in Theology, March 2013, pp 213-214.

Review of Jesus. A Very Short Introduction, Richard Bauckham (Oxford University Press 2011), in Churchman, Winter 2013, pp 357-358.

“Kraakvars nuwe getuienis oor Jesus se opstanding”, in Om te Mag Dink (red. Udo Karstens; Juventus, Vereniging vir Christenleiers; Aros Akademiese Reformatoriese Opleiding en Studies; Aros Uitgewery, Totiusdal, 2013), 68-85.

in Om te Mag Glo (red. Udo Karstens; Juventus, Vereniging vir Christenleiers; Aros Akademiese Ref... more

The Resurrection of Jesus: Recent Major Figures in the Debate, MTh dissertation, University of Pretoria, 2006

Books by Frederik Mulder

Opgestaan: Studente se stryd om geloof by Tukkies in die jare 2001-2006 (2010)

by Frederik Mulder and Ferdie Mulder

Sedert veral die jaar 2000 is daar voortdurend debatte in Suid-Afrika oor of Jesus regtig uit die... more Sedert veral die jaar 2000 is daar voortdurend
debatte in Suid-Afrika oor of Jesus regtig uit
die dood opgestaan het, en of dit nie eerder as ŉ
metafoor verstaan moet word nie. In hierdie boek
neem Ferdie Mulder gelowiges op ŉ agter-dieskerms
reis om beter te verstaan hoe hierdie saak
tot onlangs toe by top universiteite verloop het. Hy
vertel aangrypende, maar ook skokkende verhale
van sommige studente se ontnugterings, dosente
se uitsprake, en ook die kontroversie rondom die
gewraakte petisie waarin ŉ groep studente Jesus
se liggaamlike opstanding bely het. Mulder, die
inisieerder daarvan, is uiteindelik deur die NG Kerk
verbied om predikant te word, en is ook lewenslank
geskors van Tukkies se Fakulteit Teologie nadat
hy tydens dissiplinêre verhore skuldig bevind is.
Hierdie boek is nie net ŉ uitdaging aan die leser om
sy of haar eie posisie aangaande Jesus se opstanding
te heroorweeg nie, maar ook ŉ aangrypende
getuienis van hoe die krag van God, wat Jesus
uit die graf opgewek het, vandag nog met ons is
om hoop, vergifnis en versoening te bewerk. Die
boek is egter beslis ook kontroversieel, omdat dit
moontlik opspraakwekkende getuienis wat tydens
die onderskeie verhore na vore gekom het, bespreek.
Hierdie is ŉ moet lees boek vir almal wat wonder
en worstel oor Jesus en gelowiges se opstanding, en
ook vir diegene wat meer wil weet oor wat presies in
Afrikaanse teologiese opleiding gebeur het tussen
2000-2006 wat betref die opstanding van Jesus.

ISBN: 978-1-4316-0068-7
Publikasiedatum: Julie 2011
Prys: R139.00 (BTW ingesluit)
* Uitverkoop. Boek kan nou gratis afgelaai word
Bladsye: 368
Grootte: 213 x 137mm
Buiteblad: Sagteband
Uitgewer: Opgestaan Publikasies

Book Reviews by Frederik Mulder

CLASH OF VISIONS: MY SOUTH AFRICAN STORY AND A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS IT

by Frederik Mulder and Ferdie Mulder

Presbyterion 45/2 (Fall 2019): 115-121, 2019

REVIEW ESSAY, CLASH OF VISIONS: MY SOUTH AFRICAN STORY AND A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS IT Clash of Visi... more REVIEW ESSAY, CLASH OF VISIONS: MY SOUTH AFRICAN STORY AND A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS IT

Clash of Visions: Populism and Elitism in New Testament Theology, by ROBERT W.
YARBROUGH. Edited by J. V. Fesko and Matthew Barrett. Reformed Exegetical and Doctrinal Studies. Fearn, Ross-shire, UK: Mentor, 2019. Pp. 116. ISBN 9781527103917

For information on subscription to Presbyterion, go to
https://secure.covenantseminary.edu/subscriptions.asp

A Non-Anglican View of Orthodoxy and Unorthodoxy in the Church of England

Evangelical Quarterly 92, 2021

Internal debates about orthodoxy and unorthodoxy inside the Church of England have been going on ... more Internal debates about orthodoxy and unorthodoxy inside the Church of England have been going on for centuries. The new contribution this article hopes to make is to provide an outsider's view of these issues which will incorporate personal experiences, historical analyses, doctrinal developments, and diversifications, reflecting on three test cases, engagement with recent voices, and finally, retrospective reflection on key biblical texts which suggest that faithfulness to Scripture should lead to realignment from a dividing Church of England.

Cecil Rhodes' Brutal Mob of Homosexual Victorian Colonisers?

The English Churchman, 2019

In his contribution to a public conversation held at University Church, Oxford, in December 2014,... more In his contribution to a public conversation held at University Church, Oxford, in December 2014, Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch mentioned a case of an African homosexual being “brutally attacked” by a mob of men and rushed to hospital for medical attention. Bishops from the Anglican communion, he claimed, are encouraging this “work of hatred” and are “soft pedalling on the homophobic alliance” of conservative African Christians. It is time, he contends, for Bishops to be liberated from their “unthinking conservatism”. This column for The English Churchman (31/05/2019), attempts to answer MacCulloch by reflecting on probably the greatest Victorian Coloniser, Cecil Rhodes.

Gospel Contradictions, Harmonizations and Historical Truth: Francis Watson and Origen’s Paradigm Shift” in eds. Catherine Sider Hamilton and Joel Willitts, Writing the Gospels. A Dialogue with Francis Watson, LNTS 606 (London: T&T Clark, 2019), pp 166-83

"Gospel Differences, Harmonisations, and Historical Truth: Origen and Francis Watson's Paradigm Shift?" Themelios 42.1 (2017), pp. 122-43

Abstract: Claiming to stand on the shoulders of the later Origen, in Gospel Writing: A Canonical... more Abstract:
Claiming to stand on the shoulders of the later Origen, in Gospel Writing: A Canonical Perspective, Francis B. Watson makes a compelling case that all attempts to address alleged contradictions and establishing historical truth in and between the four canonical Gospels must be abandoned. Watson proposes that the later Origen’s preference for deeper spiritual and theological truth, in the wake of alleged empirical falsehood, should be embraced as a new paradigm and more ‘comprehensive approach’, subverting and destroying previous approaches. In this article, I test Watson’s relevant interpretations of Origen, focusing on his Commentary on John, Book 10 (Comm. Jo.); Against Celsus (Cels.); and On First Principles (Princ.). In addition, I offer evidence challenging Watson’s claim that the later Origen’s return to addressing some contradictions and establishing historical truth in Cels. reflects popular apologetics for the wider public, in contrast to more radical thoughts on hermeneutics in Book 10 of his Comm. Jo. It is argued that a more comprehensive and persuasive understanding of Origen’s approach to gospel differences and historicity, requires a close reading of his early and later treatises, resulting in a nuanced middle position.

“The Reception of Paul’s Understanding of Resurrection and Eschatology in the Epistle to Rheginos: Faithful Paulinism, or Further Development?”, in eds. Dan Batovici and Kristin de Troyer, Authoritative Texts and Reception History. Aspects and Approaches (Leiden: Brill, 2017), pp. 199-215

In this paper, I analyse and compare aspects of the Epistle of Rheginos (a letter from the Nag Ha... more In this paper, I analyse and compare aspects of the Epistle of Rheginos (a letter from the Nag Hammadi collection) and Paul’s understanding of (1) the resurrection body, and (2) eschatology. Rheginos presents us with a highly skilful articulation of important Pauline themes. Within the context of the canonical Pauline Epistles as a whole however, Rheginos has moved beyond what Paul would have allowed for. As for the notion that the author of the Epistle to Rheginos is Paul’s faithful servant, at the very least, several questions and ambiguities remain.

Review of Christopher Bryan, The Resurrection of the Messiah, Biblical and Early Christian Studies, facebook.com/RBECS.org, 27 September, 2012

In the years following the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, a group of people who claimed to be ... more In the years following the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, a group of people who claimed to be his followers, later to be called Christians, established the Christian church. When asked why this happened, they often responded with the claim that Jesus was raised from the dead despite the fact that it initially would have sounded just as surprising and unlikely to Jews and Gentiles alike. These followers of Jesus seem stubbornly to have persisted with their claims, expecting to be taken seriously and even appealing to named eyewitnesses. But why were these claims made? What did they mean? Why did these Christians stubbornly persist with them? What actually happened to Jesus of Nazareth? (pp. 3-4) Answering these questions form the heart of Christopher Bryans' 432 pages, 937 endnote volume: The Resurrection of the Messiah. Bryan covers Second Temple Judaism, the Greco-Roman world (with e.g. interesting discussions about the legend of Alcestis), 1 Corinthians 15 and the four canonical gospels to answer these questions. Following this, he discusses five modern objections/ alternative explanations to the claim that Jesus rose from the grave in a transformed body, claiming to debunk all of them (especially the views of Bultmann, Borg, Crossan, and Lüdemann), followed by the implications of Jesus' resurrection. The main contributions of this work are probably: i) the way in which it makes serious and often technical scholarship more digestible for the relatively uninformed reader; ii) some kind of middle ground position somewhere between the likes of Richard Bauckham and N.T. Wright on the one hand, and others like David Catchpole and C.H. Dodd on the other; iii) his academic rigor in the extensive endnotes (a full 146 pages!); iv) and also his creative and constant interaction with Anglo-Catholic liturgy, Reformed music, and poetry.

"EATING AND DRINKING IN THE RESURRECTION BODY", Tyndale Bulletin 67.2 (2016) 313-316

Review of Baptism in the Early Church: History, theology, and liturgy in the first five centuries, Everett Ferguson (Eerdmans 2009), 954 pp, Theology, March/April 2010, pp 142-144.

Review of The Early Church: History and memory, Josef Lossl (T&T Clark International 2009), 256 pp, Theology, November/December 2010, pp 454-455.

Review of The Resurrection of Jesus. A New Historiographical Approach, Michael R. Licona (IVP Academic 2010), 718 pp, in Theology, February 2012, pp 51-52.

Review of Christ’s Resurrection in Early Christianity and the Making of the New Testament, Markus Vinzent (Ashgate 2011), 276 pp, in Theology, April 2012, pp 123-24.

Review of Moral Formation according to Paul, James W. Thompson (Baker Academic 2011), in Theology, March 2013, pp 213-214.

Review of Jesus. A Very Short Introduction, Richard Bauckham (Oxford University Press 2011), in Churchman, Winter 2013, pp 357-358.

“Kraakvars nuwe getuienis oor Jesus se opstanding”, in Om te Mag Dink (red. Udo Karstens; Juventus, Vereniging vir Christenleiers; Aros Akademiese Reformatoriese Opleiding en Studies; Aros Uitgewery, Totiusdal, 2013), 68-85.

in Om te Mag Glo (red. Udo Karstens; Juventus, Vereniging vir Christenleiers; Aros Akademiese Ref... more

The Resurrection of Jesus: Recent Major Figures in the Debate, MTh dissertation, University of Pretoria, 2006

Opgestaan: Studente se stryd om geloof by Tukkies in die jare 2001-2006 (2010)

by Frederik Mulder and Ferdie Mulder

Sedert veral die jaar 2000 is daar voortdurend debatte in Suid-Afrika oor of Jesus regtig uit die... more Sedert veral die jaar 2000 is daar voortdurend
debatte in Suid-Afrika oor of Jesus regtig uit
die dood opgestaan het, en of dit nie eerder as ŉ
metafoor verstaan moet word nie. In hierdie boek
neem Ferdie Mulder gelowiges op ŉ agter-dieskerms
reis om beter te verstaan hoe hierdie saak
tot onlangs toe by top universiteite verloop het. Hy
vertel aangrypende, maar ook skokkende verhale
van sommige studente se ontnugterings, dosente
se uitsprake, en ook die kontroversie rondom die
gewraakte petisie waarin ŉ groep studente Jesus
se liggaamlike opstanding bely het. Mulder, die
inisieerder daarvan, is uiteindelik deur die NG Kerk
verbied om predikant te word, en is ook lewenslank
geskors van Tukkies se Fakulteit Teologie nadat
hy tydens dissiplinêre verhore skuldig bevind is.
Hierdie boek is nie net ŉ uitdaging aan die leser om
sy of haar eie posisie aangaande Jesus se opstanding
te heroorweeg nie, maar ook ŉ aangrypende
getuienis van hoe die krag van God, wat Jesus
uit die graf opgewek het, vandag nog met ons is
om hoop, vergifnis en versoening te bewerk. Die
boek is egter beslis ook kontroversieel, omdat dit
moontlik opspraakwekkende getuienis wat tydens
die onderskeie verhore na vore gekom het, bespreek.
Hierdie is ŉ moet lees boek vir almal wat wonder
en worstel oor Jesus en gelowiges se opstanding, en
ook vir diegene wat meer wil weet oor wat presies in
Afrikaanse teologiese opleiding gebeur het tussen
2000-2006 wat betref die opstanding van Jesus.

ISBN: 978-1-4316-0068-7
Publikasiedatum: Julie 2011
Prys: R139.00 (BTW ingesluit)
* Uitverkoop. Boek kan nou gratis afgelaai word
Bladsye: 368
Grootte: 213 x 137mm
Buiteblad: Sagteband
Uitgewer: Opgestaan Publikasies

CLASH OF VISIONS: MY SOUTH AFRICAN STORY AND A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS IT

by Frederik Mulder and Ferdie Mulder

Presbyterion 45/2 (Fall 2019): 115-121, 2019

REVIEW ESSAY, CLASH OF VISIONS: MY SOUTH AFRICAN STORY AND A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS IT Clash of Visi... more REVIEW ESSAY, CLASH OF VISIONS: MY SOUTH AFRICAN STORY AND A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS IT

Clash of Visions: Populism and Elitism in New Testament Theology, by ROBERT W.
YARBROUGH. Edited by J. V. Fesko and Matthew Barrett. Reformed Exegetical and Doctrinal Studies. Fearn, Ross-shire, UK: Mentor, 2019. Pp. 116. ISBN 9781527103917

For information on subscription to Presbyterion, go to
https://secure.covenantseminary.edu/subscriptions.asp