A good resource on Mark’s gospel at the Syneidon blog.

http://syneidon.podbean.com/2009/02/06/exploring-the-gospel-of-mark-1/

It’s the first of a series of podcasts (although the others aren’t up yet), lasts about 20 minutes, is 13.MB to download and the blog describes it as follows:

“Robert Foster and Richard Goode from the SYNEIDON Research Project at the University of Birmingham begin their exploration of this year’s Lectionary Gospel, the Gospel of Mark.

“This episode looks at the structure and style of Mark, the things which make Mark distinctive from the other Gospels. It also includes the first part of an interview with Professor David Parker (University of Birmingham)

who takes us through some of the literary characteristics of Mark’s writing. The podcasts will also feature recommended and books and resources to help further your exploration of a fascinating and influential little book.”

Foster, Goode and Parker are all very British, so it’s fairly understated. They’re all academics but Foster is also a lay preacher, so is interested in how you express the results of academic scholarship in the pulpit (although at first I thought he said “bullpit”).

They recommend a commentary on Mark: Morna D Hooker. The Gospel According to Mark. Black’s New Testament Commentaries. Continuum. 2001.

I have not used this myself, but Morna Hooker is a very impressive biblical scholar, and she has the ability to communicate her work in words that are accessible to a non-academic audience.

April 2009

(From a pastor-friend).