Journal of European Baptist Studies, 2007

dent (the IBTS PhDs are accredited by the University of Wales) who looks at the theology of friendship; Andy Odle (USA), undertaking a PhD at King’s College, University of Aberdeen, on the church in the world, especially focusing on the homeless; and Peter Zvagulis (Latvia), a PhD student at IBTS exploring perceptional aspects of communal violence and reconciliation. The paper by Scot Becker (USA) arises from his PhD studies at Aberdeen University on the relationship of Luke to the Old Testament. Doug Heidebrecht (Canada) is a PhD student at IBTS, and his paper arises from his work on James McClendon’s practice of communal discernment and conflicting convictions among Mennonite Brethren. Gregory Nichols (USA), an IBTS PhD student, has contributed from his research on Ivan Kargel and the shaping of Baptist identity in the Russian-speaking world. In addition, there are papers from Ovidiu Creanga (Romania), working on his doctoral dissertation at King’s College London, on ’Israel’s Identity and the Commemoration of the Past in Joshua’s Conquest Narrative’; Mark Moore (USA), similarly completing PhD work in biblical studies with IBTS; Brian Brock (USA), Lecturer in Moral and Practical Theology of Aberdeen University; Corneliu Constantineanu (Romania/ Croatia), Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of New Testament at ETS in Osijek; Parush R Parushev (Bulgaria), Pro-Rector and Senior Research Lecturer in Applied Theology at IBTS; and Matthew Thomas (USA), who is exploring Israel’s growing sense of its identity as expressed in the biblical text. This is a rich feast. The papers in this volume make a significant contribution to interdisciplinary theological cross-fertilization. The Revd Dr Ian Randall, Senior Research Fellow, IBTS