I didn't know this existed! (Reviewing a Wesleyan/Holiness version of the NIV Study Bible) 

Thank you for the review. I’ve been a life-long Methodist and I learned a lot from your comments. Your reviews go deeper in theology than what I’ve seen in other reviews. Thank you for this service to fellow believers.

I see used copies of this study bible that are a bit expensive for a copy that is only "acceptable" or "good". However, there's an inexpensive paperback with the same title and cover that might just contains the notes, or an expansion on the notes. I plan to purchase this book. Thanks for the review.

So glad to get your thoughts kn it! And that it actually arrived, Ive been enjoying it a lot myself as ive been working through it.

Thanks, i also was suprised when i found this non- calvinistic SB. Would like to hear your take on provisionist view. Blessings !

Such perfect timing! I already knew that most (or at least a lot) of Biblical scholarship was from a Reformed (specifically Calvinist) perspective. However, recently, it really hit me. I was Reading John 6 and, when it came to John 6:44, specifically, all my study Bibles either didn’t acknowledge it or went with a Calvinist understanding (which, I would argue, is a position derived from eisegesis.) Even the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible leaned that way, which, I guess, makes sense since D.A Carson wrote the commentary for John. Anyway, to my point, I was recently looking for more Wesleyan or, at least, Arminian or non-reformed scholarship (like the Wesley Study Bible, which you have already reviewed previously, for instance.) Not that I rely on scholarship to interpret scripture, but 1.) it helps and 2.) it’s nice to see non Reformed Biblical scholarship. So, this review is perfectly on time, from my perspective 😊.

What a weirdly mixed-bag of a Bible! The "essays" sound great and notes like the one referencing Jeremiah are useful, but the stock notes with non-Wesleyan slants (or rather, the notes which offer multiple interpretations without pointing out which viewpoints are more or less consistent with Methodist theology) are odd. Perhaps the editors of this Bible also had to grapple with the same issue the editors of the Orthodox Study Bible faced, only being able to make a limited amount of changes to the base NIV Study Bible while creating their specialized study Bible. I'm sure despite its shortcomings, it's proven helpful to many: I gained a lot just listening to the bits and pieces you shared from the essays. I'd love to purchase and use an updated version with consistent notes. Actually, I'd even be thrilled with a study Bible with less notes overall, but ones focusing on Methodist theology and readings -- surely there must be a viable market for a good Wesleyan/Methodist/Holiness Movement study Bible? The lack is shocking.

Someone provided some info on this Study Bible in a FB comment thread a while back. IIRC he said that it was the Holiness folks who approached Zondervan. The NIV Study Bible was supposed to be sort of middle of the road on issues where evangelicals differ. And in many cases it does give multiple interpretations, which is no doubt one reason why it was so popular back then. My understanding is that the Holiness folks complained that it was still too slanted against Wesleyan views. (Strange as it may seem now, some Wesleyans and others considered the NIV translation itself to be somewhat of a "Calvinist translation" back in the day.) Zondervan allowed them to do a very limited adaptation. They were not allowed to change the pagination when it came to the study notes. So that may be one reason why some notes were left alone that might have been changed otherwise. I got one of these a while back but haven't spent much time with it. I think it would have been helpful if they would have included something in the index that indicated the changes to the notes. It was also published in bonded and genuine leather. If it went though more than one printing it probably wasn't much more. Some years previously, Lutherans had done an adaptation of the NIV Study Bible that entitled the Concordia Self-Study Bible. I'm not sure if they were allowed more latitude. Another conservative Wesleyan Study Bible is The Wesley Bible in the NKJV which was published in the early 80s. They are usually a lot more expensive on the used market than this one is.

Thank you, Brother 🌹⭐🌹☮️

Could you give some recommendations on where to start with John Wesley's writings?

Thank you

Why not go the the source? John Wesely's Notes on the Old and New Testament 😮

This was helpful because I like to have study Bibles that are not laced with Calvinism or complimentarianism. It’s hard finding those resources. Crossway is great, but it’s everywhere. Why isn’t Weslian traditions as popular? If it’s easy to find complimentarian and Calvinist sources it should also be easy to find Weslian and egalitarian ones as well. At least ideally…

7:19 JM, do “all Wesleyans, “generally,” actually hold to Total Depravity? It’s a genuine question because, in my understanding, Wesleyans wouldn’t hold to Total Depravity, they would hold to Diminished Depravity. Total Depravity is directly linked to the Calvinist T.U.L.I.P, while Diminished Depravity would be linked to the Arminian D.A.I.S.Y, correct? Edit: I know this may be asking a lot, but could you maybe give a simplified explanation of how Prevenient Grace would influence, not just any form of depravity, but, specifically, Total Depravity?

Do you want to know more? Please read Codeword Barbelon and watch Tares Among the Wheat

As a Muslim, I follow the Jewish/Protestant canon of Bible to understand Bible. The problem with Protestant tradition is that there are too many study bibles, translations and commentaries, compared to Catholic/Orthodox traditions.

The complentarian/egalitarian perspective is actually not as straightforward in those who take on the Wesleyan perspective. For instance, I would consider myself more complementarian when it comes to household structure, but more egalitarian when it comes to the ordination of women and church structure. Others who would consider themselves Wesleyan hold to a strictly complementarian view across the board. I guess this is to say that I'm not surprised to see explanation without preference on the subject even in a Wesleyan oriented study Bible.

Let's call it what it is. This was an opportunistic money grab for zondervan. I know you always like to hold hands with everyone and sing kumbaya, But sometimes you have to call a spade a spade.