A New Kind of Biblical Scholar

Last week we put a new book on Pre-Pub entitled Let Go and Let God? by Andy Naselli. From one perspective, it’s just another quality Christian book that we’re offering at a discount to everyone who pre-orders it. You, the community, get to vote on whether or not you want us to publish it, just like you do with most Pre-Pubs. (In this case, you’ve clearly voted yes.)

From another perspective, there is something worth highlighting. There’s a neat story that illustrates a changing tide.

Naselli relied heavily on Logos as he worked on his MA in Bible, PhD in Theology, and PhD in New Testament Exegesis and Theology. He’s so convinced of the benefits of having a digital library in Logos that he’s been aggressively building it and avidly promoting Logos to his professors, colleagues, and students through his reviews, research, blog posts, and word of mouth. He still purchases, owns, and uses print books, but in most cases it’s just because they aren’t yet available for Logos. So Andy’s first book is in large part the fruit of his research with Logos Bible Software.

But what’s special about Let Go and Let God? is not just that it was written by someone who does the vast majority of his research using Logos, but that its author decided that instead of publishing his first solo book in print, he’d rather publish it digitally with Logos Bible Software. He’s convinced of the value of Logos Bible Software, not just for his own research, but as a platform for helping others do research. He wanted his book’s readers to experience the same benefits he experienced while he was writing it.

Let Go and Let God? will be searchable and linked to other cited sources. Definitions for Greek, Hebrew, and English words are just a click away. Scripture passages in the user’s favorite version are instantly accessible, helping readers be rooted in the Bible rather than just taking the author’s word for it. All these things encourage readers to interact more responsibly with his words.

Beyond these, there’s the benefit of its instant global reach. Books published for Logos Bible Software have an immediate universality thanks to the internet. Think about it. The day it’s published, anyone in the world with internet access can click a button and have Naselli’s work on his PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod, iPad, or any internet-connected device. How cool is that?

I can’t help but think that this work will be more useful and have a greater impact than it would have had it been published in print instead. It’s exciting to think about the potential that lies ahead as a new generation of young students and scholars takes advantage of benefits of digital resources and then in turn has their own works published digitally.

By the way, if you haven’t yet placed your pre-order for Naselli’s work, I’d encourage you to do so. Whether you agree with his conclusions or not, his book will help you think seriously about your Christian growth and pursuit of godliness. But don’t just take my word for it. Read the foreword by Tom Schreiner and the twenty-one other scholars and pastors who endorse it.

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Logos Staff

Logos is the largest developer of tools that empower Christians to go deeper in the Bible.

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Written by Logos Staff
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