OCABS (Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies)

The Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies was established to educate, inspire and challenge the faithful to recognize the centrality of sound biblical interpretation for life in Christ. The last 50 years have seen a wonderful renewal in the areas of liturgy, music, iconography, patristics, and monasticism. OCABS is part of a growing community of faithful in the Orthodox Church who are embracing the same renewal in the development of serious Scriptural studies and preaching.

Make sure to visit OCABS at their primary website here.

New Commentary on 2 Corinthians Released by OCABS Press

The Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS) recently released a new title in The Chrysostom Bible Commentary Series. 2 Corinthians: A Commentary, is authored by The Very Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi, professor of Biblical Studies and Languages at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. Books in the Chrysostom Series are not so much written in honor of John Chrysostom as they are published to continue and promote his legacy as an interpreter of the biblical texts for preaching and teaching God's congregation.

In this volume, Dr. Tarazi explains that previous studies of 2 Corinthians are plagued by "the unwarranted premise that the Corinthian correspondence contains different letters sent out on different occasions...The premise sounds convincing," Dr. Tarazi writes, "because several times one hears reference to Paul having written to the Corinthians (1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 2:2-3; 7:12), if not outright to "letters" (1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 7:8; 10:9-11)...However, when one deals with the New Testament books as literature, then one will realize that reference to something 'written' is a mere literary stratagem to draw the hearer's attention to the importance of what is being 'said.'"

Father Paul is also the author of a three volume Introduction to the Old Testament, a four volume Introduction to the New Testament, and the Chrysostom Bible Series. His Audio Bible Commentaries on the books of the Old and New Testament are available on the OCABS website.

OCABS Press Releases Joshua: A Commentary

The Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS) recently released a new title in The Chrysostom Bible Commentary Series. Joshua: A Commentary is authored by The Very Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi, professor of Biblical Studies and Languages at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. Books in the Chrysostom Series are not so much written in honor of John Chrysostom as they are published to continue and promote his legacy as an interpreter of the biblical texts for preaching and teaching God's congregation.

In this newest volume, Fr. Paul explains that Joshua, like most of Scripture, has been "plagued by the proof texting approach of classical theology....Instead of asking the simple question, 'What is the book saying?'" most of us, Tarazi contends, "have been programmed to ask, 'What is the book saying concerning a certain topic?'...the 'topic' we are interested in is already defined in our minds...by merely asking the question, we are already straightjacketing Scripture."

Festschrift Volume for Fr. Paul Tarazi Features Old Testament Scholars

Peter Lang International Academic Publishers recently announced the release of a new title, a festschrift ("celebration publication") in honor of The Very Rev. Dr. Paul Tarazi, an Antiochian Biblical scholar and professor of Old Testament at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. The Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi is the third book in a series, "Bible in the Christian Orthodox Tradition," and includes a collection of articles discussing the latest scholarly findings in the field of the Old Testament studies. Scholars from around the world Fr. Paul Taraziconducting research in the Old Testament text, theology, canon, interpretation, and criticism have contributed their recent findings in the fields of their research and teaching to this volume.