Top 10 Posts from the Second Half of 2013

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Once again it is that lovely time of year when we look back to see what posts you, gentle readers, have been reading over the past six months. I enjoy these opportunities to take stock and see what sorts of material resonates with folks, or brings folks to the blog. Not that this in any way dictates the kind of material that gets put on here – I have little enough time to blog at all, much less to worry about blogging for the sake of some abstract and statistically generated “readership.” But it is interesting, none the less, to get some sense of what “hits” and what “misses.” In any case, here’s the standard disclaimer before we begin:
Standard disclaimer: my metrics in compiling this cannot account for views a post receives when it is read from the main blog page; it can only account for direct views. So it is altogether possible that this list is fallible (*gasps!).
So, without further ado...
  1. Why I Think…Ben Myers Isn’t Quite Right About TF Torrance - This post persistently tops these lists. In fact, it has been securely lodged in the #1 spot ever since I started doing these lists. I’m not sure why this post is so beloved? (Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts on that in the comments section…) Is it because it talks about Ben Myers? Is it because it talks about Tom Torrance? Is it because I say Ben Myers is wrong (well, technically, “not quite right”) about something? Did I just magically hit the SEO jackpot? Maybe we’ll never know…
  2. ‘Most Interesting Theologians’ Twitter Bonanza - This is a much fresher post that chronicles what was a very fun afternoon an evening spent on the interwebs with my good friend, colleague, and theologically-conjoined twin, David Congdon. Some other folks got in on it too. Be sure to check this one out if you haven’t already and, even if you have, a second look might be good for another laugh or two.
  3. So, You Want To Read Karl Barth? - This is another post that persistently makes it onto this list. It’s from 2007, so maybe it needs some updating. Undoubtedly, this book should definitely be on the list…
  4. More on “Grace in Practice”: Schleiermacher, Barth, and Zahl on an Anthropological Starting Point for Theology - This post came from DET contributor Matthew Warren. The title, I think, reveals why it was so popular among DET readers (i.e., it tackles the sort of theological issues and thinkers that DET readers are interested in). Hey Matt, how about a few more like this? ;-)
  5. On Reading and Not-Reading Barth - This post received attention not because of anything it says, but because of the conversation that it pointed to. If you missed that conversation when it occurred, you should definitely go back and familiarize yourself.
  6. Disliking a Hero: Assessing Brevard Childs after Seminary - A guest post by Collin Cornell - I’ve really appreciated Collin’s guest posts, as well as all the work he does at his own blog (Kaleidobible). Apparently, so do you, gentle readers, and that heartens me.
  7. Karl Barth on the Idolatry of God’s Wrath - This post saw a rather extensive (by recent standards) exchange of comments, so it might be worth going to see what all the fuss was about.
  8. Book Giveaway Contest! “The Westminster Handbook to Karl Barth” - This post is so recent that I’m surprised it made the list. I’m glad folks are reading it, though. For those of you out of the loop, DET is giving away a book! Go read the post for details on how you might get on the receiving end of that.
  9. Demythologizing the Divide between Barth and Bultmann - This post by the aforementioned David Congdon, written for the 2008 KBBC, always performs well. David’s dissertation, which deals with Barth and Bultmann, will be defended in a few weeks.
  10. God and the gods: The theological fruitfulness of a history-of-religions approach - A guest post by Collin Cornell - Another post by Collin. I found this to be a very stimulating post and I’m glad that you, gentle readers, did as well.
Well, that’s it!

What are some posts that you think deserved to be on this list but didn't make it?

I can’t wait to see what the next top-10 list will hold. Thanks for reading! Tell your friends, etc.

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