What started out with William Dever's entertaining characterization of several Sheffield scholars who practiced their craft in, or rather on the topic of, the ANE and Biblical Studies has now been broadened to encompass a NT scholar(s).
While the first mention of the Sheffield School of Biblical Studies was quite ridiculous for anyone who has taken the time to read any of the distinctive works of such notable scholars as David Clines, Diana Edelman, Philip Davies, Keith Whitelam, Hugh Pyper, and Cheryl Exum. Clearly one should be able to very quickly see the folly in putting all of these scholars into some kind of homogeneous school. Even for those who have questioned certain aspects of Israel's past, they are much too divergent in their views to be considered a school of thought, quite frankly the idea is ludicrous. But at least one could understand why Dever used the term for his rhetorical and polemical purposes, even if it was childish to do so.
But now the gloves are off and their is a new Sheffield School, or perhaps it is an extension of the first, that fact is really of no importance. The "Postcolonial Sheffield School" is now open for business, and seemingly all are welcome. With the addition of James Crossley, Loveday Alexander, Barry Matlock, and Jorunn Økland pretty much all viewpoints have been amalgamated into one homogeneous School.
On a side note: How did John Hobbins get Crossley's book, I have been waiting since SBL to get my hands on this?
