I am certain that this was planned long before his passing, but it is interesting to note for those who love their Bible programs (like I do). I just noticed that Logos Bible Software is offering the Eerdmans Bible Reference Collection (5 Vols.) in their pre-publication program (basically, you purchase early so they can develop the product and send it to you when it’s ready). David Scholer’s 1973 edition of A Basic Bibliographic Guide for New Testament Exegesis (the second edition) is among the five volumes in the collection.

I have a tentative third edition that was printed for use in Fuller Seminary courses. I don’t know if he was working on publishing an updated version of it. The third edition is quite helpful. The problem with publishing bibliographies, of course, is that they go out of date so quickly. So, the second edition is not the best thing for keeping up on recent scholarship, but it will point out the interesting things that were going on in New Testament studies back then.

In a review published by the Catholic Biblical Quarterly in 1974, James T. Clemons writes:

Intended for theological students and seminary-educated persons, this guide should be quite serviceable for all those engaged in NT interpretation. Titles, almost entirely limited to books in English, are divided into 12 sections, including bibliographic surveys and tools; texts of OT and NT; concordances, lexicons, and grammars; introductions; dictionaries and encyclopedias; literature, history, and religions of the NT world, subdivided into pagan, Jewish, and early Christian; translations and commentaries; and interpretive principles of exegesis. Publication dates range from late 19th century through mid-1972.

[ . . . ]

S. has provided a basic tool and can only be commended for his work. I shall make good use of it in several areas of investigation and gladly call its values to the attention of my students.

My previous tribute to David Scholer has become the most read post I have ever written; most of the visits are from those searching for “David Scholer” and variations. This in itself is a tribute to a man who left an enormous impact on the world.

Blog posts about him keep popping up. I would just like to mention a few notable locations:

• Biblioblogger Judy Redman encountered David’s teaching during one of his trips to Australia
• Mark provides several links to sermons, articles, and the like on his blog (he also has several thoughts on David’s legacy himself–David officiated at Mark’s wedding)
• The LA Times has their obituary up for David [One note: they mention homosexuality on there, but I don't recall ever hearing him talk about homosexuality. I don't know if that is a mistake on their part or if I just missed it.]
• Fuller has a tribute to his legacy up as well
• You may want to check out two of his writings of interest: an article on his journey with women and ministry (what he is so known for) and a sermon on his struggle with cancer.

Last week, we lost a great New Testament scholar, seminary professor, advocate for women in ministry, and one of the kindest, most beautiful persons I have ever known. Though he lived longer than all expectations, David Scholer passed away on Friday morning after a six-year battle with colorectal cancer. David has had a tremendous influence upon me in my Fuller career and I feel so blessed to have known him. Without knowing it (and even though I took more classes with some other NT professors), David helped me find my “niche” in New Testament studies: social history. His interest in the area is evidenced in the volume he recently edited, Social Distinctives of the Christians in the First Century: Pivotal Essays by E. A. Judge.

David was a lover of books and history. He often told us of his pursuit in finding rare books, particularly those of interest in biblical studies and women’s roles. In his courses, he not only focused on the biblical texts themselves, but also went through the history of interpretation as few people could. He was a noted bibliographer–I have been helped by his Basic Bibliographic Guide for New Testament Exegesis put out by the Fuller Seminary bookstore (see the list of his titles printed by them). He also produced the two volume Nag Hammadi Bibliography (volume one covering 1948-1969 and volume two covering 1970-1994). Some may know him for editing a popular version of the works of Philo.

I do know that David was working with Hendrickson Publishers on publishing his collection of writings on women in the New Testament and early Christianity. This collection has been used in his course, “Women, the Bible, and the Church,” for a number of years. It would truly be a shame if the collection was not made available to a wider audience. I hope we’ll be hearing more from Hendrickson in the near future on this!

I will deeply miss David’s generous spirit. He would always say hello as he passed by, even if he was clearly having a difficult time getting around. He would joke with me about sparring with him in class from time to time, particularly when I would show my Anabaptist leanings. When I had requested his recommendation for doctoral programs and he was not able to fulfill the request while he was in the hospital, he nevertheless composed a brief letter to be sent to all the programs to which I was applying. I will always be deeply grateful for such generosity. I hope my debt to him can be paid, at least in part, by trying to live out his legacy as a humble, but passionate academic educator.

Please remember David’s wife Jeannette, their daughters Emily and Abigail and their daughter’s families in the coming days and weeks. Memorial gifts may be made to the David M. Scholer Scholarship Fund at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA 91182.

Other remembrances of David:

• Fuller Theological Seminary Professor Dies of Cancer
• Remembering Dr. David Scholer
• Prof. David Scholer Passes Into Glory
• Remembering David
• “Apparently David Scholer . . . has crossed the finish line. . . .”

And don’t miss last year’s story on him in the LA Times. If you’d like to get a glimpse of the man in a very moving sermon for Fuller’s 2008 Baccalaureate, you can find it at Fuller’s page on iTunes U. I may upload it to YouTube later, but for now, check it out at iTunes, under “All Seminary Chapel,” entitled “It Is About God . . . Not About Us (Baccalaureate 2008)”.

Update (Same Day): Fuller has posted an excellent tribute to the legacy of David Scholer on its website. If you’d like to keep track of blog posts on David, try this link.

Were it not for this man, my Fuller Seminary experience would be vastly different. I do not even want to imagine it. Thus far, I have learned from Dr. Scholer not only information and theories about the New Testament, early Christianity, and women’s roles in all of the above, but I have also gleaned the necessary conviction for a gracious spirit in scholarly discussion. He is both progressive and kindly compassionate. For those who don’t know, David Scholer has colorectal cancer, which has spread to both lungs. He has outlived all expectations, and he does so with smiles, laughter, and generosity. As for me, I look forward to diving into the Greek text of Revelation with him in his class on it this Fall. Keep praying for him; he is a blessing.

Catch the article here.