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RELG 201
Claflin University
Dr. David Battle All rights reserved.
If the Scriptures are divine revelation, the believer accepts the authority of the text. If the scriptures are the religious thoughts of men, one consults them philosophically.
INSPIRATION
The whole point of having a canon is to distinguish the biblical books from other writings.
In Christianity, the canon is the anthology of works that are considered divinely inspired and the authoritative source for all belief and practice.
Josephus notes that other works were written but since they were not written by prophets they have not been esteemed of like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there hath not been an exact succession of prophets since that time (Contra Apion 1.8)
Other works are not considered part of the Canon because they were not written by prophets. Canonical books are prophetic books.
Not just anyone was permitted of his own accord to be a writer, nor is there any disagreement in what is written; they being only prophets that have written the original and earliest accounts of things as they learned them of God himself by inspiration; .
Prophetic books are of divine origin. Divine books have theological coherence.
INSPIRATION:
2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV).
. . . knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.(2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV)
INSPIRATION: JESUS
Jesus affirms the authority of the smallest mark in the ancient texts (Matt. 5:17-19 ). Iota and not one dot.
Jesus indicates that every word of God has authority (Matt 4:4 quoting Deut 8:3) Plenary inspiration means the very words of Scripture are inspired.
Basic Hermeneutics
Exegesis Basic Question:
What is the author trying to say? Why is the author saying it this way?
Basic Hermeneutics
Exegesis
The passage means what the author meant to say. Rule: The passage cannot mean what the author never intended it to say.
Application
All readers determine the significance of the passage for themselves.
TYPES OF APPLICATIONS
Direct Application:
Rule: Whenever we share comparable particulars (i.e. similar specific life situations) with the first . . . hearers, Gods word to us is the same as his word to them (Fee and Stuart 75). Indirect Application:
Guide Line: How a passage is significance is only limited by the imagination and worldview or theology of the reader.
Tradition Criticism
Form Criticism* These methods emphasize the reconstructing the history of the composition of the text.
Feminist Theologies
Theology in general The religious person should always ask, Does a particular use of the text reflect the message of the text?
Critical Enlightenment
Follow current literary and philosophical trends.
PROTESTANT EVANGELICAL
Protestant Reformation (1500)
John Calvin (1509-1564)
Basic Assumption: God inspired selected prophets and apostles to speak His message to their times.
Since the ultimate source of the Bible is God, the Scriptures have theological coherence. These scholar view their work as a ministry in service of God and His church.
CRITICAL ENLIGHTENMENT
The Enlightenment (1700) Beneditic de Spinoza (1632-1677) Basic Assumption: The Bible is a human book written by many different authors and in different times. Since the sources are people, there is no way for there to be a coherence between the works. These scholars view supernatural assertions as irrational. These scholars view their work as a service to humanity.
Critical Enlightenment Position of doubt Unclear to cast doubt on clear. Protestant Evangelical
Position of coherence
Clear enlightens the unclear. Overall message sets the meaning.