Bob, to give Rival her due, some very well respected scholars in secular Comparative Religious Studies are rabbis, priests, etc.
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Should I Read The Bible?
- Thread starter rocala
- Start date
Bob, to give Rival her due, some very well respected scholars in secular Comparative Religious Studies are rabbis, priests, etc.
I'm not suggesting that Rabbis &c. should be making all their decisions, the same as what I'm saying for scholars. When a person reads a Holy Writ, it is up to him about what he believes. Scholars and religious leaders can provide help if he has questions, is what my position is, but it is ultimately for everyone to decide for himself.
Maybe, I didn't mean to, but there are things that people are still saying that went out of scholarly fashion years if not decades ago, such as the Documentary Hypothesis.
Yes, the gold standard for atheistic (generally) secular scholars. If a person is reading a Holy Writ for spiritual reasons, what realistic use is it? There seems to be this idea among scholars of any Holy Writ that 'We're right, we let religious people believe what they want but at the end of the day we know what the text really means and when it was really written and by who...' This is an appalling position. If such were so obvious, no-one would believe in these writings. It's arrogant.
The Reverend Bob
Fart Machine and Beastmaster
You are correct but many are also laymen in regards to the field. But I still stand by my belief you must always apply critical thinking to any text whether it be the Bible or modern media and there are tools available for you to use
I strongly recommend reading the Bible if you want to understand the culture of Christendom. I am commonly appalled by the lack of Scriptural literacy in the western world.
I also strongly recommend having a copy of Isaac Asimov's "Guide to the Bible" close at hand. Asimov is brilliant at explaining the context in which the various books of the Bible were written. It's a little dated, lots has been learned in the 50 or so years since Asimov published his guide. But it is still a great help in understanding why the authors wrote what they did.
Tom
True story. Decades ago I lived near Wheaton College and knew several students from that most reputable of all Evangelical religious schools in America.
The problem was, the Wheaton grad students were studying under professors who just hadn't themselves been trained in half the tools of their trade.
Now my own professors had been from places like Harvard Divinity School, Claremont Graduate School, University of Chicago, etc. Not to put too fine of a point on it, but I could run circles around the Wheaten students -- and all I had was an undergraduate minor in Comparative Religious studies, whereas they were grad students at arguably the most prestigious Evangelical school in America. They just weren't getting an education worth crap.
That was decades ago, though -- maybe things have changed. I hope so.
The problem was, the Wheaton grad students were studying under professors who just hadn't themselves been trained in half the tools of their trade.
Now my own professors had been from places like Harvard Divinity School, Claremont Graduate School, University of Chicago, etc. Not to put too fine of a point on it, but I could run circles around the Wheaten students -- and all I had was an undergraduate minor in Comparative Religious studies, whereas they were grad students at arguably the most prestigious Evangelical school in America. They just weren't getting an education worth crap.
That was decades ago, though -- maybe things have changed. I hope so.
HEAR! HEAR!
Who do you have in mind when you speak of "atheistic secular scholars with arrogant attitudes"? Surely, you are not thinking of genuine scholars of Comparative Religious Studies.
The Reverend Bob
Fart Machine and Beastmaster
Thank you, thank you. But I also believe that these tools should be taught to all, especially those within public education, so they may discern what is false and what is true. We must teach children to utilize critical thinking
I don't think so unless you first familiarize yourself with other cultures of the time. The books in the Bible do not explain themselves and are missing not only cultural explanations but basic definitions for words. The word Holy for example is not defined in the Bible, so you are guessing what it is. You can use a modern definition such as from the Exorcist movie, or you can pick different ones from different cultures that have held the Bible. The entire Bible becomes a huge game of mad-libs or Sudoku where you stick in a word and get a completely different Bible back and where there are multiple solutions. There are a surprising number of words that have variant meanings and not only words but phrases that may be translated but have undefined meanings. In some cases if you don't know something you can actually decide what you want something to mean and then fill in all the vocabulary to give you that answer.
I certainly agree with you, Bob, but I can tell you have not been talking to the Texas State School Board.
Namely the types one sees in university lectures who are teaching it as fact instead of opinion. Scholars like Bart Ehrman I find much more palatable. Then there are those who have agendas, like a handful of feminists who seek to discredit Holy Writ on the basis of her preconcieved beliefs about women. I have very little problem with many Biblical Secular Scholars, as my problem lies with how they present their work as 'This is true the Bible is all fiction there was no King David now go home.' It was taught for years there was no King David, pretty much as complete fact, when now we are finding more evidence that there was; same with hypotheses other than the DH; the same with Nazareth - for the absolute longest time nobody believed the Nazareth where Jesus was supposed to have been born existed, now we have evidence of a tiny, tiny settlement called Nazareth in the right geographical area. I could go on, but you see my point? Teaching that 'It's fiction until we find proof' basically is a very weird way to look at it. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would go to the lengths they did to write genealogies, lists of kings, their sons, daughters, heirs and so on, if it were all a complete lie.
'The Bible as complete and total myth' really needs to die.
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The Reverend Bob
Fart Machine and Beastmaster
The gold standard by which we apply comes from Aquinas who was a theist and a Christian
Thanks for the clarification! I think I see where you are coming from now. Yeah, every field has it's wackos and nutcases.
My own personal beef is with postmodernist "scholarship". HAH! If that's scholarship,. I'm the world's greatest lover.
I have often found myself disagreeing with him lol. I find most of the Church Fathers to be pretty intolerable. Then again, as I am not a Christian I've paid them little attention for the past 3 or so years.
The Reverend Bob
Fart Machine and Beastmaster
Some people never learn and they like to ensure others don'tI certainly agree with you, Bob, but I can tell you have not been talking to the Texas State School Board.
Isn't this the whole point of RF? Ensuring no-one ever learns anything and comes away even more confused??
The Reverend Bob
Fart Machine and Beastmaster
At that, you and I agree
As well as another Jesus.