Category: Biblical Criticism
Yale Bible Study on First Isaiah
Those readers acquainted with biblical scholarship know that there is a general consensus that the book of Isaiah was not entirely penned by the eighth century BCE prophet. That the book underwent some kind of editing is virtually undisputed. For example, chs. 36-39 contain… Continue Reading “Yale Bible Study on First Isaiah”
David Law: Johann Semler, the “Father of Historical-Critical Research”
David R. Law, The Historical-Critical Method: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Continuum, 2012), 43. Johann Salomo Semler (1725-1791) was a pupil of [Siegmund Jakob] Baumgarten and took the next logical step by dropping Baumgarten’s notion of the supernatural understanding of Scripture and arguing… Continue Reading “David Law: Johann Semler, the “Father of Historical-Critical Research””
David Law: The Interpreter’s Task
David R. Law, The Historical-Critical Method: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Continuum, 2012), 19. The task of the interpreter is surely to allow the Bible to speak for itself and not to impose an official interpretation upon it. The text should be examined… Continue Reading “David Law: The Interpreter’s Task”
David Law: Historical “Criticism” Is An Approach, Not an Attitude
David R. Law, The Historical-Critical Method: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Continuum, 2012), 8. The terms ‘criticism’ and ‘critical’ have negative connotations in everyday speech. ‘To be critical’ or ‘to criticize’ normally means to find fault with someone or something. This is not… Continue Reading “David Law: Historical “Criticism” Is An Approach, Not an Attitude”
John Barton on Biblical Criticism
For those who read frequently in the areas of biblical scholarship, the name John Barton is undoubtedly a familiar one. He has written prolifically over the course of his nearly half-century career, producing such volumes as The Nature of Biblical Criticism (Westminster John Knox Press, 2007)… Continue Reading “John Barton on Biblical Criticism”
The Weekly Roundup – 5.17.19
“To be clear, some religious people evaluate their subjective experience as a piece of the evidential pie without taking this strong of a stance – but I want to address those who attempt to build atop the ‘unshakable’ ground of religious experience. The epistemology… Continue Reading “The Weekly Roundup – 5.17.19”
The Christian Defenders’ 5 Reasons: The Criterion of Embarassment
For other posts in this series, please visit the series’ page. The Christian Defenders’ second reason for believing that the Bible is true is that the Bible contains “embarrassing details.” They begin, If I were to create a religious book I would make sure… Continue Reading “The Christian Defenders’ 5 Reasons: The Criterion of Embarassment”
The Weekly Roundup – 2.22.19
“The stories of the ancestors of the Israelites do not come from any one period but developed over time. It is best to see the ancestors as composite characters.” – John McDermott Bart Ehrman asks and answers the question “Why does it matter if… Continue Reading “The Weekly Roundup – 2.22.19”
Musings on Mark: Artfully Structured
Gerd Theissen, The New Testament: A Literary History (Fortress Press, 2012), 43-44. The Gospel of Mark is artfully structured. It consists of individual pericopes, each of which makes its own point. Through their arrangement into a gospel they acquire a “surplus of meaning”: in the… Continue Reading “Musings on Mark: Artfully Structured”
A Conversation with @MiraScriptura
Today over on the Mira Scriptura podcast is a conversation I had with @MiraScriptura covering a wide range of topics including my journey from Christianity to atheism, views on the Documentary and Supplementary Hypotheses, love for the Gospel of Mark, thoughts on Bernard Lamborelle’s The Covenant,… Continue Reading “A Conversation with @MiraScriptura”
The Amateur Exegete 