ENGAGING WITH THE TEXT;BEING ENGAGED BY THE

TEXT

Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment changes in Biblical interpretation

Two big questions

How do we view the text? How do we engage (interpret & apply) the

text? The answer to the second question is

always determined by the answer to the first question.

Beneath these two questions lie deeper issues about truth, authority and experience. These are affected by society and culture

A glance backwards

Early Christians had to wrestle with what to include in the NT; this was a process of interpretation

A principle of inclusion was when a book was viewed as authoritative beyond its original context

Already, the entire OT was seen as pointing towards Jesus

Medieval period

Appeal to ancient authority was common, especially Augustine

The Bible had a dominant role in society, even if few could read it

Few people could read Greek, although quite a few could read Hebrew

Medieval period 2

Scripture was seen as having several “senses”:

Literal Allegorical Moral Mystical

Medieval period 3

Unity was seen as vital, so variant interpretations were shunned.

Church was powerful and heretics were punished (Wycliffe, Hus).

Academic freedom was permitted to a point until the Church (Pope) made a decision, then obedience was mandatory.

Lectio Divina (spiritual reading)

Prayerful preparation Quiet receptiveness to Holy Spirit: listen

and obey, don’t question Close attention to every detail in text Appreciate Biblical imagery,

contemplation of God

Early vs Medieval Interpretation

Aquinas brought philosophy (Aristotle) to bear on theology, which placed an emphasis on Reason, alongside Revelation.

Example: Exodus 23:19. Augustine allegorised this as a prophecy that

Christ would not die in the slaughter of innocents at Bethlehem.

Aquinas found a theological principle in the literal sense, that we should avoid cruelty and pagan practices, which sounds much more modern to us.

Reformation

Principle of Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone.

Roman Catholic Church responded at the Council of Trent, claiming that tradition was an equal authority with the scripture.

Reformers believed that scripture and reason were always in harmony because God was the author of both.

Modern Era from 1650

There were now established principles of questioning the Church and also the State.

It was only a short time before other authorities began to be questioned, especially scripture itself

The Enlightenment

The 18th century saw the arrival of the Enlightenment in which reason was central

Many saw anything supernatural as irrational

A denial of miracles ultimately led to a denial of the deity of Christ and the battle-lines were drawn: for many Reason became the implacable enemy of orthodox Christian doctrines.

Historico-critical method The Enlightenment encouraged study of the

historical context in which the original texts were written, and considered processes by which they may have developed and been edited.

Anomalies in the biblical text, especially the OT, were seen to be clues as to the formation of the text, and as indicative of input by varied groups over a period of time.

A development from earlier Humanist emphasis on sources and context, but also often used by those who had an agenda of undermining scripture.

Two 18th century stream

The historico-critical method gained ground, and Deism spread

Pietism was a reaction, a devotional movement with a strong emphasis on Bible reading, evangelism and study groups, with a frequent anti-intellectual bias.

Archaeology & manuscripts Gradually, as more NT manuscripts

were discovered people realised that: There were families of manuscripts The most familiar reading was not

necessarily the best ones Divine inspiration of scripture couldn’t be

understood in a mechanical way

Romanticism responds Romanticism arose in the late 18th & early 19th

centuries and saw rationalism as missing the point in key areas such as love, mystery, and other emotions. The myth of the “objective observer”

Romantics recognised that the Bible speaks to people at a much more profound level than the purely rational.

Schleiermacher, a key Romantic theologian, emphasised the feeling of God-consciousness. The Bible was not just a text to be analysed, it was a portal to experience.

A rollercoaster legacy

Gratitude for the past Appreciation for the present Communities of interpretation