Politicizing the Bible: The Roots of Historical Criticism and the Secularization of Scripture 1300-1700

by Scott Hahn, Benjamin Wiker

Resisting the typical, dry methods of contemporary scholarship, this powerful examination revisits the biblical days of life-and-death conflict, struggles for power between popes and kings, and secret alliances of intellectuals united by a desire to pit worldly goals against the spiritual priorities of the church. This account looks beyond the pretense of neutrality and objectivity often found in secular study, and brings to light the appropriation of scripture by politically motivated interpreters. Questioning the techniques taken for granted at divinity schools worldwide, their origins are traced to the writings of Machiavelli and Marsilio of Padua, the political projects of Henry VIII, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke, and the quest for an empire of science on the part of Descartes and Spinoza. Intellectual and inspiring, an argument is made for bringing Christianity back to biblical literacy.

Genres: History, Theology, Philosophy, Catholic, Faith, Religion, Christianity

624 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Scott Hahn is a renowned Catholic theologian, apologist, speaker, and bestselling author whose work has had a profound impact on contemporary biblical theology and Catholic thought. A former Presbyterian minister, Hahn converted to Catholicism in 1986 after an intense personal and theological journey, which he details in his popular book Rome Sweet Home, co-written with his wife, Kimberly Hahn. Their story of conversion has inspired countless readers around the world and remains a landmark in modern Catholic apologetics.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politicizing the Bible is a meaty tome spanning over 500 pages, which examines the origins of the historical critical method as a means of interpreting the Bible and identifies famous people who utilized this method. For those unfamiliar with the historical critical method, it is a way of understanding the Bible through understanding the literal meaning of Biblical texts when placed in the original historical context. This means the researcher wants to know who wrote it, when it was written, where it was written, what influenced the writing of it, etc. Additionally, one can use this method and compare the Biblical text to other texts written during the same period. In a nutshell, this method focuses on the human origins of the Biblical text, which isn't wrong but doesn't give you the whole picture either.

In this book, Drs. Hahn and Wiker cover both the development of the historical critical method over time and the key people in history who utilized the historical critical method. These people used their interpretation of Biblical texts to further their own political purposes and agendas. Some such people include Martin Luther, Thomas Hobbes, Machiavelli, and even King Henry VIII. Another interesting fact that I learned from reading this book is that most people believe this method originated in the 17th or 18th Century. However, the two authors demonstrate that it in fact had its earliest origins in the 14th Century, well before the Reformation ever occurred.

Each person listed above (and the others not listed in this review) is the subject of a fascinating chapter in this book, which demonstrates how the historical critical method developed over time. Drs. Hahn and Wiker were able to show how each person's idea builds off the ideas of their predecessors to further secularize and politicize the Bible. This steady shift in thought ended up having a lasting effect on modern interpretation of Scripture. It is worth pointing out that Biblical critics often claim that the historical critical method of studying Scripture is unbiased and neutral. One only needs to skim this book to see that this is not the case. A deeper read will show you that whenever people are involved, bias is impossible to eliminate; people will manipulate even the Bible if it suits their agenda.

Politicizing the Bible is THE go-to guide for an explanation and critique of the historical critical method. Be forewarned though, this is not a book for the casual reader. When placed next to your Bible, the two books look nearly equally big and thick. In addition to the size and weight of this book, almost each page is half text and half footnotes. This is a book for the serious student of Scripture, and if you fall into that category you will want this 5 star book on your shelf.

[Blair Hodges · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps the biggest flaw in this meticulously argued overview of the origins of higher criticism of the Bible is that the authors cash in on methods of historical analysis while simultaneously painting said methods in a rather poor light. The main argument is that today's higher criticism is the product of pre-seventeenth-century philosophy and political theology. An array of diverse thinkers are discussed, including Martin Luther, Edward VIII, Spinoza, Machiavelli, Locke, Averroes, Hobbes, and others. The seemingly abstract exegetical principles each advanced were bound up in the political and social contexts each wrote within. As Catholics, the writers of this overview seem particularly interested in exploring anti-Catholic rebuttals of the Church's tradition, authority to limit scriptural interpretation, etc. Without agreeing with all conclusions, the book is very well-written, enjoyable, and offers plenty of food for thought in the ways that political commitments interact with religious practice and belief.

[Keith Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very happy to see this book in my pile to review. At last, I thought, a serious book by a respected scholars, telling an important story. It even had a classy cover. It did not prove to be the book that I expected.

Hahn and Wiker write about how scripture has been distorted by political considerations, as if the bible was not political from the very start. They seem to have an agenda that was in place before they even wrote a word. To defend the Catholic Church. Who's being political now?

I should have stuck to William Stringfellow.

[Kris]

Recommended by Stephen B. Chapman.

[Alan Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hahn and Wiker dig up the roots of the historical-critical method of interpretation. Under the HC method the Bible becomes just another human historical document. History itself becomes a kind of god. Miracles are impossible. All the fables in the OT and NT could be explained by natural causes and effects. Proper allegorical interpretation through tradition is rejected.

In the wake of papal scandals and religious wars, exegetes wanted to remove power from Rome and avoid violent doctrinal disputes. A secularized version of salvation was taught as well as a worldly kingdom other than the spiritual kingdom of the church. Descartes saw writers and actors of the Bible as prescientific, and revelation was a kind of embarrassment from the childhood of man. Hobbes said the natural cause of religion was curiosity and fear. Spiritualizing elements were alien corruptions from the Greeks.

Spinoza asserted that it was impossible to take away superstition from the vulgar, uneducated masses. Myth represents a prerational stage appropriate to primitive humanity. John Locke believed that St. Paul was wrong about the timing of Christ’s coming. Locke said that Paul believed it would literally happen in the first century.

This book explains a lot about attitudes toward religion in the modern world.

[Sérgio Inácio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente leitura, principalmente para os que desejam compreender os intrincados e obscuros motivos que serviram de embrião para aquilo que se conhece como o método de interpretação histórico-crítico.

[Zbigniew Zdziarski · Rating 3 out of 5]

So dry and academical. Way too many details as well for a book on theology and biblical interpretation. It reads like a PhD dissertation, in fact. The authors' conclusions are interesting, however, and the book is well structured too.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating information! The text in the hardback copy was tiny though so it was rather hard to read.