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According to the Scriptures?: The Challenge of Using the Bible in Social, Moral, and Political Questions
At different times in history, churches have changed their understanding of how biblical commandments should be interpreted and applied. 'According to the Scriptures?' traces the history of the use of the Bible from New Testament invocations of the Old Testament to today. The book opens by outlining the history of how the Bible has been used to answer social, moral and political questions. It goes on to examine a range of case studies - sexual relationships, life issues, attitudes to authority, and the charging of interest - to assess how the Bible can illuminate contemporary concerns.
128 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2007
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 15, 2021
I was disappointed at the weak hermeneutics in approaching the Bible as an ancient text and its context, and the lack of depth of content.
It’s overall approach seemed up be that the Bible is confusing and old, so if there is anything that aligns with our modern cognitive thought and worldview, we can adapt it for our use. But beyond that, there isn’t much there that’s relevant anymore.
If the time is put into understanding the Bible in its own cognitive context and culturally situated communication, one can be better equipped to understand the message that can transcend the cultural packaging it was communicated through.
This did have a brief overview of some histories of interpretation which was interesting. But by the end I felt it was more of a pointed polemic than an academic or theological exercise.
It’s overall approach seemed up be that the Bible is confusing and old, so if there is anything that aligns with our modern cognitive thought and worldview, we can adapt it for our use. But beyond that, there isn’t much there that’s relevant anymore.
If the time is put into understanding the Bible in its own cognitive context and culturally situated communication, one can be better equipped to understand the message that can transcend the cultural packaging it was communicated through.
This did have a brief overview of some histories of interpretation which was interesting. But by the end I felt it was more of a pointed polemic than an academic or theological exercise.
March 1, 2017
This book is part of a series "Biblical Challenges to the Contemporary World" whose goal is to "acquaint readers with the biblical material pertinent to particular issues, including that which causes difficulty or embarrassment in today's world" with the intent of creating dialogue between the biblical texts and modern readers.
The author, John W. Rogerson, who is also the editor of the series, asks can we "go by the book" when assessing what the Bible has to say regarding modern questions especially in relation to controversial social, moral, and political issues. He shows that we cannot just simply quote verses from the Bible and make declarations as to its meaning and application to modern concerns, the issues are much more complicated than that.
The book starts with examining some insights from ancient Judaism and how it approached the Bible. We are then introduced to what the New Testament has to say regarding Old Testament law with illustrations from Jesus, Paul, the Gospels, Acts, and some of the other writings of the New Testament.
Over the next five chapters we are given representative examples through out church history, including Jewish scholars, discussing the complexities of approaching the Bible and its application to contemporary questions. From the apostolic fathers we hear from the Didache, Barnabas, Ignatius, Justin Martyr and others. From the third century to the Reformation we have Clement, Origen, Abraham Ibn Ezra, Maimonides, and Aquinas. During the Reformation we hear from Luther and Calvin. Sixteenth through nineteenth centuries we have Richard Hooker, Richard Baxter, J.D. Michaelis, and finally discussions regarding nineteenth century biblical criticism.
The author wraps up the book by showing that the Bible, rather than giving specific precepts to be followed, instead we are given examples by which we are to reason out the various applications. From there three case studies are presented, first on marriage, divorce, and remarriage; second on the topic of charging interest or usury, third and finally questions on human sexuality including gay marriage. The author concludes with seven propositions by which a reader can assess the examples from the biblical texts and how they may be applicable to contemporary questions.
This is a short book of 192 pages and offers intelligent and focused ways to think about the Bible in light of history and how what it says may or may not have an application to modern social, moral, and political questions.
Highly recommended!
The author, John W. Rogerson, who is also the editor of the series, asks can we "go by the book" when assessing what the Bible has to say regarding modern questions especially in relation to controversial social, moral, and political issues. He shows that we cannot just simply quote verses from the Bible and make declarations as to its meaning and application to modern concerns, the issues are much more complicated than that.
The book starts with examining some insights from ancient Judaism and how it approached the Bible. We are then introduced to what the New Testament has to say regarding Old Testament law with illustrations from Jesus, Paul, the Gospels, Acts, and some of the other writings of the New Testament.
Over the next five chapters we are given representative examples through out church history, including Jewish scholars, discussing the complexities of approaching the Bible and its application to contemporary questions. From the apostolic fathers we hear from the Didache, Barnabas, Ignatius, Justin Martyr and others. From the third century to the Reformation we have Clement, Origen, Abraham Ibn Ezra, Maimonides, and Aquinas. During the Reformation we hear from Luther and Calvin. Sixteenth through nineteenth centuries we have Richard Hooker, Richard Baxter, J.D. Michaelis, and finally discussions regarding nineteenth century biblical criticism.
The author wraps up the book by showing that the Bible, rather than giving specific precepts to be followed, instead we are given examples by which we are to reason out the various applications. From there three case studies are presented, first on marriage, divorce, and remarriage; second on the topic of charging interest or usury, third and finally questions on human sexuality including gay marriage. The author concludes with seven propositions by which a reader can assess the examples from the biblical texts and how they may be applicable to contemporary questions.
This is a short book of 192 pages and offers intelligent and focused ways to think about the Bible in light of history and how what it says may or may not have an application to modern social, moral, and political questions.
Highly recommended!
November 20, 2008
Scholarly, rational - and readable! Short, too, which is wonderful. If one is not interested in the historical development, it is still worth one's time to read the 3 case studies at the end, about the length of a magazine article, which examine marriage and divorce, charging of interest, and human sexuality. Here's the quote on interest "Today's world...can hardly be addressed by 'a few passages of scripture' (as Calvin called them) addressed to totally different economic and social situations. At the same time, all that the Bible has to say about justice and equity as between individuals and nations is sufficient to enable a Christian social ethic to be articulated in a world in which the charging of interest has led to the most appalling distortions of the relation between rich and poor nations, and between people within those nations."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews