RC2 Flashcards
John Barton presents two ways of reading the Bible. These are
. Reading the Bible as a committed, religious reader; and reading the Bible using rational textual and historical approaches in order to discover what this text means.
What is hermeneutics, according to Frigge?
Analyzing the biblical text in order to see how its original message might be pertinent to us today in a different time and place.
The term biblical criticism refers to
A rational approach to analyzing the Bible that thoughtfully investigates the historical context of the text as well as its literary features, among other issues.
What is source criticism?
Analysis of the oral and written sources that were used by ancient editors/writers in creating their own texts and what these older sources tell us about their ancient contexts and audiences.
What is redaction criticism?
Analysis of how ancient writers edited earlier sources and how this editing reveals their interests and concerns.
What is social-scientific criticism?
a. Analysis of a text’s historical context, specifically using the tools of the social sciences in order to understand ancient cultures and societies.
Frigge explains that when Christians refer to the Bible as true, they have different understandings of what is true. In describing Christian beliefs about this truth, Frigge states:
Some Christians believe that the Bible contains no errors at all about any topic, while other Christians believe that the Bible reflects ancient views on science, geography, etc. that are known today to be untrue. For this latter group, however, the Bible communicates truth about God and God’s relationship with humankind, although even these assertions of truth must be examined.
Frigge states that contextual interpretation of the Bible means
Interpreting the Bible in terms of the historical time and place in which it was composed and in terms of its original audience and that audience’s concerns.
