Vocabulary - Chapter 1 Flashcards
The theological sense of the Scriptures states that one should allow clear passages to illuminate ambiguous words, phrases or concepts of Scripture.
Analogy of Faith
(Greek, “hidden”) These were books not accepted in the Protestant Bible as they did not appear in the oldest of Hebrew Bibles. These books are found in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate. The Apocrypha includes these books: Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Additions to Esther, The Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus/Sirach, Baruch, The Letter of Jeremiah, Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of the Manasseh, and Maccabees.
Apocrypha
This term references the study and analyzed meaning of Scripture by the text itself (Scripture interpreting Scripture) or by the use of external tools and actions that help discover the meanings and purposes of texts. Various models of Biblical criticism include: Feminist Criticism, Form Criticism, Historical-Grammatical Criticism, Historical Criticism, Liberation Criticism, and Redaction Criticism.
Biblical Criticism
This model, often referred to as the “hermeneutics of suspicion, “ is concerned with a male-bias within Scripture including an exclusivist language, a limited identification of women of faith, and a male-oriented image of God. It attempts to re-read the Scriptures as a book of “Her-story” as well as “History.” An example of this method is to question male religious authority in the Old and New Testaments, openly barring women from religious leadership.
Feminist Criticism
This interpretative model studies the literary form so r genre of the Scriptures. It reviews proverbs, narrative histories, parables, and poems in order to ascertain its place in the biblical text and its origins in history and other world religious literature, myth, or fable. An example of this is the study of the Genesis flood story as compared to other world religion narratives about a global deluge event.Form Criticism
Form Criticism
This biblical criticism model seeks to discover the meaning of the passage as the original writer would have intended in his/her situation in life. Also, this place great importance on what the original audience would have understood by the revelation, message, or narrative. The original passage is seen as having only a single meaning or sense. [Also HIstorical-Cultural Criticism]
Historical-Grammatical Criticism
This method seeks to employ secular historical information and discoveries that can assist in explaining images, motifs, language, and settings for Scripture texts. At times, the secular materials drive interpretative exercise. An example of this is the dating of the Four Gospels encouraging the argument of a later, rather than earlier, writing of Jesus’ biography. This is usually seen as a antithesis to HIstorical-grammatical Criticism.
Historical Criticism
This method is generally employed by proponents of Christian Liberation theology. This theology seeks to view the Christian messge through the eyes of the poor and disenfranchised communities of the world. Social justice and equal rights become more of a motive for the Christian Gospel than forgiveness of sins, redemption, a call to repentance of sins, or accepting Jesus as Redeemer and Lord. The Gospel is a call for political, social, and financial redemption and liberation and not one of a spiritual nature. An example of this is the persistent teaching of Jesus against wealth and greed and HIs identification with the poor and ignored.
Liberation Criticism
This hermeneutical method looks to the authorship of the Scriptures and the possible revisions, alterations, and augmentations of the text over time. Examples of this employed method are the challenges of Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch and Paul’s authorship of the Pastoral Epistles of Timothy and Titus.
Redaction Criticism
(Greek: “measuring rod”) These are the books of the Old and New Testament that have been received as authoritative and inspired, and are considered canonical texts. The general characteristics applied to the test of canonicity are these: authorship, acceptance by the Church, liturgical application, and congruency of message. The Old Testament books (Genesis to Malachi) were accepted from the Jewish Council of Jamnia in the first century, C.E. The Roman Catholic Church accepted what is known as the Apocrypha at the Council of Trent, 1546. The New Testament was codified in the 27 books (Matthew to Revelation) at the ecumenical Council of Carthage in 397 C.E. However, the Septuagint and the Vulgate include the Apocrypha.
Canon of Scripture
This is the process of attempting to understand what a certain passage of Scripture reveals as it stands alone. This interpretive method studies the syntax and vocabulary of the passage to determine its meaning within the text itself. The antithesis of this is eisegesis.
Exegesis
This is the process of interpreting a passage from the Scriptures while reading or interposing preconceived opinion or ideas into the text, even if that meaning was part of the original intent of the passage. This hermeneutical practice generally is considered an illegitimate interpretive method.
Eisegesis
(Greek, “message,” “letter”) Letters sent by Apostles and New Testament writers to Churches or individuals for instruction, clarification of doctrines, and loving encouragement. __________ writers of the New Testament include Paul, James, John, Peter and Jude.
Epistle
(Old English, “Good/God’s Story”, “message”) For Christians, the “good news”, or __________, concerns the purpose and result of life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God. These actions and events are recorded in the four canonical Gospels of the Scriptures: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Gospel
(Greek, “to interpret”) This refers to the science and method of interpretation of written biblical texts and the processes used, resulting in accurate and honest explanations of the text.
Hermeneutics
