http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/ A biblioblog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:42:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1945 Blue Cord » Bracketing Theology Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:59:28 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1945 [...] Steve writes: In your most recent post, Kevin, it sounds like in your course you propose to bracket discussion of whether we should affirm or deny what the Bible is witnessing to about the suprahistorical. It just seems to me that the study of the Bible begs such a discussion, or at least a little of it. Don’t you think God is laughing out loud if we insist on bracketing this most interesting and obvious discussion, and narrow our scope to the tilt of the letters, smell of the paper, and type of stylus used in the writing? [...] […] Steve writes: In your most recent post, Kevin, it sounds like in your course you propose to bracket discussion of whether we should affirm or deny what the Bible is witnessing to about the suprahistorical. It just seems to me that the study of the Bible begs such a discussion, or at least a little of it. Don’t you think God is laughing out loud if we insist on bracketing this most interesting and obvious discussion, and narrow our scope to the tilt of the letters, smell of the paper, and type of stylus used in the writing? […]

]]> http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1928 Blue Cord » Theology in the Layers Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:28:00 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1928 [...] I wanted to comment on comments made by Chris Spinks and Steve Cook on an earlier post.  I had originally written a nice response to this while sitting in the Vilnius airport. Unfortunately, our plane boarded before I could get it posted, and I have not been able to find an Internet connection for my laptop here in Kiev.  I have now found a nice Internet cafe, so I will write another response.  This one may not be as cogent, due to the nice glass of absinthe I had about an hour ago. [...] […] I wanted to comment on comments made by Chris Spinks and Steve Cook on an earlier post.  I had originally written a nice response to this while sitting in the Vilnius airport. Unfortunately, our plane boarded before I could get it posted, and I have not been able to find an Internet connection for my laptop here in Kiev.  I have now found a nice Internet cafe, so I will write another response.  This one may not be as cogent, due to the nice glass of absinthe I had about an hour ago. […]

]]> http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1882 Chris Spinks Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:18:47 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1882 I think I am saying (in comments on the previous post) very much the same thing as Stephen. But, not only is there an inherent "theological" dimension to the text's preservation; there is also an inherent "theological" dimension to one's reading of sacred text regardless of how it was preserved. With the biblical texts we have "theological" dimensions to contend with in the preservation and the reading. And, I would contend that as members of the same church that both preserved and continues to read these texts, these theological dimensions are closely related if not actually the same. I think I am saying (in comments on the previous post) very much the same thing as Stephen. But, not only is there an inherent “theological” dimension to the text’s preservation; there is also an inherent “theological” dimension to one’s reading of sacred text regardless of how it was preserved. With the biblical texts we have “theological” dimensions to contend with in the preservation and the reading. And, I would contend that as members of the same church that both preserved and continues to read these texts, these theological dimensions are closely related if not actually the same.

]]> http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1878 Stephen Cook Sat, 28 Oct 2006 15:19:30 +0000 http://bluecord.org/biblioblog/2006/10/pre-scriptural-levels/#comment-1878 Thanks much for this, Kevin. Nicely put. I knew that you knew just the issue that I was raising. What I would say is that as the layers accrue, and the text rises above the pre-scriptural depths, we have a tradition that the community preserves because it conveys kerygma/Word. I hear you saying that part of your scholarship is to deal with these "scriptural" layers of the text, and what I am putting out is that in doing so, you of necessity are doing theological interpretation at a minimal level at least. Your are engaging a text whose existence is owed to the historical community's valuing of it as Word/Witness to the transcendent. There is an inherent "theological" dimension to this text's preservation until this very day and its existence in your hands. Thanks much for this, Kevin. Nicely put. I knew that you knew just the issue that I was raising. What I would say is that as the layers accrue, and the text rises above the pre-scriptural depths, we have a tradition that the community preserves because it conveys kerygma/Word. I hear you saying that part of your scholarship is to deal with these “scriptural” layers of the text, and what I am putting out is that in doing so, you of necessity are doing theological interpretation at a minimal level at least. Your are engaging a text whose existence is owed to the historical community’s valuing of it as Word/Witness to the transcendent. There is an inherent “theological” dimension to this text’s preservation until this very day and its existence in your hands.

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