Before moving away from podcasts that provide readings from sections of Scripture, I wanted to mention that Tim Buckeley of SansBlogue has pointed out one other podcast. This is the PodBible Audio Bible Broadcast, which reads a chapter from the CEV translation each day. The readings are done with no background music, and each daily reading ends with a short section on Think . . . Pray . . . Do that provides some points to ponder and put into action. The podcast is done by Carey Baptist College, so you get a nice New Zealand accent to go with your readings.
The next podcast is the Understanding the Scriptures podcast at CatholicBoard.com. The podcast is a recording of a Wednesday night Bible study at Saint Mary, Immaculate Conception Parish in Brenham, Texas. The Bible study was based on Scott Hahn’s book Understanding the Scriptures: A Complete Course on Bible Study, with each session covering one of the thirty chapters in the book. The sessions are eighty minutes long, so this podcast is not for the faint of heart.
The sessions are led by Carson Weber, who has an M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville. While at Franciscan University, Weber studied under Scott Hahn, the author of the textbook he uses for the series. Weber also worked for Hahn at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, which Hahn founded. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Hahn, he is a somewhat controversial figure. Hahn, who used to be Presbyterian and rabidly anti-catholic, became a Roman Catholic in 1986. He earned his doctorate from Marquette University with a dissertation on the Bible and covenant theology. He is often described as an apologist and has sometimes been called “Luther in Reverse.”
The reason I mention this is not to criticize Hahn or this podcast. I merely point it out as information. Some people are drawn to controversial figures — e.g., Bishop Spong within the ECUSA — while other prefer to avoid them. I also mention it because it gives you an idea of the perspective from which Weber is teaching.
Because all thirty episodes in this series have been recorded, I was free to choose which of the episodes I wanted to hear. I decided to go with the second chapter, which focuses on the Old Testament. This chapter in the book provides a summary of the OT, ending with a discussion of typology. Weber focuses on the idea of typology, which he says is necessary for understanding the Bible. He begins with a review of the idea of the covenant, which the class had discussed the week before. Covenant, according to Hahn’s theology, is the idea that provides the unity to the Bible.
A critique of Weber’s content would have to center mostly on the topic of covenant theology. A discussion of covenant theology is far beyond the scope of this review of podcasts, but suffice it to say that I am reticent at best to accept such a theology as a way to read the Scriptures. The idea that the covenant is the unifying theme for a theology of the Old Testament was put forth and gained widespread acceptance through the work of Walther Eichrodt. It has not not held up particularly well, in large part because of its inability to deal with wisdom literature under the rubric of covenant.
Weber says that the primary way that the OT speaks of Christ is through typology. He introduces typology by referring to the Roman Catholic catechism, section 1094, which says:
It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church. This catechesis unveils what lay hidden under the letter of the Old Testament: the mystery of Christ. It is called “typological” because it reveals the newness of Christ on the basis of the “figures” (types) which announce him in the deeds, words, and symbols of the first covenant. By this re-reading in the Spirit of Truth, starting from Christ, the figures are unveiled. Thus the flood and Noah’s ark prefigured salvation by Baptism, as did the cloud and the crossing of the Red Sea. Water from the rock was the figure of the spiritual gifts of Christ, and manna in the desert prefigured the Eucharist, “the true bread from heaven.”
He spends a great deal of the time focusing on how the OT typologically symbolizes Christ. While this can be a good approach, it puts the cart somewhat before the horse. One needs to learn to read the text in and of itself first. Only then can you come back and read it typologically. The catechism recognizes this, which is why it refers to typology as a “re-reading.” Considering this is the second lesson in the series, I find it odd that Weber would discuss this subject here. It leads him to spend more time reading NT texts that mention the OT than he does reading OT texts, which is odd for a session on the OT. This lesson is less about understanding the OT and more about reading the OT typologically.
One problem with the podcast from a technical standpoint is that it is difficult to hear people other than Weber on the podcast. Sometime, people who are attending the session will ask questions that can’t readily be heard, although it is often possible to figure out what the question was by Weber’s response. This problem may have been fixed in later episodes.
Finally, one thing this podcast does well is show what biblical studies within the parish can look like when done strictly within a framework stipulated by Catholic doctrine and the catechism. Hahn’s method pays close attention to the patristic tradition, although he certainly infuses it with a particular evangelical spirit.