Graham Davies
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780197264874
- eISBN:
- 9780191754067
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264874.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
The first Schweich Lectures were given by Professor S. R. Driver of Oxford University in 1908 and the British Academy celebrated the centenary of the lectures with a single lecture in 2008. This book ...
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The first Schweich Lectures were given by Professor S. R. Driver of Oxford University in 1908 and the British Academy celebrated the centenary of the lectures with a single lecture in 2008. This book is an amplified version of that lecture, with each of its three chapters developing a theme relevant to the occasion. The lectures, on aspects of the study of antiquity in its relationship to the Bible, were established by a gift from Constance Schweich (later Mrs Goetze) in memory of her late father, Leopold Schweich. The first chapter of this book brings together biographical information (including some previously unpublished documents) about the Schweichs, who were originally a German Jewish family with close connections to the distinguished chemist and industrialist Ludwig Mond. The donation was the first major benefaction received by the British Academy, which had been founded in 1901 but initially had no government funding. The second chapter uses archival and published sources to reconstruct the circumstances and the history of the lectureship. An Appendix lists the names of all the lecturers, their subjects, and details of the publication of their lectures. The final chapter, ‘Archaeology and the Bible — A Broken Link?’, examines broader questions about ‘biblical archaeology’, which arose in the later twentieth century in the light of developments in archaeological theory and biblical scholarship, and considers whether there is still a future for collaboration between the two disciplines. The book provides a glimpse into Jewish philanthropy in England in the Edwardian era.Less
The first Schweich Lectures were given by Professor S. R. Driver of Oxford University in 1908 and the British Academy celebrated the centenary of the lectures with a single lecture in 2008. This book is an amplified version of that lecture, with each of its three chapters developing a theme relevant to the occasion. The lectures, on aspects of the study of antiquity in its relationship to the Bible, were established by a gift from Constance Schweich (later Mrs Goetze) in memory of her late father, Leopold Schweich. The first chapter of this book brings together biographical information (including some previously unpublished documents) about the Schweichs, who were originally a German Jewish family with close connections to the distinguished chemist and industrialist Ludwig Mond. The donation was the first major benefaction received by the British Academy, which had been founded in 1901 but initially had no government funding. The second chapter uses archival and published sources to reconstruct the circumstances and the history of the lectureship. An Appendix lists the names of all the lecturers, their subjects, and details of the publication of their lectures. The final chapter, ‘Archaeology and the Bible — A Broken Link?’, examines broader questions about ‘biblical archaeology’, which arose in the later twentieth century in the light of developments in archaeological theory and biblical scholarship, and considers whether there is still a future for collaboration between the two disciplines. The book provides a glimpse into Jewish philanthropy in England in the Edwardian era.
Solomon Schimmel
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195188264
- eISBN:
- 9780199870509
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188264.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter asks why modern and haredi (ultra) Orthodox Jews affirm the outmoded traditional belief that the Torah (Pentateuch) was revealed by God to Moses at Sinai (TMS) and refuse to accept the ...
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This chapter asks why modern and haredi (ultra) Orthodox Jews affirm the outmoded traditional belief that the Torah (Pentateuch) was revealed by God to Moses at Sinai (TMS) and refuse to accept the findings of modern biblical scholarship that the Pentateuch is a humanly authored multiple source post‐Mosaic (MSPM) work. It suggests emotional, psychological, and social forces that account for why smart people cling to foolish beliefs, and describes the defenses they use to ward off scholarly and scientific arguments and evidence that threaten cherished beliefs and evoke fear of loss of faith. The chapter analyzes the ArtScroll commentary on the Torah, and responses to his questions addressed to Orthodox Jews: Why do you believe in TMS? Can you imagine any kind evidence that would induce you to give up your belief in TMS? He also points to immoral and unethical teachings of the Pentateuch as evidence for its human authorship.Less
This chapter asks why modern and haredi (ultra) Orthodox Jews affirm the outmoded traditional belief that the Torah (Pentateuch) was revealed by God to Moses at Sinai (TMS) and refuse to accept the findings of modern biblical scholarship that the Pentateuch is a humanly authored multiple source post‐Mosaic (MSPM) work. It suggests emotional, psychological, and social forces that account for why smart people cling to foolish beliefs, and describes the defenses they use to ward off scholarly and scientific arguments and evidence that threaten cherished beliefs and evoke fear of loss of faith. The chapter analyzes the ArtScroll commentary on the Torah, and responses to his questions addressed to Orthodox Jews: Why do you believe in TMS? Can you imagine any kind evidence that would induce you to give up your belief in TMS? He also points to immoral and unethical teachings of the Pentateuch as evidence for its human authorship.
Ara Paul Barsam
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195329551
- eISBN:
- 9780199870110
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195329551.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
Albert Schweitzer maintained that the idea of “Reverence for Life” came upon him on the Ogowe River as an “unexpected discovery, like a revelation in the midst of intense thought.” While Schweitzer ...
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Albert Schweitzer maintained that the idea of “Reverence for Life” came upon him on the Ogowe River as an “unexpected discovery, like a revelation in the midst of intense thought.” While Schweitzer made numerous significant contributions to an incredible diversity of fields —medicine, music, biblical studies, philosophy and theology — he regarded Reverence for Life as his greatest contribution and the one by which he most wanted to be remembered. Yet this concept has been the subject of a range of distortions and misunderstandings, both academic and popular. This book provides a new interpretation of Schweitzer's reverence and shows how it emerged from his studies of German philosophy, Indian religions, and his biblical scholarship on Jesus and Paul. By throwing light on the origin and development of Schweitzer's thought, we are led to a closer appreciation of the contribution that reverence makes to current ethical concerns. Life‐centered ethics — in the broadest sense — has continued to flourish, though Schweitzer's pioneering contribution is often overlooked. Not only did he help put the issue on the moral agenda, but, most significantly, he also provided much sought after philosophical and theological foundations. Schweitzer emerges from this critical study of his life and thought as a remarkable individual who should rightfully be regarded as a moral giant of the 20th‐century.Less
Albert Schweitzer maintained that the idea of “Reverence for Life” came upon him on the Ogowe River as an “unexpected discovery, like a revelation in the midst of intense thought.” While Schweitzer made numerous significant contributions to an incredible diversity of fields —medicine, music, biblical studies, philosophy and theology — he regarded Reverence for Life as his greatest contribution and the one by which he most wanted to be remembered. Yet this concept has been the subject of a range of distortions and misunderstandings, both academic and popular. This book provides a new interpretation of Schweitzer's reverence and shows how it emerged from his studies of German philosophy, Indian religions, and his biblical scholarship on Jesus and Paul. By throwing light on the origin and development of Schweitzer's thought, we are led to a closer appreciation of the contribution that reverence makes to current ethical concerns. Life‐centered ethics — in the broadest sense — has continued to flourish, though Schweitzer's pioneering contribution is often overlooked. Not only did he help put the issue on the moral agenda, but, most significantly, he also provided much sought after philosophical and theological foundations. Schweitzer emerges from this critical study of his life and thought as a remarkable individual who should rightfully be regarded as a moral giant of the 20th‐century.
Michael C. Legaspi
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195394351
- eISBN:
- 9780199777211
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195394351.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter argues that the Bible in the West ceased to function as catholic scripture in the period following the Reformation and that, as a result, biblical scholars like Louis Cappel and Brian ...
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This chapter argues that the Bible in the West ceased to function as catholic scripture in the period following the Reformation and that, as a result, biblical scholars like Louis Cappel and Brian Walton turned increasingly toward the Bible as a text to rehabilitate it. Schisms, religious wars, and the manifold effects of confessionalization created a fragmented religious environment that yielded modes of scholarship aimed at exploiting, reinforcing, or repairing this fragmentation. Yet these efforts all assumed an inert textual Bible that needed to be reactivated and reintegrated into specific cultural and religious programs. Beginning with figues like Erasmus, biblical scholarship of the early modern period operated on a Bible that was moving from ‘scripture’ to ‘text.’ The textualization of the Bible and the decline of its cultural and religious authority prepared the way for a new mode of academic criticism based on the unifying power of the state.Less
This chapter argues that the Bible in the West ceased to function as catholic scripture in the period following the Reformation and that, as a result, biblical scholars like Louis Cappel and Brian Walton turned increasingly toward the Bible as a text to rehabilitate it. Schisms, religious wars, and the manifold effects of confessionalization created a fragmented religious environment that yielded modes of scholarship aimed at exploiting, reinforcing, or repairing this fragmentation. Yet these efforts all assumed an inert textual Bible that needed to be reactivated and reintegrated into specific cultural and religious programs. Beginning with figues like Erasmus, biblical scholarship of the early modern period operated on a Bible that was moving from ‘scripture’ to ‘text.’ The textualization of the Bible and the decline of its cultural and religious authority prepared the way for a new mode of academic criticism based on the unifying power of the state.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter focuses on a recent challenge to the dominance of theologically interested historical research in biblical scholarship. Literary-critical approaches may also be theologically motivated ...
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This chapter focuses on a recent challenge to the dominance of theologically interested historical research in biblical scholarship. Literary-critical approaches may also be theologically motivated and are shown to antedate the critical historical work of the past 150 years. But recent attempts to understand ‘the Bible as literature’ coincide with some loss of confidence in theological reflection on the Bible, and so appear to have accelerated the secularization of biblical scholarship.Less
This chapter focuses on a recent challenge to the dominance of theologically interested historical research in biblical scholarship. Literary-critical approaches may also be theologically motivated and are shown to antedate the critical historical work of the past 150 years. But recent attempts to understand ‘the Bible as literature’ coincide with some loss of confidence in theological reflection on the Bible, and so appear to have accelerated the secularization of biblical scholarship.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter begins with brief discussions of the concept of interpretation and the aims of interpreters. It then turns to the problem of biblical interpretation. The chapter argues that the main ...
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This chapter begins with brief discussions of the concept of interpretation and the aims of interpreters. It then turns to the problem of biblical interpretation. The chapter argues that the main problem for biblical interpretation today is the contrasting frameworks within which the Bible is interpreted – by the historian on the one hand and the believer on the other. Relating these two ways of understanding the subject matter of the Bible is a problem only for ‘theologians’, i.e. for believers who want to relate their faith to their rational knowledge, which now includes historical knowledge. Other believers can ignore scholarship, and other scholars can ignore religious faith. The resulting interpretations of the Bible will not satisfy thoughtful believers and may be thought superficial, but they are not illegitimate.Less
This chapter begins with brief discussions of the concept of interpretation and the aims of interpreters. It then turns to the problem of biblical interpretation. The chapter argues that the main problem for biblical interpretation today is the contrasting frameworks within which the Bible is interpreted – by the historian on the one hand and the believer on the other. Relating these two ways of understanding the subject matter of the Bible is a problem only for ‘theologians’, i.e. for believers who want to relate their faith to their rational knowledge, which now includes historical knowledge. Other believers can ignore scholarship, and other scholars can ignore religious faith. The resulting interpretations of the Bible will not satisfy thoughtful believers and may be thought superficial, but they are not illegitimate.
Tania Oldenhage
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195150520
- eISBN:
- 9780199834549
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019515052X.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
In her 1987 presidential address to the Society of Biblical Literature, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza called for a rhetorical‐ethical turn in biblical studies and asked biblical scholars to take ...
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In her 1987 presidential address to the Society of Biblical Literature, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza called for a rhetorical‐ethical turn in biblical studies and asked biblical scholars to take account of their public responsibility. Drawing from the insights of feminism, she emphasized that biblical scholarship never happens in a political vacuum and instead is always shaped by specific values and interests and by the socio‐political context in which scholars are positioned. This chapter introduces the themes and concerns of this book as an attempt to follow Schüssler Fiorenza's call for an ethics of accountability by showing that New Testament parable scholars during the last five decades worked not in a political vacuum but in situations shaped by Holocaust memory.Less
In her 1987 presidential address to the Society of Biblical Literature, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza called for a rhetorical‐ethical turn in biblical studies and asked biblical scholars to take account of their public responsibility. Drawing from the insights of feminism, she emphasized that biblical scholarship never happens in a political vacuum and instead is always shaped by specific values and interests and by the socio‐political context in which scholars are positioned. This chapter introduces the themes and concerns of this book as an attempt to follow Schüssler Fiorenza's call for an ethics of accountability by showing that New Testament parable scholars during the last five decades worked not in a political vacuum but in situations shaped by Holocaust memory.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter discusses the link between theology and the social sciences in biblical interpretation. The social sciences have long had a place in American pastoral and ethical courses, which have ...
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This chapter discusses the link between theology and the social sciences in biblical interpretation. The social sciences have long had a place in American pastoral and ethical courses, which have usually been oriented to the practice of ministry, and without significant impact on biblical research. But they offer a reminder that biblical interpretation is in principle open to infiltration from the social sciences at two different points: through the methods of historical scholarship, enriched by these new perspectives; and also through the theological interests of the biblical interpreters themselves, whose own theologies are increasingly likely to have been partly shaped by the social sciences. Three examples are presented to clarify the distinction between the way historical methods have been properly enlarged by social-scientific methods and the hermeneutical or theological dimensions of this approach.Less
This chapter discusses the link between theology and the social sciences in biblical interpretation. The social sciences have long had a place in American pastoral and ethical courses, which have usually been oriented to the practice of ministry, and without significant impact on biblical research. But they offer a reminder that biblical interpretation is in principle open to infiltration from the social sciences at two different points: through the methods of historical scholarship, enriched by these new perspectives; and also through the theological interests of the biblical interpreters themselves, whose own theologies are increasingly likely to have been partly shaped by the social sciences. Three examples are presented to clarify the distinction between the way historical methods have been properly enlarged by social-scientific methods and the hermeneutical or theological dimensions of this approach.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Earlier chapters have suggested that theological interests have not merely been residually present in modern historical scholarship, but have fuelled it. That is no longer so plainly the case today. ...
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Earlier chapters have suggested that theological interests have not merely been residually present in modern historical scholarship, but have fuelled it. That is no longer so plainly the case today. A secular culture has finally produced a genuinely non-theological biblical scholarship. But this does not exclude the majority interest in the Bible. It simply sharpens our question of the relationship between historical or literary studies on the one hand, and theological reflection on the biblical witness on the other. This chapter seeks to throw light on that issue by drawing from the earlier discussions an account of the relationship of faith and reason in Christians' use of the Bible. What emerges provides some theological justification for the recent turn to literary approaches.Less
Earlier chapters have suggested that theological interests have not merely been residually present in modern historical scholarship, but have fuelled it. That is no longer so plainly the case today. A secular culture has finally produced a genuinely non-theological biblical scholarship. But this does not exclude the majority interest in the Bible. It simply sharpens our question of the relationship between historical or literary studies on the one hand, and theological reflection on the biblical witness on the other. This chapter seeks to throw light on that issue by drawing from the earlier discussions an account of the relationship of faith and reason in Christians' use of the Bible. What emerges provides some theological justification for the recent turn to literary approaches.
J. Cheryl Exum
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780198263913
- eISBN:
- 9780191601187
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198263910.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This is the fourth of five chapters on the Old Testament and the reader, and reviews feminist study of the Old Testament. It describes feminist criticism as one of the most significant intellectual ...
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This is the fourth of five chapters on the Old Testament and the reader, and reviews feminist study of the Old Testament. It describes feminist criticism as one of the most significant intellectual developments of the twentieth century, and notes that biblical interpretation of this kind is not likely to be disinterested although feminist critics are more likely than most to admit their ideological presuppositions. These presuppositions, like those of other postmodern approaches, provide a compelling challenge to the dominant paradigms of ‘objective’ biblical scholarship through their recognition of the constructedness of history, gender, and self. Many and various examples of the vast and growing biblical feminist criticism are discussed through the chapter, looking, among other things, at the different methodological approaches taken, the strategies employed for getting at women's perspectives in androcentric texts, the search for traces of women's discourses in biblical texts, intertextual and cross‐cultural analysis, and gender studies.Less
This is the fourth of five chapters on the Old Testament and the reader, and reviews feminist study of the Old Testament. It describes feminist criticism as one of the most significant intellectual developments of the twentieth century, and notes that biblical interpretation of this kind is not likely to be disinterested although feminist critics are more likely than most to admit their ideological presuppositions. These presuppositions, like those of other postmodern approaches, provide a compelling challenge to the dominant paradigms of ‘objective’ biblical scholarship through their recognition of the constructedness of history, gender, and self. Many and various examples of the vast and growing biblical feminist criticism are discussed through the chapter, looking, among other things, at the different methodological approaches taken, the strategies employed for getting at women's perspectives in androcentric texts, the search for traces of women's discourses in biblical texts, intertextual and cross‐cultural analysis, and gender studies.
Alexander Samely
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198270317
- eISBN:
- 9780191683978
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198270317.003.0014
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism, Biblical Studies
This chapter deals with the resources regarding the Mishnaic allocation of meaning to words in the biblical text. The Mishnah often suggests that a biblical word has a meaning nuance that calls for ...
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This chapter deals with the resources regarding the Mishnaic allocation of meaning to words in the biblical text. The Mishnah often suggests that a biblical word has a meaning nuance that calls for an adjustment of the meaning of the whole sentence in which it occurs. It may link the words with another form of similar but not identical appearance. It may also discover the special meaning in biblical metaphors. These are the main hermeneutic phenomena discussed in the three sections of the chapter. In the field of word meaning, the concrete results of modern biblical scholarship stand in direct rivalry to Mishnaic hermeneutics; but they also provide a direct background to it.Less
This chapter deals with the resources regarding the Mishnaic allocation of meaning to words in the biblical text. The Mishnah often suggests that a biblical word has a meaning nuance that calls for an adjustment of the meaning of the whole sentence in which it occurs. It may link the words with another form of similar but not identical appearance. It may also discover the special meaning in biblical metaphors. These are the main hermeneutic phenomena discussed in the three sections of the chapter. In the field of word meaning, the concrete results of modern biblical scholarship stand in direct rivalry to Mishnaic hermeneutics; but they also provide a direct background to it.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter summarizes the preceding discussions and presents some concluding thoughts from the author. It covers texts, authors, and readers; religious and non-religious aims of interpretation; ...
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This chapter summarizes the preceding discussions and presents some concluding thoughts from the author. It covers texts, authors, and readers; religious and non-religious aims of interpretation; biblical criticism and Christian theology; theological interpretation; the necessity and character of theological interpretation; theory and theology; faith and reason; scholarship and faith; the use of various methods in biblical interpretation; and theology today and tomorrow.Less
This chapter summarizes the preceding discussions and presents some concluding thoughts from the author. It covers texts, authors, and readers; religious and non-religious aims of interpretation; biblical criticism and Christian theology; theological interpretation; the necessity and character of theological interpretation; theory and theology; faith and reason; scholarship and faith; the use of various methods in biblical interpretation; and theology today and tomorrow.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter traces some significant shifts within the historical paradigm that has guided most modern biblical scholarship. It details the development of historical-critical study in the nineteenth ...
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This chapter traces some significant shifts within the historical paradigm that has guided most modern biblical scholarship. It details the development of historical-critical study in the nineteenth century. The chapter then considers the expansion of sociological interest in both the Old and New Testaments. This is followed by a discussion of the work of Rudolf Bultmann, focusing on the strategies he employs in order to undertake theological interpretation. The chapter suggests that behind Bultmann's theological hostility to the liberals' quest for the historical Jesus stood a variety of Lutheran and existentialist emphases and phobias.Less
This chapter traces some significant shifts within the historical paradigm that has guided most modern biblical scholarship. It details the development of historical-critical study in the nineteenth century. The chapter then considers the expansion of sociological interest in both the Old and New Testaments. This is followed by a discussion of the work of Rudolf Bultmann, focusing on the strategies he employs in order to undertake theological interpretation. The chapter suggests that behind Bultmann's theological hostility to the liberals' quest for the historical Jesus stood a variety of Lutheran and existentialist emphases and phobias.
Tania Oldenhage
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195150520
- eISBN:
- 9780199834549
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019515052X.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Discusses the implications of understanding Joachim Jeremias's anti‐Jewish rhetoric as a post‐Holocaust phenomenon. With a special focus on interpretations of the parable of the wicked husbandmen, ...
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Discusses the implications of understanding Joachim Jeremias's anti‐Jewish rhetoric as a post‐Holocaust phenomenon. With a special focus on interpretations of the parable of the wicked husbandmen, Oldenhage discusses recent revisions of Jeremias's work on the parables of Jesus that reject anti‐Jewish interpretive patterns while still operating within the framework of historical criticism. By reducing the challenge of the Holocaust for biblical scholarship to the problem of anti‐Judaism, Oldenhage argues, historical critics fail to deal with important questions of Holocaust remembrance that Jeremias's scholarship poses.Less
Discusses the implications of understanding Joachim Jeremias's anti‐Jewish rhetoric as a post‐Holocaust phenomenon. With a special focus on interpretations of the parable of the wicked husbandmen, Oldenhage discusses recent revisions of Jeremias's work on the parables of Jesus that reject anti‐Jewish interpretive patterns while still operating within the framework of historical criticism. By reducing the challenge of the Holocaust for biblical scholarship to the problem of anti‐Judaism, Oldenhage argues, historical critics fail to deal with important questions of Holocaust remembrance that Jeremias's scholarship poses.
Solomon Schimmel
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195188264
- eISBN:
- 9780199870509
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188264.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter explains the author's motives for writing this book, which originated in his being raised as an Orthodox Jew, to which he was deeply committed from early childhood until adulthood. He ...
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This chapter explains the author's motives for writing this book, which originated in his being raised as an Orthodox Jew, to which he was deeply committed from early childhood until adulthood. He received an intensive education in traditional Jewish religious life, literature, and belief, at home and in yeshivot (Jewish parochial schools), but from a young age harbored doubts about the core theological belief of Orthodoxy that the Pentateuch was revealed by God to Moses at Mount Sinai. Upon exposure to modern biblical scholarship, philosophical and literary critiques of religion, and modern biology and science he eventually concluded, in his early twenties, that he could no longer believe that which he had been taught from childhood. The chapter describes the emotional effects and social consequences of losing a faith which one loves (and in some respects continues to love), and the intellectual freedom earned by rejecting Orthodox beliefs and becoming a heretic.Less
This chapter explains the author's motives for writing this book, which originated in his being raised as an Orthodox Jew, to which he was deeply committed from early childhood until adulthood. He received an intensive education in traditional Jewish religious life, literature, and belief, at home and in yeshivot (Jewish parochial schools), but from a young age harbored doubts about the core theological belief of Orthodoxy that the Pentateuch was revealed by God to Moses at Mount Sinai. Upon exposure to modern biblical scholarship, philosophical and literary critiques of religion, and modern biology and science he eventually concluded, in his early twenties, that he could no longer believe that which he had been taught from childhood. The chapter describes the emotional effects and social consequences of losing a faith which one loves (and in some respects continues to love), and the intellectual freedom earned by rejecting Orthodox beliefs and becoming a heretic.
Tania Oldenhage
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195150520
- eISBN:
- 9780199834549
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019515052X.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Considers the motivations underlying the widespread efforts in biblical scholarship to find similarities between the parables of Jesus and twentieth‐century literature. Oldenhage's focus is on the ...
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Considers the motivations underlying the widespread efforts in biblical scholarship to find similarities between the parables of Jesus and twentieth‐century literature. Oldenhage's focus is on the frequent comparison between the stories of Jesus and the stories of Franz Kafka. She argues that such comparisons are not only driven by an interest in formal or generic similarities. She argues that scholarly projects that find parallels between Jesus and Kafka are also driven by the desire to have Jesus’ stories speak to twentieth‐century catastrophe and thus to make Christian Scripture relevant for our own time. While Oldenhage acknowledges the importance of such a hermeneutics of New Testament parables, she argues that it needs to be spelled out and explored more thoroughly.Less
Considers the motivations underlying the widespread efforts in biblical scholarship to find similarities between the parables of Jesus and twentieth‐century literature. Oldenhage's focus is on the frequent comparison between the stories of Jesus and the stories of Franz Kafka. She argues that such comparisons are not only driven by an interest in formal or generic similarities. She argues that scholarly projects that find parallels between Jesus and Kafka are also driven by the desire to have Jesus’ stories speak to twentieth‐century catastrophe and thus to make Christian Scripture relevant for our own time. While Oldenhage acknowledges the importance of such a hermeneutics of New Testament parables, she argues that it needs to be spelled out and explored more thoroughly.
Robert Morgan and John Barton
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780192132567
- eISBN:
- 9780191670060
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192132567.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter begins with a discussion of David Friedrich Strauss's controversial book, The Life of Jesus, which was seen as a massive assault upon the central tenets of Christianity. Strauss showed, ...
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This chapter begins with a discussion of David Friedrich Strauss's controversial book, The Life of Jesus, which was seen as a massive assault upon the central tenets of Christianity. Strauss showed, in a piece-by-piece analysis of each Gospel incident, that these stories were not history, but something else. If traditional supernaturalism depended upon the historicity of the Gospels, its fabric was relentlessly unpicked by Strauss's analysis. The chapter then analyses the works of H. S. Reimarus, a deist, i.e. he believed in God, but not in revelation, miracles, or other supernatural interventions; and those of John William Colenso, the missionary bishop of Natal, whose writings reveal the credibility gap between the plain words of scripture, which were still officially held to be inerrant, and what educated people in fact believed.Less
This chapter begins with a discussion of David Friedrich Strauss's controversial book, The Life of Jesus, which was seen as a massive assault upon the central tenets of Christianity. Strauss showed, in a piece-by-piece analysis of each Gospel incident, that these stories were not history, but something else. If traditional supernaturalism depended upon the historicity of the Gospels, its fabric was relentlessly unpicked by Strauss's analysis. The chapter then analyses the works of H. S. Reimarus, a deist, i.e. he believed in God, but not in revelation, miracles, or other supernatural interventions; and those of John William Colenso, the missionary bishop of Natal, whose writings reveal the credibility gap between the plain words of scripture, which were still officially held to be inerrant, and what educated people in fact believed.
Paul Ricoeur
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226713496
- eISBN:
- 9780226713502
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226713502.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
When French philosopher Paul Ricoeur died in 2005, he bequeathed to the world a highly regarded, widely influential body of work which established him as one of the greatest thinkers of our time. He ...
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When French philosopher Paul Ricoeur died in 2005, he bequeathed to the world a highly regarded, widely influential body of work which established him as one of the greatest thinkers of our time. He also left behind a number of unfinished projects that are gathered here and translated into English for the first time. This book consists of one major essay and nine fragments. Composed in 1996, the essay is the kernel of an unrealized book on the subject of mortality. Likely inspired by his wife's approaching death, it examines not one's own passing but one's experience of others dying. Ricoeur notes that when thinking about death the imagination is paramount, since we cannot truly experience our own passing. But those we leave behind do, and Ricoeur posits that the idea of life after death originated in the awareness of our own end posthumously resonating with our survivors. The fragments in this volume were written over the course of the last few months of Ricoeur's life as his health failed, and they represent his very last work. They cover a range of topics, touching on biblical scholarship, the philosophy of language, and the idea of selfhood he first addressed in Oneself as Another. And while they contain numerous philosophical insights, these fragments are perhaps most significant for providing an invaluable look at Ricoeur's mind at work. As poignant as it is perceptive, this book is a moving testimony to Ricoeur's willingness to confront his own mortality with serious questions, a touching insouciance, and hope for the future.Less
When French philosopher Paul Ricoeur died in 2005, he bequeathed to the world a highly regarded, widely influential body of work which established him as one of the greatest thinkers of our time. He also left behind a number of unfinished projects that are gathered here and translated into English for the first time. This book consists of one major essay and nine fragments. Composed in 1996, the essay is the kernel of an unrealized book on the subject of mortality. Likely inspired by his wife's approaching death, it examines not one's own passing but one's experience of others dying. Ricoeur notes that when thinking about death the imagination is paramount, since we cannot truly experience our own passing. But those we leave behind do, and Ricoeur posits that the idea of life after death originated in the awareness of our own end posthumously resonating with our survivors. The fragments in this volume were written over the course of the last few months of Ricoeur's life as his health failed, and they represent his very last work. They cover a range of topics, touching on biblical scholarship, the philosophy of language, and the idea of selfhood he first addressed in Oneself as Another. And while they contain numerous philosophical insights, these fragments are perhaps most significant for providing an invaluable look at Ricoeur's mind at work. As poignant as it is perceptive, this book is a moving testimony to Ricoeur's willingness to confront his own mortality with serious questions, a touching insouciance, and hope for the future.
Tat-siong Benny Liew
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824831622
- eISBN:
- 9780824869168
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824831622.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
This chapter discusses the nature and construction of Asian American theology—what is Asian American about that theology, and what makes this construction theological. In addition to dealing with the ...
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This chapter discusses the nature and construction of Asian American theology—what is Asian American about that theology, and what makes this construction theological. In addition to dealing with the “who” and/or “what,” the chapter suggests how one can narrate Asian American biblical hermeneutics into legitimacy not through a narrative of identity or authenticity but through repeated references to existing biblical scholarship by Asian American scholars. However, no single strategy will be sufficient for all situations, since they do not remain static. Asian American identities and Asian American biblical hermeneutics are both processes of “becoming-being,” “being-becoming,” or in a word, performance. As performance, these processes get remade simultaneously, responding creatively to contingent and/or changing situations.Less
This chapter discusses the nature and construction of Asian American theology—what is Asian American about that theology, and what makes this construction theological. In addition to dealing with the “who” and/or “what,” the chapter suggests how one can narrate Asian American biblical hermeneutics into legitimacy not through a narrative of identity or authenticity but through repeated references to existing biblical scholarship by Asian American scholars. However, no single strategy will be sufficient for all situations, since they do not remain static. Asian American identities and Asian American biblical hermeneutics are both processes of “becoming-being,” “being-becoming,” or in a word, performance. As performance, these processes get remade simultaneously, responding creatively to contingent and/or changing situations.
Scott Gerard Prinster
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780198834588
- eISBN:
- 9780191872679
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198834588.003.0012
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
The modern development of secular knowledge exerted a powerful influence over the Protestant interpretation and use of the Bible. As German innovations in biblical scholarship spread in the early ...
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The modern development of secular knowledge exerted a powerful influence over the Protestant interpretation and use of the Bible. As German innovations in biblical scholarship spread in the early nineteenth century, scholars and their readership began to scrutinize more closely the historical and empirical accuracy of Scripture. Although these methods first met with widespread resistance in the United States, intellectuals continued to wrestle with the possibility of reconciling natural science and the Bible. Religious professionals attempted to insulate the laity from controversial scientific interpretations of Scripture, but a number of high-profile events such as heresy trials nevertheless attracted broad public attention. A growing schism in American Protestantism was deepened as more orthodox movements renounced the use of naturalism and historical criticism, while a significant number of religious liberals promoted scientific interpretations to keep the Bible relevant to the modern world.Less
The modern development of secular knowledge exerted a powerful influence over the Protestant interpretation and use of the Bible. As German innovations in biblical scholarship spread in the early nineteenth century, scholars and their readership began to scrutinize more closely the historical and empirical accuracy of Scripture. Although these methods first met with widespread resistance in the United States, intellectuals continued to wrestle with the possibility of reconciling natural science and the Bible. Religious professionals attempted to insulate the laity from controversial scientific interpretations of Scripture, but a number of high-profile events such as heresy trials nevertheless attracted broad public attention. A growing schism in American Protestantism was deepened as more orthodox movements renounced the use of naturalism and historical criticism, while a significant number of religious liberals promoted scientific interpretations to keep the Bible relevant to the modern world.
