The Bible, as you all know, is a fairly old text, with many different sorts of literature composing it. And this old text is still (very much) the subject of much discussion in contemporary society…in America, at least.
The recent debates over the historicity of Adam and Eve and the Genesis creation narrative(s) have flung the Bible back into view as a hot-topic. Terms like inerrancy, infallibility, authoritative, inspired, narrative, revelation, etc. have cropped up again in our discussions concerning Holy Writ.
The question that I’m interested in is this: what are we to do with this book? How are we to approach it? It is obvious that we are very far removed from the context in which the different parts of scripture were given. We are removed temporally, contextually, and (for many of us) geographically. It is obvious, then, that there are major difficulties with coming to term with this text in our day.
Some have looked at it as a guide for “faith and practice (a la 2 Tim. 3:16);” others have looked at it from a historical point of view – studying it (merely) academically to learn about the ancient societal values, customs, and religious practices of early Jewish and Christian observers; others have looked to it as a story or narrative, which should inform, motivate, and inspire our lives; still, others have considered it their absolute and fundamental authority on all things pertaining to life, faith, science, etc.
So, which is it? Is it a blend of many of these approaches? Is it something altogether different? Or, as some have argued, albeit ridiculously, should the Bible be scraped entirely? These folks would say that the Bible’s place in (post) modern society is wholly irrelevant and inconsequential?
I have some thoughts of my own that I’m thinking through, but I’m curious to know what you think.
-How should we approach the biblical text, today?
-What kind of text is the Bible? What is it aiming to tell us?
-What are your personal beliefs about the Bible? Is it inspired, revelatory, inerrant, authoritative, etc.?
It may be that these questions can never be answered in any objective way. The answers may be subjective, wherein differing communities of faith commit to a certain stance. But the discussions are good to continue having. The progress comes in the engagement.
Cheers.
