In the article “Reading the Bible and Articulating a Worldview” Michael Goheen suggests that we need to understand and read the Bible as one, large story. In the article, Goheen states “When the Bible is broken up in this way there is no comprehensive, and narrative to withstand the power of the comprehensive, humanist narrative that shapes our culture” (Goheen 7-8). In my opinion, I agree with Michael Goheen when he suggests the Bible is to be read as one, large story. When you read the Bible from this point of view, you have a better possibility of gaining more from the Word. When non-Christians read the Bible as one story, they have a better understanding of what they’re reading. When I read the Bible as one story and being a Christian I
In his book, The Good Book, Peter J. Gomes attempts to convince his readers the proper way to read and interpret the Bible, takes an analytical standpoint on past (and current) controversial topics such as racism, women, Jews, and homosexuality. Along with these two things, he explains to his readers how the Bible interacts with several topics people typically have questions on in regards to how they relate to the Bible.. The main point of his novel, as I see it, is to inform the readers of two things. The first being that there is both a right and wrong way to read the Bible, while the second is that people in general want to read the Bible but are biblically illiterate and do not know how to approach it. Gomes splits The Good Book Gomes applies culturalism a great amount in this part.
In the book “The Art of Biblical Narrative” by Robert Alter, there is one chapter (Chapter 3) titled “Biblical Type-Scenes and the Uses of Convention” (Alter 47). Alter describes several different stories (but similar in some ways) in the Old Testament that can be difficult to interpret in today’s culture. Alter describes how reading any book (more specifically the Bible), requires use of conventions, which he describes as “… an elaborate set of tacit agreements between artist and audience about the ordering of the art work is at all times the enabling context in which the complex communication of art occurs” (Alter 47). In other words, an agreement of how the writing is done; it can be pretty complex as well. He states that there are stories in the Bible that have the same stories of narrative, but there are different characters, they often are told several times in the Bible. Alter uses several of examples, like how patriarch is driven by famine; or where someone is found and is invited to eat with them, or a betrothal (engagement) near a well/body
Michael Joseph Brown, unveils new ways to read and examine the Bible in his book, titled “What They Don’t Tell You: A Survivor’s Guide to Biblical Studies”. Although quite technical, the guide, not book, really goes into depth on the process of studying the Bible and its documents. Brown has a new and refreshing way of giving the reader this information that is necessary in a small group, or for a Biblical scholar. This guide is not meant solely for the biblical scholar and talks in detail about the difference between these two, because some may link the two together. Published by the Westminster John Knox Press, WJK for short, this book gives straight forward answers on the best way to thoroughly understand Biblical text. As you read on you will find out more about how they differ and why they appear so similar from an outside perspective. Brown has taken a wide variety of information, and made it into something interesting and extremely useful for the reader. In his own words, “What I have done is to ‘translate’ some foundational concepts in biblical studies into an idiom more people can understand” (xiii)
The Hebrew Bible, better known as the Old Testament, is a collection of tomes that form part of the Biblical canon. Many scholars around the world do not think that a single author wrote the books contained in the Hebrew Bible, but rather that it represents centuries of stories frequently compiled after the events they describe . The stories were created with visions for the future, in order to allow audiences insight into communities and beliefs that were common thought during their era. The stories responded to the issues and problems of their time, but also addressed contemporary climates. While the stories themselves may not be true, they convey truth without needing literal readings. For example, the creation stories in Genesis, portray God as creating the universe, and while this is considered as not ‘literally true’; the stories communicate theological truths about mankind’s relationship with God through the eyes of Hebrew writers .
Worldview is how you view certain views from a certain perspective, such as a Christian worldview would be how you view certain views from a Christian perspective. Everything in life is affected by worldview and everyone has one. As Christians, our worldview is using the Bible for our starting on our views. An example of a worldview is, according to the article “What is a Christian Worldview?”, “Christianity as taught in the Bible is itself a worldview.” 77 words.
Christian minister and Reformed Theologian, Cornelius Plantinga Jr. produced a graceful reading adventure of deeper thinking in his book entitled, Engaging God's World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living. In his preface and first three chapters, Plantinga discusses his own traditions and the Christian worldview background, followed by our natural desire for God. Plantinga then goes on to discuss Creation and the Fall in relation to "our" history, present, and future. Through my reading, I imagined the type of conversation I would have with this Calvinist "groupie" if we were able to sit down for a chat, I imagine he would tell me just as Paul told the Ephesians; "For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus
Plantinga’s (2002) book Engaging God’s World consists of five parts: “Longing and Hope,” “Creation,” “The Fall,” “Redemption,” and “Vocation in the Kingdom of God.” Throughout the work, Plantinga references public speakers and activists, lyricists, philosophers, saints, and authors to help his audience connect to his perspective.
Life is an interesting journey that every living creature is a part of. Human beings are born into a family they do not pick and society that they do not choose. Within this unit they are taught values and morals, which are ingrained into their daily lives. Ever since I was a child I have been exposed to many different influences, religion being one of them. To this day I can still remember my grandmother saying “God has a purpose for your life, follow Him.” In Introducing Philosophy of Religion, Chad Meister asserts “there are several components (that) seem to be central to the world religion: a system of beliefs, the breaking in of a transcendent reality, and human attitudes of ultimate concern, meaning and purpose” (Meister 6). Throughout my life I feel that religion is one of the core social belief systems that people use to maintain what they feel is a good way to live. Giving them a sense of purpose or fulfillment during their earthly life, most hoping whatever beliefs that have will help them after death. Even though there are many different religions or religious value systems every one has most likely been exposed to one or more. There is only 15% of the world’s population that do not believe in one type of religion or another (Meister, 7). So I assume that humans desire to understand and most of the time follow a religion either because of the culture they grew up in or by searching for somewhere to belong. Do the people who decide to follow a religious belief system need scientific evidence to really belief? I believe that some people need to relate science to religion and some people do not. Three ways Meister argues methods to evaluate the two are: understand the conflict between each one, look at them independently...
The biblical narrative is one that is still going on to this day. The biblical narrative tells the story of God and how he reveals himself to us. Rhodes points out that “God comes to each through a historical event or series of events” (2). It is in this way that God reveals himself to us and this maintains the relevance of the biblical narrative in our lives. God reveals himself through formative stories in the bible such as Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall of Man, The Flood, God’s Covenant with Noah, and the Tower of Babel. From the very beginning of the biblical narrative we see that God relates to us on a personal level. He created us, he formed us, he created the world in which we live, and he has been an active participant in the narrative since before it began.
Wisdom is a concept that most people are interested in. As human beings, we want to learn how to receive wisdom, know how it affects us, and what wisdom really is. Humankind has contemplated these questions for countless years and have come up with a variety of answers. However, as an alternative to the ideas of these philosophers, the Bible addresses these questions through books that are defined as wisdom literature, or literature that gives thought to “universal, humanistic, and philosophical standpoints” (Dell 1).
Christianity is a religion which embodies the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ is completely divine and mortal. He is God. He is truly unique in that He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah. The aforementioned prophecies were explicitly communicated through the Bible, a guidebook for followers of Christianity. Specifically, the Old Testament is the foundation of many religions (i.e. Judaism, Islam and Christianity). The Bible (the Scripture) is composed of several books; each book is regarded as both a historical as well as allegorical source. The Bible is the canon of the Scripture, the basis of Christian beliefs. Every story chronicled throughout the scripture is factual. Although each story has a separate author, they all share a common link; they were inspired by way of revelation; therefore they are the truth. The Bible can be interpreted in three different ways: the divine oracle paradigm, the historical paradigm, or the literary paradigm. These biblical interpretive techniques are described in an article by Carl R. Holladay called "Contemporary Methods of Reading the Bible." Using "A Historical View of Texts" under the umbrella of the literary paradigm, particular claims of the scripture will secure credibility and further meaning. "A Historical View of Texts" does not take into account the Bible's development over time especially in terms of cause and effect how those shaped the texts; rather, it scrutinizes the Bible in its entirety, as a "finished product." More importance is given to literal than historical interpretation, "spatial rather than temporal (Holladay, p.138)." Historical references are only made when the text requires the reader or interpreter to do so. The net-effect of being oblivious to time whilst interpreting a piece is a purely literal breakdown of the text. This form of biblical analysis has two offshoots: diachronic and synchronic analysis. Holladay explains: In diachronic analysis, the interpreter thinks in terms of a linear time line along which the development of language and texts can be plotted. Synchronic analysis, by contrast, focuses on a single point in the time line and draws comparisons from other texts that are either roughly contemporary or otherwise relevant. In the literary paradigm, synchronic analysis may also involve comparing texts, or aspects of language, from different chronological periods, but doing so as if they occupied the same moment in time (Holladay, p.138).
The Bible is filled with so many stories and with these stories become many complex and disconcert
Someone should really condense the Bible and put all the good stuff into it; would make the whole Bible things a bit more pleasing.
This guide is specially written for new Christians, commonly called born again Christians. As we bear in mind that new Christians come into this spiritual journey called Christianity which is to live like Christ, with numerous questions in mind, but don’t know which ones to ask first, or even who to ask these questions to. You need to understand that we are not trying to encourage you more into one religion or another. We are approaching the Bible in the most neutral but instructive way.
The bible is what helps keeps our faith alive as it contains a rich amount of history that tells us of God’s revelation and the ways how our faith works. Although the bible contains numerous works of different people, it is still a work of God that helps our faith remain constant and grow, as everything written was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In some way, I was able to understand the value also of the other books, as before I did not really take interest of the other books included bible, aside from the likes of the Gospels, Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, and Proverbs. Nevertheless, I realized that the books are all part of the bible as each has a purpose to serve and stands as a testament to the infidelity of humanity, and of God’s unfailing love for