Re: GEN 1-11: Beyond the concordist debate

From: Terry M. Gray (grayt@lamar.colostate.edu)
Date: Fri May 03 2002 - 00:17:55 EDT

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    Shuan wrote:

    >
    >
    >Concordists and fundies tend to simply ignore the scholars view of Gen
    >1-11."Lets not let expert analysis get in the way of our historical
    >reconstructions" is the motto of both groups. I think this a short sighted

    I guess it's a question of picking your experts. I know lots of
    scholars with advanced degrees in Biblical studies that disagree with
    most of what your scholars say. These people aren't dummies. They
    simply reject the "enlightenment" presuppositions of most of modern
    Biblical scholarship. They don't accept the fundamental methods of
    the "higher critics" and approach scripture from the point of someone
    who accepts divine inspiration rather than rejects it. Often these
    scholars don't come to the same conclusions about the Biblical text
    as other scholars. Von Rad is a fine scholar of high regard, but if
    he is operating with "enlightenment" presuppositions as to the nature
    of the Biblical text and I don't share those presuppositions, then
    his scholarship is found wanting. I choose to follow the body of
    scholars who have answered this school and performed their
    scholarship with different presuppositions--this would be the old
    Princeton school and their intellectual heirs at Westminster Seminary
    and other conservative institutions. These folks are genuine scholars
    and "concordists and fundies" aren't just "ignoring the scholars".
    They are following scholars that approach the Biblical text from a
    fundamentally different perspective.

    >view that ends up in endless (and IMHO) pointless discussions on trying to
    >extract a historical kernel out of Genesis 1-11. I have yet to see Glenn,
    >Dick, or anyone else get to the meat of Gen 1-11, which for me , is What
    >does it mean for ME and my community that my God is the maker of heaven and
    >earth? As scientists, you should be able to contribute devotional and
    >theological insights that I, a non scientist, do not have. I would like the
    >list to table (at least, for a little while) the whole concordist debate and
    >hear some contributions on this question.

    I'm sympathetic with your plea here. May I suggest that we have a
    look at some of the material published in the December 2001 issue of
    Perspective that is on the web--

    http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2001/PSCF12-01Miller.pdf
    http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2001/PSCF12-01Morrison.pdf
    http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2001/PSCF12-01Harper.pdf
    http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2001/PSCF12-01Suppe.pdf
    http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2001/PSCF12-01Harper2.pdf

    TG

    -- 
    _________________
    Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
    Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
    Fort Collins, Colorado  80523
    grayt@lamar.colostate.edu  http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
    phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801
    



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