Is Theology Futile?- Part 3
Theology has it's foundation in Bible exegesis, but it also supplements interpretation. Bible passages are exegeted. Those exegeted passages tend to have some relationship to other verses. Thus, the interpreted passages are brought onto those other verses.
So I think it's reasonable to assume that how we interpret the Bible has everything to do with all the theological debates we have today. Also, the issue of theological presuppositions (usually acquired through tradition) colouring our interpretation would be important as well. Since the its scope is way to large (with some bits far beyond my ability to handle), I'll avoid discussion on this one for now.
Leaving hermeneutics aside, the question would be then:
"Can we be absolutely accurate when we interpret the Bible?"
No, not all the time, but most of the time (with the proper tools and work) we get there. Skeptics of the Christian faith point out that the multiplicity of interpretations of the Bible undermines the claim that we are the one true people of God. How can there be objectivity?
But then, the claim that since "we have so many interpretations, which is the right one?" cannot be used to disprove the fact that truth (in theology) can be achieved. To insist otherwise would be to undermine the foundation of disciplines like science, where although there is a multitude of theories, we still do not believe that science is a futile effort. Likewise with theology.
The process of how we come to truth is a rather complicated one, but the analogy of the hermeneutical spiral helps:
We start going in circles lower and lower towards the truth, as we study the scriptures. Although we never really get there immediately, we still end up winding closer and closer to the center until we get there.
(I gleaned this from Don Carson's "Foundations of Knowing" lecture, which I recommend. He laid down two other analogies, though I think the one above is the simplest to understand.)
The next post would, God willing, be dedicated to discussing the Bible verses highlighting interpretation, as well as the claims of some who say that the "Holy Spirit hath told me so".
So I think it's reasonable to assume that how we interpret the Bible has everything to do with all the theological debates we have today. Also, the issue of theological presuppositions (usually acquired through tradition) colouring our interpretation would be important as well. Since the its scope is way to large (with some bits far beyond my ability to handle), I'll avoid discussion on this one for now.
Leaving hermeneutics aside, the question would be then:
"Can we be absolutely accurate when we interpret the Bible?"
No, not all the time, but most of the time (with the proper tools and work) we get there. Skeptics of the Christian faith point out that the multiplicity of interpretations of the Bible undermines the claim that we are the one true people of God. How can there be objectivity?
But then, the claim that since "we have so many interpretations, which is the right one?" cannot be used to disprove the fact that truth (in theology) can be achieved. To insist otherwise would be to undermine the foundation of disciplines like science, where although there is a multitude of theories, we still do not believe that science is a futile effort. Likewise with theology.
The process of how we come to truth is a rather complicated one, but the analogy of the hermeneutical spiral helps:
We start going in circles lower and lower towards the truth, as we study the scriptures. Although we never really get there immediately, we still end up winding closer and closer to the center until we get there.
(I gleaned this from Don Carson's "Foundations of Knowing" lecture, which I recommend. He laid down two other analogies, though I think the one above is the simplest to understand.)
The next post would, God willing, be dedicated to discussing the Bible verses highlighting interpretation, as well as the claims of some who say that the "Holy Spirit hath told me so".
This entry was posted
on Monday, July 03, 2006 at 5:58 PM.
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