kata ta biblia

a blog exploring Christian origins, biblical studies, social/cultural history, method, education and the journey through academia

Theological Interpretation and Problematic Passages

Greg Carey asks “theological interpreters” some important questions:

But. What Fowl doesn’t do — and what other “theological interpretation” advocates rarely do — is acknowledge that the Bible also sets up some problems for us. Fowl recognizes that the Bible is a human document and that it’s grounded in its own cultural contexts. But how do we engage Judges on genocide, Revelation on the desire for vengeance, Matthew and John on “the Jews,” the pseudo-Paulines on the subordination of women and slaves? By what criteria do we respond to these issues?

It’s a question for pretty much any person who views the Bible as authoritative for today, let alone the proponents of theological interpretation.

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1 Comment by Patrick George McCullough  /  August 29, 2009  /  Posted in: theological interpretation
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  • http://michaelcardensjottings.blogspot.com/ Michael Carden

    It is an interesting question. When I was writing my chapter on Joshua for the Queer Bible Commentary my main concern was what do I do with a text that celebrates genocide. But then I found it was more complex and I personally think JOshua is not such a cut and dried text. Intentionally or otherwise, it actually blurs the distinction between Israelites and Canaanites, particularly when read across all the versions, Masoretic, Greek (2) and Samaritan and then framed by Jewish, especially, and some Islamic interpretive traditions. Triumphalist genocidal Joshua disappeared.

    As for Judges, the genre of that book is clearly satire and parody, fiction, inverting a suite of narratives throughout the Old Testament. The binding of Isaac and Sodom and Gomorrah are two that spring immediately to mind. The stories of Gideon and Abimelech are clearly satire and as for Samson how anyone could take that sociopathic klutz seriously is beyond me. I don’t think we’re meant to if one can determine intention in an ancient text