Biblical Studies and Faith observation

It might be supposed that nobody would spend their life studying Christian Scriptures for Biblical Studies unless they were personally committed to those Scriptures and believed that they contained the key to salvation.

Yet, in practice, there is as much tension here as in any other Biblical Studies area of theology or religious studies in the Western academy. Many biblical scholars do indeed approach their subject from a perspective of biblical Studies and faith observation , but some do not. And even those who do, hold many different opinions on the authority of Scripture for their faith and religious practice. Pluralism and tension abound in this area of academic theology today.

At some levels this is hardly surprising. There are many technical aspects of biblical studies , such as the linguistic, source and textual areas, which require considerable skills but not faith as such. So, just as classical scholars can often derive pleasure and satisfaction from studying texts that are at variance with their own beliefs and commitments, it is not difficult to see how some secular scholars can approach biblical texts in a similar way.

In both contexts there are intellectual challenges and puzzles

We can fully engage the imaginations of those with the appropriate skills, but without involving any existential commitment on their part. Establishing the chronological order of the Synoptic Gospels say, arguing in detail for or against the existence of Q, or recovering the most reliable Greek test of the New Testament, are not activities in themselves that require Christian faith. It might even be argued that such study sharpens skills that can then be applied to other more pragmatic areas of life.



Ironicly such an argument was used at the beginning of the twentieth century for the training of
Anglican ordinands: typically they (and many other intellectuals) were required to study classics rather than theology as their training for ministry. Perhaps there was even a presumption that studying a work such as Plato’s Republic (a particular favorite for that generation) improved the minds of ordinands rather more than studying the Bible.

By the middle of the twentieth century Anglican ordination training had changed
very considerably.

Now it was assumed, and not just by Anglican evangelicals, that a rigorous study of biblical exegesis was an essential part of ordination training. Yet, after a century of biblical criticism, the dominant assumption was that biblical exegesis must be conducted in a critical context – especially that of historical criticism. Nonetheless, biblical exegesis for Anglican ordinands of all descriptions was a confessional activity.