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Seminar 4:
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How should we read the scriptures of the Old and New Testament? The text of Scripture has an authoritative status in every part of the Christian church, but what this statement means is subject to widely different understandings. In this seminar we will explore whether there is a distinctively theological view of Holy Scripture, such that we do not read the Scriptures as we do any other piece of literature. Does the church, the primary reading community of Holy Scripture, approach the reading of the Bible in a distinctive way – leaving aside the fact that the world-wide Jewish community qualifies for this status vis-à-vis the Hebrew Scriptures, which Christians receive as the Old Testament. What place might be given in the church to critical views of Scripture or particular texts within it? What authority do modern science, philosophy, psychology or literary theory, for example, have in relation to the reading of Scripture? Do they help us to understand the text, or does the text help us to understand the world? Or are these false alternatives?
Note: This seminar replaces the one by Dr Richard Treloar originally advertised for this date. Dr Treloar is unable to attend on the 22nd May, and Dr Mostert kindly agreed to step into the breach with the above seminar on a similar biblical subject.
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