liberal - conservative

From: BBezdek@aol.com
Date: Tue Oct 10 1995 - 08:24:54 EDT


   In light of the recent posts between Jim McGuire (BibAnsMan) and other
members of this group. I offer the following comments, although I am sure I
am not presenting any new information.

   The liberalism issue is one about assumptions and not about what the text
says. Those assumptions then set the boundaries of what we will allow the
text to tell us. I see no danger in obtaining the widest possible view of
scriptural languages. This provides a richness that is unavailable
otherwise. It makes the text more real. We are dealing with real people in
real situations. To understand God's word in man's language, we have to
understand man's language well.
 
   At one time, I had a very naive attitude about the biblical languages. I
had no training in them. I was and am very interested in the creation -
evolution debate and others, so I decided that I would, learn to read the
languages, and then solve all the problems that were causing the
misunderstanding. Well, It is just not that simple! I learned the languages
-- to some degree at least, but I didn't solve the problems, actually, some
got bigger. I want to know more than it says! I think most of us do.
Because of this, It is very easy to get into the error of trying to squeeze
out, or put in more than the text actually says. The less knowledge one has,
the easier this is to do this.

   I am on this list to grow in my understanding of Biblical Greek. I do not
have the time of other resources to collect and study all of the materials I
would like. I am very appreciative of those scholars who are sharing there
knowledge with us. It is because of their broader knowledge that they are
able to keep us on track, on those occasions when our assumptions may lead us
off on some doctrinal tangent. Those who have experience with the
literarature beyond the bible texts have been most helpful, and they have
certainly given me insight into understand biblical passages that I did not
have.

   It is our assumptions that are the problem and not exposure to extra
Biblical literature, and recent scholarship. It is usually not to difficult
to see what an author's assumptions are by the way they have written.

   I apologize if I have gotten to far off track with this post.

IMHO
Byron T. Bezdek



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