BT/E #2

I suppose that it would help if I began to explain my approach to Biblical Theology along the "hashing out" of a biblical-theological approach to Evangelism. So, here's a simple definition: Biblical Theology is an organic process that develops from an organic reading of the text.
More on that later ... here's a schematic to help the process along. It shows that there should be questions of ideas, questions of the text, and the analysis of data. These will, in turn, inform original ideas (which will give a better reading of the text, which will give clearer data...and so on.

We all begin with preconceived ideas. These ideas may be inadvertent - shaped by upbringing and education, as well as culture; or these ideas may be intentional - shaped by a conscious desire to believe and maintain a certain set of ideals. Preconceived ideas are not necessarily bad, but they can be troublesome when reading the Bible, because they can often interfere with the most natural and organic reading of the text.


As you can see in the schematic, Ideas are less meddlesome to the process if they are subjected to questions before and during the reading of the text. Asking yourself questions like, "why do I hold this belief?" and "where did this notion originate", can identify ideas that have not necessarily come directly from the text but are affecting the way that a text is being read.

For instance, if we read in John 3.3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Then, we assume that we understand it because we have been taught that being "born again" is about the theological concept known as "regeneration," which is defined as a spiritual process with such and such results and such and such effects. If we then go on without further thought, then we could be missing out on what is actually going on in the text. Being "born again," in this passage may have much more to do with what is being said in the time and place where Jesus said it than in the 16th century - when it was developed as a theological notion by certain scholars and pastors. (This is not to say that theological development is unwanted and unnecessary. These issues just need to be handled one at a time.)

At any rate, ideas need to be subjected to questions, as does the text, which will be covered next time.