Comments on: Religious Studies and Theology: Living in Both Worlds http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/ My musings on Biblical Studies, Biblical Hebrew, Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Popular Culture, Religion, Software, and pretty much anything else that interests me! Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:21:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tyler F. Williams http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289824 Tyler F. Williams Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:15:16 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289824 Hey guys, Just got back from a weekend getaway... great discussion. I think that you have hit the nail on the head, Joshua, although even those who are not working from a theological perspective also (I hope) try to see some sort of enduring value in studying whatever they are studying. Otherwise why bother! I am looking forward to reading your post Miller, especially since you mention Gadamer in the title! And Mike... thanks for the heads up re: the article by Arnal. Hey guys,

Just got back from a weekend getaway… great discussion. I think that you have hit the nail on the head, Joshua, although even those who are not working from a theological perspective also (I hope) try to see some sort of enduring value in studying whatever they are studying. Otherwise why bother!

I am looking forward to reading your post Miller, especially since you mention Gadamer in the title!

And Mike… thanks for the heads up re: the article by Arnal.

]]> By: d. miller http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289817 d. miller Sun, 09 Aug 2009 03:52:09 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289817 Thanks for the excellent post, Tyler. I added a short comment on my <a href="http://gervatoshav.blogspot.com/2009/08/kl-noll-vs-h-g-gadamer.html" rel="nofollow">blog</a> about the puzzling way Noll subordinates the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences. d. miller Thanks for the excellent post, Tyler. I added a short comment on my blog about the puzzling way Noll subordinates the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences.
d. miller

]]> By: Mike Koke http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289816 Mike Koke Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:55:08 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289816 Great post Tyler and I have tried to follow up on some of the discussion about this. Another interesting article on this question is by William Arnal, "A Parting of the Ways? Scholarly Identities and a Peculiar Species of Ancient Mediterranean Religion" in Identity & Interaction in the Ancient Mediterranean: Jews, Christians and Others Essays in Honour of Stephen G. Wilson, which argues for a "parting of the ways" between a hermeneutical approach in a confessional institution or seminary and a Religious Studies approach in a secular University. Great post Tyler and I have tried to follow up on some of the discussion about this. Another interesting article on this question is by William Arnal, “A Parting of the Ways? Scholarly Identities and a Peculiar Species of Ancient Mediterranean Religion” in Identity & Interaction in the Ancient Mediterranean: Jews, Christians and Others Essays in Honour of Stephen G. Wilson, which argues for a “parting of the ways” between a hermeneutical approach in a confessional institution or seminary and a Religious Studies approach in a secular University.

]]> By: Joshua Blanchard http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289815 Joshua Blanchard Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:27:31 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289815 I wonder if we could say theology also has a "normative" element to it, in that, at least in its mainstream manifestations, involves direct application to human predicament, individual calling, and so on. There is also some animosity between, say "comparative religion" schools of thought which tend to be secular, and theology. Perhaps substantive differences can be gleaned by listening in on the bickering. I wonder if we could say theology also has a “normative” element to it, in that, at least in its mainstream manifestations, involves direct application to human predicament, individual calling, and so on.

There is also some animosity between, say “comparative religion” schools of thought which tend to be secular, and theology. Perhaps substantive differences can be gleaned by listening in on the bickering.

]]> By: Jim Linville http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289814 Jim Linville Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:15:59 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289814 Anyway, that last comment came out a lot stronger than I wanted it to. Dawkins just bugs the heck out of me and I kind of just projected it onto Noll. I don't really believe that Noll would want a scholarly censorship board: my apologies. Never write comments before you have your first cup of coffee in the morning. Anyway, that last comment came out a lot stronger than I wanted it to. Dawkins just bugs the heck out of me and I kind of just projected it onto Noll. I don’t really believe that Noll would want a scholarly censorship board: my apologies.

Never write comments before you have your first cup of coffee in the morning.

]]> By: Jim Linville http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289813 Jim Linville Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:38:02 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289813 No kidding. I'm a pretty staunch atheist activist, especially when it comes to literalists, creationists and so forth, and I'm kind of rude and crude, but for Pete's sake, scholars should not be censorship boards. I wonder what would please Noll or Avalos, a "rating" system like they have for movies or before TV shows? "Caution this work of intellectual engagement with the Bible was produced by a person who failed the Dawkins test for authentic religion scholarship. It therefore contains theology. Readers discretion is advised." If people have to pass an atheist test or pledge loyalty to Dawkins before before being counted as a potential teacher, then the world is just to darn crazy for me and I want off. I hope to have my bit on Noll (part 2 of a 4 bit series) posted today. Davies and Avalos next week sometime. Hope all is well at your new digs. Best wishes, Jim No kidding. I’m a pretty staunch atheist activist, especially when it comes to literalists, creationists and so forth, and I’m kind of rude and crude, but for Pete’s sake, scholars should not be censorship boards.

I wonder what would please Noll or Avalos, a “rating” system like they have for movies or before TV shows?
“Caution this work of intellectual engagement with the Bible was produced by a person who failed the Dawkins test for authentic religion scholarship. It therefore contains theology. Readers discretion is advised.”

If people have to pass an atheist test or pledge loyalty to Dawkins before before being counted as a potential teacher, then the world is just to darn crazy for me and I want off.

I hope to have my bit on Noll (part 2 of a 4 bit series) posted today. Davies and Avalos next week sometime.

Hope all is well at your new digs.
Best wishes,
Jim

]]> By: Tyler F. Williams http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289812 Tyler F. Williams Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:13:46 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289812 Hey Jim,nice to hear from you! Yeah, I wasn't that impressed either. A lot of rhetoric and stereotypes that really missed the mark, IMHO. Whlie I recognize that you and I differ on a number of things in terms of method, there would also be a lot of common ground between us. Or to use a different metaphor, while our final destination may be quite a bit different, we share the same road for much of the journey. If find inflamatory pieces such as Noll, Dawkins, Hitchens, Avalos, and even Lemche's work when on this topic to be less than adequate academically. Hey Jim,nice to hear from you!

Yeah, I wasn’t that impressed either. A lot of rhetoric and stereotypes that really missed the mark, IMHO. Whlie I recognize that you and I differ on a number of things in terms of method, there would also be a lot of common ground between us. Or to use a different metaphor, while our final destination may be quite a bit different, we share the same road for much of the journey. If find inflamatory pieces such as Noll, Dawkins, Hitchens, Avalos, and even Lemche’s work when on this topic to be less than adequate academically.

]]> By: Jim Linville http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/2009/08/07/religious-studies-and-theology/comment-page-1/#comment-289811 Jim Linville Sat, 08 Aug 2009 06:23:52 +0000 http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/?p=1735#comment-289811 Tyler, I read Noll's piece too, and I'm pretty disappointed with it, and I have very different perspective on things than you do. I really got miffed at his juxtaposition between religion scholars and "theologians", as if there could be no believers who are doing biblical studies I don't think Noll did the secular study of religion much good here, and his bringing up Dawkins was just silly. In the God Delusion, Dawkins is totally dismissive of any kind of serious religious studies, thinking it a waste of time. I'm certainly no theologian, but I'm pretty dismissive of Dawkins as a commentator on religion. I'm working through my own response to Noll and Dawkins, and it is good to read your thoughts on the matter. Best wishes, jim linville Tyler, I read Noll’s piece too, and I’m pretty disappointed with it, and I have very different perspective on things than you do. I really got miffed at his juxtaposition between religion scholars and “theologians”, as if there could be no believers who are doing biblical studies

I don’t think Noll did the secular study of religion much good here, and his bringing up Dawkins was just silly. In the God Delusion, Dawkins is totally dismissive of any kind of serious religious studies, thinking it a waste of time. I’m certainly no theologian, but I’m pretty dismissive of Dawkins as a commentator on religion.

I’m working through my own response to Noll and Dawkins, and it is good to read your thoughts on the matter.

Best wishes,
jim linville

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