Monthly Archives: August 2012

Random Thoughts

Posted on August 30, 2012 by theoutwardquest

Last night I sat outside on the deck and looked up at the moon.  I thought of how Neil Armstrong is dead yet his footprints are there at the Tranquility site.  They will probably be there for thousands of years. … Continue reading →

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Jaroslav Pelikan-The baptism of the Tanakh

Posted on August 28, 2012 by theoutwardquest

Remember that Jaroslav Pelikan uses the term Tanakh for the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures. In Who’s Bible is It? he traces the adoption of the Tanakh as a part of the Christian Bible. In the 2nd century there was … Continue reading →

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The Gospel in a nutshell

Posted on August 27, 2012 by theoutwardquest

For some time the Christian Century, a magazine that appeals to the Mainline or Progressive party of Protestants, has run a series that asks scholars and preachers to summarize the Christian gospel in seven words.  The most recent article is … Continue reading →

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Respecting the Bible

Posted on August 24, 2012 by theoutwardquest

“Inerrancy is not and can never be a doctrine that respects the Bible. It is a framework imposed on the Bible and which is antithetical to giving the Bible respect, to say nothing of authority.” So says James McGrath at … Continue reading →

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Jaroslav Pelikan-Talmud, Reason and Imagination

Posted on August 23, 2012 by theoutwardquest

I am reading some more of Jaroslav Pelikan’s book, Who’s Bible Is It. He leads us through what has happened with Jewish oral tradition. For Judaism there is a twofold authority. The law was given and long existed in written … Continue reading →

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The class of 2016

Posted on August 22, 2012 by theoutwardquest

Every year Beloit  College puts out a list of things the class entering college can’t remember or has become accustomed to.  They call it the Mindset List. Part of its purpose is to remind us older folks how the young … Continue reading →

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Swimming nekkid in the Sea of Galilee

Posted on August 22, 2012 by theoutwardquest

Make what you want of this link to Ann Althouse.  I thought it was pretty entertaining. She asks a political commentator to explain his theology/theory concerning God taking sides in American politics.  There is a lot of that going on, … Continue reading →

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Jaroslav Pelikan-Were the vowels inspired?

Posted on August 22, 2012 by theoutwardquest

Here are couple of interesting facts Jaroslav Pelikan raised about the Jewish tradition. The apocrypha, he says, turned out to be more important to Christians than to Jews. They are the intertestamental Jewish writings for which we have no original … Continue reading →

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Jaroslav Pelikan-LXX

Posted on August 21, 2012 by theoutwardquest

In Who’s Bible is It Jaroslav Pelikan explains why the Jews, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants have different Bibles.  The Jews leave out the New Testament, of course.  The Catholics and Orthodox add some books written in Greek between … Continue reading →

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Jaroslav Pelikan-Orality

Posted on August 17, 2012 by theoutwardquest

In Who’s Bible is It Jaroslav Pelikan makes much of the concept of orality. Prior to the printing press few wrote works intended to be read like modern books. Communication was by speaking. People received story telling, drama, and oratory by … Continue reading →

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