From: Ward Powers (bwpowers@eagles.bbs.net.au)
Date: Fri Jul 03 1998 - 08:35:57 EDT
At 09:45 98/07/01 -0600, Larry Swain wrote:
>At 10:01 AM 7/1/98 +0300, Timo Flink wrote:
>
>>Since this seems to be a theology-oriented, simple yes/no will do.
>>
>>Timo Flink
>>
>With a respectful nod in the Bard's direction, I would like to take a moment
>and address a misunderstanding here. Most of us on this list ask our
>questions because we are trying to make sense of a passage in the Greek
>(there are exceptions) and most often trying either to interpret it, fit it
>into our theology, or in the process of discussing such issues with others.
>Given that this literature is near and dear to most of us in some fashion it
>would be very difficult not to ask about a passage that does not in some way
>affect someone's theology.
>
>The difficulty for us on the staff comes when the discussion turns from
>making sense of the Greek-grammar, etymology, semantics, morphology etc and
>it is the <i>interpretation<i> of the passage that becomes the focus of
>discussion, opening all manner of wounds. Discussions (and arguments) about
>what a passage MEANS should be held offlist among interested parties, such
>as the I Tim 2 discussion which has now crossed that sometimes fine line.
I have been wondering what to say in response to this post since I got it
some hours ago.
I stand amazed. Aghast, in fact.
Larry says here that the difficulty comes when the discussion turns from
more or less technical matters to the interpretation of a passage of the
Bible, for this is "opening all manner of wounds"! Let me look at this
again. When the interpretation of a passage becomes the focus of a
discussion, this is "opening all manner of wounds"!! "Discussions and
arguments about what a passage MEANS
should be held offlist"!!!
The whole reason I am on the b-greek list is because I WANT to tune in on
discussions about what this or that passage of Scripture means, in the
light of what the Greek says. I acknowledge that the list is open to
non-Christians as well as Christians of every persuasion and every hue, and
I value this diversity. It is one of our strengths. It should be well
within the role of this list, though, to allow the Christians amongst us
who are interested in the meaning of a passage in Greek to talk about it
on-list. Those not interested in a particular discussion are aware of their
options when a given topic is being discussed. I access the b-greek list
once a day, on average, and I look at every contribution, and I follow with
interest the different threads which surface. I myself only contribute on
an occasional basis, when something arises in a field of my own expertize,
or concerning a matter of interest to me (like now!). I learn a great deal,
however, from reading the contributions of others. And as much when the
meaning of a passage is under consideration as from any other thread -
maybe more. I DO NOT WANT LIST MEMBERS TO BE INHIBITED FROM DISCUSSING THE
MEANING OF THE GREEK, AND THUS OF A PASSAGE. (Capitals = emphasis. Strong
emphasis.) That is how we learn, and I know from my time on this list that
most of its members enjoy this as being an opportunity of learning.
If we are to be warned off from discussing the meaning of passages of the
Bible, all that will be left to us is to discuss what kind of dative TWi
is, in a particular verse. (I exaggerate, I know. But not by much.)
Worse is to follow. Such discussion of the meaning of the Bible is "opening
all manner of wounds". I am dumbfounded. Flabbergasted. What kind of
situation exists to which such a remark can be referring? And where? My
days as a Bible College student date from the early 'fifties, then
theological study and post-graduate university work; interspersed with
parish work, I was a member of the faculty of the theological college of my
denomination (Anglican) for five years, and on the faculty of Australia's
oldest interdenominational Bible College for twelve years. I am now
director of Tyndale College, a new college for distance education in
theology, and head up a team of two dozen men and women representing most
mainline denominations in Australia. I mention this to say that over quite
a period of time I have had opportunity of being involved in lively
discussions of differing viewpoints about the meaning and interpretation of
passage after passage in the Bible - amongst the faculty and the students
alike.
In fact, when I was lecturing at the Bible College, I could be pretty sure
that for any given lecture about half of the students would agree with what
I was going to say, and the other half would disagree. (What made life
interesting would be that each lecture it would be a different half in each
category.) Similarly with most other lectures, and lecturers. But we were a
wonderfully close and warm community, and we regarded these differences as
an opportunity to learn how others think. We respected each others'
opinions with Christian grace. Never did we find the discussion of the
meaning of the Bible to be "opening all manner of wounds".
Why should it be so on b-greek? Why can we not continue to profit from
exploring our varied understandings and probings of the meaning of passages
of the GNT on this list? A touch of grace and a little mutual acceptance of
our differences is all it takes - and my experience is that the
overwhelming majority of list members write in this spirit in most of their
contributions. The occasional - very occasional - exceptions we can
tolerate for the sake of the benefit of free exchange of viewpoints.
>Hope that helps clarify it some.
>
>Larry Swain
No, Larry, it does not. It muddies the waters considerably, and leads us in
a totally wrong direction. I first joined this list soon after it started,
when it was called NT-greek; some of you who have read my contributions
over the years may find this present posting to be rather more strongly
worded than is usual for me. That is because I am very concerned about this
potential throttling of the freedom of the list to be of maximum usefulness
to its members.
In some considerable concern,
Ward
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers Phone (International): 61-2-9799-7501
10 Grosvenor Crescent Phone (Australia): (02) 9799-7501
SUMMER HILL NSW 2130 email: bwpowers@eagles.bbs.net.au
AUSTRALIA.
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