History and Letters Discussion

Week 4 - Alex

Week 4 - Alex

by Alex Nagy -
Number of replies: 3

What does the phrase "Theologized History" mean? How does viewing the narrative parts of the Bible in this way change how we interpret them?

Theologized History is a way of recalling details with emphases but not necessarily accuracy which I find very fascinating. The more I'm learning in this class the more I'm realizing I've had a pretty legalistic understanding of the Bible. I've taken it for the words I've read without proper context or understanding. So after the last couple if weeks, I feel a lot more freedom in what I'm reading verse trying to remember every detail so I don't miss quote it or misinterpret it, which can still happen regardless.

Which of the characteristics or principles of biblical letters was new to you? How does that principle inform your understanding of these letters?

I feel like a lot of this was new for me. Truthfully, I don't feel well educated when it comes to biblical understanding or knowledge. Like I said above, I've always taken the Bible for what I though it was. Now I'm understanding it in a whole knew way.

I think the characteristic that much of the Bible is meant to be read in whole sections and shouldn't be broken up is big. I think I've always known that but so much of what I do with devotionals breaks things down into those bit sized pieces. It was also mentioned in a previous week that the Bible wasn't written in chapters but has been presented that way in my mind to fit how we read in modern culture. I think that really does change how we understand what we're reading.

This has been a very enlightening week for me!

In reply to Alex Nagy

Re: Week 4 - Alex

by Jorden Gemuend -
Alex, I can definitely relate to having a renewed perspective about my interpretation of the Bible. That actually might be underselling it, as I'm feeling decently challenged by the idea that particular accuracies wasn't a high priority for the authors of the Bible. Now I am filled with all sorts of questions (watch out Sam!). Does this apply to the New Testament, or more so the Old Testament? What about the details in the gospels about Jesus' life? Why are there so many seemingly specific details in the Old Testaments, such as the number of people in a tribe, soldiers that fought and died, or the specifications of the tabernacle and temple? Like you, I am going to be reading through some of these historical accounts with a different mindset.
In reply to Alex Nagy

Re: Week 4 - Alex

by Joe Amini -
Alex, I love this, it makes me think I need to have coffee or lunch with you to learn more of your story. But in the meantime I would love to hear from you about how have you applied scripture prior to reading this. Meaning what did you do with passage in the old testament that is law verses scriptures in red as the words of Jesus or the epistles?
In reply to Alex Nagy

Re: Week 4 - Alex

by Jim Damman -
Alex!!! I have been guilty of "over-legalizing" scripture as well. Part of that is my Catholic upbringing and how scripture was taught to me. Even through High School I was taught the Bible was a bunch of "do and don't" from God both in cautionary parables and in Pauls stern words to the early churches. This made me keep the Bible at arms length for much of my early adult years because I wanted worldly freedom and not spiritual guardrails.