Naturalizing the Bible

2019 ◽  
pp. 197-215
Author(s):  
Scott Gerard Prinster
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Historical Criticism ◽  
High Profile ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
Modern Development ◽  
American Protestantism ◽  
Religious Professionals

The modern development of secular knowledge exerted a powerful influence over the Protestant interpretation and use of the Bible. As German innovations in biblical scholarship spread in the early nineteenth century, scholars and their readership began to scrutinize more closely the historical and empirical accuracy of Scripture. Although these methods first met with widespread resistance in the United States, intellectuals continued to wrestle with the possibility of reconciling natural science and the Bible. Religious professionals attempted to insulate the laity from controversial scientific interpretations of Scripture, but a number of high-profile events such as heresy trials nevertheless attracted broad public attention. A growing schism in American Protestantism was deepened as more orthodox movements renounced the use of naturalism and historical criticism, while a significant number of religious liberals promoted scientific interpretations to keep the Bible relevant to the modern world.

scholarly journals THE (IR)RELEVANCE OF BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP? A CHALLENGE, AND AN OPPORTUNITY

Scriptura ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin D. Giffone
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Qualitative Difference ◽  
Modern World ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
The North ◽  
Scholarly Discourse ◽  
Biblical Education ◽  
Bible Reading

Has biblical scholarship become irrelevant to modern secular societies? Are the threats to the viability of biblical scholarship of the same nature as the threats to other areas of the humanities (history, philosophy, literature), or is there a qualitative difference? What about the role of technology in biblical research and biblical education? What is the future of the institutions of biblical scholarship such as universities, seminaries, journals, and academic presses? What is the role of biblical scholars in secular and post-secular societies, as contrasted with scholars in/from emerging communities? This essay argues that the problem of “validation” lies at the heart of biblical scholarship’s irrelevancy within the broader secularity of modern world and that this problem is even more evident in the scholarly discourse coming from regions like Eastern Europe and South Africa. However, the loss of authority of biblical scholarship more generally represents an opportunity for these communities. Rather than becoming enamoured of validation from the North Atlantic world, Bible-reading communities must cultivate their own forms of validation based in their unique histories with the Bible, and the affinities between their own histories/cultures and the cultures that produced the Old and New Testament texts.

Christian Fundamentalism in America

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Bendroth
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
American Christianity ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Bible ◽  
American Protestantism ◽  
History Of ◽  
Specific Meaning ◽  
The 1960S

Fundamentalism has a very specific meaning in the history of American Christianity, as the name taken by a coalition of mostly white, mostly northern Protestants who, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, united in opposition to theological liberalism. Though the movement lost the public spotlight after the 1920s, it remained robust, building a network of separate churches, denominations, and schools that would become instrumental in the resurgence of conservative evangelicalism after the 1960s. In a larger sense, fundamentalism is a form of militant opposition to the modern world, used by some scholars to identify morally absolutist religious and political movements in Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and even Hinduism and Buddhism. While the core concerns of the movement that emerged within American Protestantism—defending the authority of the Bible and both separating from and saving their sinful world—do not entirely mesh with this analytical framework, they do reflect the broad and complex challenge posed by modernity to people of faith.

The Bible and American LGBT Interpretation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa J. Hornsby
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Queer Theory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Academic Organizations ◽  
Bible Translation ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship

This chapter gives an overview of the roots of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual/transgendered (LGBT) interpretation in the United States. Much of this hermeneutic is tied to various schools of interpretative thought including historical critical, modernist, popular, postmodern, and queer theory. The hermeneutic can also be tied to centuries of Bible translation choices, focusing on certain words and phrases that have become central to much larger interpretative debates. The chapter also gives brief synopses of groundbreaking work in the field of LGBT hermeneutics and the seminal publications in the discipline. It concludes with an overview of the presence of LGBT biblical scholarship in the primary academic organizations.

The Role of “Common Sense” In the Hermeneutics of Moses Stuart

1990 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Granquist
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Unique Feature ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biblical Studies ◽  
Holy Land ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
Far Eastern

The first decades of the nineteenth century saw a resurgence of interest in critical biblical studies in the United States. Though many colonial religious leaders were well trained in the area of biblical studies because of their European educations, this field of study declined to a very low state in America in the eighteenth century. The nineteenth-century revival of biblical studies in America, led by scholars such as Edward Robinson, William E. Channing, Andrews Norton, and Moses Stuart, was a homegrown, broad-based movement that ran the gamut of theological positions from conservative Calvinist to Unitarian. One unique feature of this movement was its interest in the biblical criticism of German writers; indeed, many works of German scholarship were translated into English by these American writers long before they achieved circulation in England. The resulting American biblical scholarship flourished not only at seminaries and divinity schools, but also on more practical levels. Edward Robinson, for example, led an expedition to the Middle East to study the geography and antiquities of the Holy Land. This scholarship was also tied to the prevalent missionary impulse, resulting in the translation of the Bible into many additional languages, especially those of the Middle and Far Eastern missionary fields.

scholarly journals Karl Barth’s interpretation of Scripture from the perspective of a possible “second naivety”

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
HL Bosman
Keyword(s):  
New World ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
Historical Criticism ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
Critical Scholarship ◽  
Point Of Departure ◽  
Methodological Reflection

Although the theological exegesis of Karl Barth cannot be depicted as “naïve”, his cumulative style of interpretation presupposes that the Bible entails a “new world” that has a threefold character and that requires a “second naivety” as suggested by Paul Ricoeur (i.e. an interpretive position beyond criticism) as its hermeneutical point of departure: (i) an inner core of divine revelation in Jesus Christ; (ii) the prophetic and apostolic witness in the Bible that makes the divine core accessible for interpretation; (iii) the proclamation or preaching of the biblical witness that is rooted in this “second naivety”. Critical scholarship in general and historical-criticism in particular are not rejected outright, but theological exegesis must move beyond criticism. In the early part of his career Barth, when appointed as a lecturer in New Testament, Barth took serious note of critical biblical scholarship. However, the jury is still out whether critical biblical exegesis remained an important point of reference in Barth’s later publications and whether his reluctance to engage in hermeneutical and methodological reflection caused a lack of the self-criticism presupposed by a “second naivety”.

M/V JOHN B. CADDELL

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 299005
Author(s):  
Kristen Potter ◽  
Bridgette Brown ◽  
Cornell Rosiu
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York State ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Staten Island ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Response Team ◽  
Sheriff's Department

Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the United States on October 29th, 2012, caused over $63 billion in damage, destroyed thousands of homes, left over 8 million people without electrical service, and killed at least 131 people in eight states. Amongst the damage was the unique case of the grounded Tank Vessel, JOHN B. CADDELL on New York's Staten Island. The CADDELL posed a distinctive challenge to pollution mitigation and eventual vessel removal efforts, being stateless/ownerless, and commanded high profile media/public attention. Responders used a variety of creative methods to ensure the surrounding environment was not further affected by the grounded vessel, including the authorized use of solidifying agents. This poster describes the procedures used to determine vessel disposition and explores the innovative use of solidifiers in this particular case. Determining final disposition of the vessel involved an extensive process of multi-agency cooperation and coordination. Leveraging the existing authorities of the New York's Sheriff's Department to dispose of abandoned vessels, the Coast Guard was able to work with local, state and federal partners to implement a removal plan. Additionally, National Strike Force and Coast Guard Sector New York personnel utilized the cutting edge technology of solidifying polymer agents to effectively reduce the amount of contaminants onboard the vessel. As per the Area Contingency Plan, the Regional Response Team-Region 2 (RRT-2) was activated, and was used to brief Federal and State member agencies on the planned protective use of a solidifier by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator during cleanup efforts. RRT-2 was provided a current situational brief, objectives, and a proposed application plan. RRT-2 concurred with the utilization plan, and contributed some additional recommendations, which enhanced cleanup operations conducted under the ESF-10 Mission Assignment from New York State.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПОДГОТОВКИ КАДРОВ ДЛЯ ПЕНИТЕНЦИАРНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ В США

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Unterov ◽  
Elizaveta Eremeeva
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Training System ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Foreign Experience ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
Personal Qualities ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Prison Systems ◽  
Correction System

Статья посвящена изучению зарубежного опыта подготовки кадров для пенитенциарных систем. Его анализ и рассмотрение возможности внедрения отдельных элементов направлены на совершенствование системы подготовки сотрудников для уголовно-исполнительной системы России, повышение их профессионального уровня, что в конечном счете будет способствовать достижению главной цели УИС - исправлению осужденных. Авторы особое внимание уделяют изучению специально-профессиональных и личностных качеств, необходимых сотрудникам пенитенциарных учреждений. В статье рассматриваются особенности подготовки сотрудников пенитенциарной системы в Соединенных Штатах Америки. Важнейшей задачей образовательных учреждений и центров по подготовке кадров для пенитенциарной системы США является обеспечение будущих сотрудников знаниями, необходимыми для выполнения профессиональных обязанностей в рамках предстоящей деятельности. Также авторы подчеркивают важность развития при подготовке будущих сотрудников не только профессиональных, но и личностных качеств.The article is devoted to the study of foreign experience in order to improve the training system for the Russian penal correction system. In particular, the training of prison officials in the United States of America is considered as one of the most developed States in the modern world. The improvement of the training process for the Russian penal correction system implies the development of international cooperation with the prison systems of foreign countries. The study of foreign experience of penitentiary education contributes to the improvement of the professional level of the staff of the Penal Correction Service and, ultimately, to the achievement of the main goal - correction of convicts. The authors pay particular attention to the study of specific professional and personal qualities required by potential prison staff. Since there have been significant positive changes in the formation of professional qualities of the future employee of the Russian penal correction system over the past decade, the main focus of the work is on the formation of personal (universal) qualities of the employee of the Federal Penal Correction Service of the Russian Federation, for which the positive experience of the United States is analyzed.

Corruption as a Political Issue in Modern Societies: France, Great Britain and the United States in the Long 19th Century

Public Voices ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Ivo Engels
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
French Revolution ◽  
Political Corruption ◽  
The United States ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Political Issue ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Bureaucratic State

The so-called “long 19th century”, from the French Revolution to the First World War, ranks as the crucial phase in the genesis of the modern world. In the Western countries this period was characterized by the differentiation of the public and the private spheres, the birth of the modern bureaucratic state and the delegitimation of early modern practices such as clientelism and patronage. All these fundamental changes are, among other things, usually considered important preconditions for the modern perception of corruption.This paper will concentrate on this crucial phase by means of a comparative analysis of debates in France, Great Britain and the United States, with the aim to elucidate the motives for major anti-corruption movements. The questions are: who fights against corruption and what are the reasons for doing so? I will argue that these concerns were often very different and sometimes accidental. Furthermore, an analysis of political corruption may reveal differences between the political cultures in the countries in question. Thus, the history of corruption serves as a sensor which enables a specific perspective on politics. By taking this question as a starting point the focus is narrowed to political corruption and the debates about corruption, while petty bribery on the part of minor civilservants, as well as the actual practice in the case of extensive political corruption, is left aside.

Comparing the Four Main Cases

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Thompson ◽  
Leila Zakhirova
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Regional Specialization ◽  
Domestic Markets ◽  
Technological Leadership ◽  
System Leaders ◽  
Industrial Economic

No two system leaders were identical in their claims to being the most innovative states in their respective zones, eras, and periods of leadership. Nonetheless, three general categories emerge: maritime commercial leadership, a pushing of agrarian boundaries, and sustained industrial economic growth. Those that made breakthroughs in the latter category, of course, redefined the modern world. Frontiers were critically important in all four cases of system leadership (China, the Netherlands, Britain, and the United States), but not exactly in the same way. Major improvements in transportation/communication facilitated economic growth by making interactions more feasible and less expensive, although the importance of trade varied considerably. Expanding populations were a hallmark of all four cases, even if the scale of increase varied. Population growth and urbanization forced agriculture to become more efficient and provided labor for nonagricultural pursuits. Urban demands stimulated regional specialization, technological innovation, and energy intensification, expanding the size of domestic markets and contributing to scalar increases in production. Just how large those scalar increases were depended on the interactions among technological innovation, power-driven machinery, and energy transition. Yet no single change led automatically to technological leadership. While lead status was never gained by default, it helped to have few rivals. As more serious rivals emerged, technological leaderships became harder to maintain.

Stranger Danger

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Renfro
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Sex Offender ◽  
The United States ◽  
Family Values ◽  
Law And Order ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Amber Alerts ◽  
Actual Figure ◽  
Stranger Danger ◽  
Murdered Children

Starting in the late 1970s, a moral panic concerning child kidnapping and exploitation gripped the United States. For many Americans, a series of high-profile cases of missing and murdered children, publicized through an emergent twenty-four-hour news cycle, signaled a “national epidemic” of child abductions perpetrated by strangers. Some observers insisted that fifty thousand or more children fell victim to stranger kidnappings in any given year. (The actual figure was and remains about one hundred.) Stranger Danger demonstrates how racialized and sexualized fears of stranger abduction—stoked by the news media, politicians from across the partisan divide, bereaved parents, and the business sector—helped to underwrite broader transformations in US political culture and political economy. Specifically, the child kidnapping scare further legitimated a bipartisan investment in “family values” and “law and order,” thereby enabling the development and expansion of sex offender registries, AMBER Alerts, and other mechanisms designed to safeguard young Americans and their families from “stranger danger”—and to punish the strangers who supposedly threatened them.

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