1. Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment changes in Biblical interpretation

2. Two big questions  How do we view the text?  How do we engage (interpret & apply) the text?  The answer to the second question is always determined by the answer to the first question.  Beneath these two questions lie deeper issues about truth, authority and experience. These are affected by society and culture

3. A glance backwards  Early Christians had to wrestle with what to include in the NT; this was a process of interpretation  A principle of inclusion was when a book was viewed as authoritative beyond its original context  Already, the entire OT was seen as pointing towards Jesus

4. Medieval period  Appeal to ancient authority was common, especially Augustine  The Bible had a dominant role in society, even if few could read it  Few people could read Greek, although quite a few could read Hebrew

5. Medieval period 2  Scripture was seen as having several “senses”:  Literal  Allegorical  Moral  Mystical

6. Medieval period 3  Unity was seen as vital, so variant interpretations were shunned.  Church was powerful and heretics were punished (Wycliffe, Hus).  Academic freedom was permitted to a point until the Church (Pope) made a decision, then obedience was mandatory.

7. Lectio Divina (spiritual reading)  Prayerful preparation  Quiet receptiveness to Holy Spirit: listen and obey, don’t question  Close attention to every detail in text  Appreciate Biblical imagery, contemplation of God

8. Early vs Medieval Interpretation  Aquinas brought philosophy (Aristotle) to bear on theology, which placed an emphasis on Reason, alongside Revelation.  Example: Exodus 23:19.  Augustine allegorised this as a prophecy that Christ would not die in the slaughter of innocents at Bethlehem.  Aquinas found a theological principle in the literal sense, that we should avoid cruelty and pagan practices, which sounds much more modern to us.

9. Reformation  Principle of Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone.  Roman Catholic Church responded at the Council of Trent, claiming that tradition was an equal authority with the scripture.  Reformers believed that scripture and reason were always in harmony because God was the author of both.

10. Modern Era from 1650  There were now established principles of questioning the Church and also the State.  It was only a short time before other authorities began to be questioned, especially scripture itself

11. The Enlightenment  The 18 th century saw the arrival of the Enlightenment in which reason was central  Many saw anything supernatural as irrational  A denial of miracles ultimately led to a denial of the deity of Christ and the battle-lines were drawn: for many Reason became the implacable enemy of orthodox Christian doctrines.

12. Historico-critical method  The Enlightenment encouraged study of the historical context in which the original texts were written, and considered processes by which they may have developed and been edited.  Anomalies in the biblical text, especially the OT, were seen to be clues as to the formation of the text, and as indicative of input by varied groups over a period of time.  A development from earlier Humanist emphasis on sources and context, but also often used by those who had an agenda of undermining scripture.

13. Two 18 th century stream  The historico-critical method gained ground, and Deism spread  Pietism was a reaction, a devotional movement with a strong emphasis on Bible reading, evangelism and study groups, with a frequent anti-intellectual bias.

14. Archaeology & manuscripts  Gradually, as more NT manuscripts were discovered people realised that:  There were families of manuscripts  The most familiar reading was not necessarily the best ones  Divine inspiration of scripture couldn’t be understood in a mechanical way

15. Romanticism responds  Romanticism arose in the late 18 th & early 19 th centuries and saw rationalism as missing the point in key areas such as love, mystery, and other emotions. The myth of the “objective observer”  Romantics recognised that the Bible speaks to people at a much more profound level than the purely rational.  Schleiermacher, a key Romantic theologian, emphasised the feeling of God-consciousness. The Bible was not just a text to be analysed, it was a portal to experience.

16. A rollercoaster legacy  Gratitude for the past  Appreciation for the present  Communities of interpretation