Saturday, October 24, 2009

Moderating postmodern influences

I was a bit disappointed with the last section I read of Bruggemann's Old Testament Theology. I think he may be too influenced by postmodern voices. A few general comments/claims, heavily influenced by my experience in science.
  • Culture and personal experience will undoubtedly influence anyones reading of the text but they are not determinative.
  • Acknowledging the existence of a plurality of voices and opinions and readings is not the same thing as affirming the validity and value of all their perspectives.
  • "Hegemony" is not all bad. God instituted governments to punish evil and protect the innocent. Similarly, because not all perspectives have equal merit and value, those in positions of influence have a responsibility to limit how much those they teach are exposed to alternative views.
In science we do not spend semesters teaching students theories that we believe are wrong based on substantial evidence.

No comments:

Post a Comment