From: eje@irenaeus.mlo.dec.com (Eric James Ewanco)
Subject: Re: TANGENT:  Interpretation
Reply-To: ewanco@kalvin.enet.dec.com
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 14:20:48 GMT


In article <1992Sep11.014717.17140@newshost.unh.edu>, ss1@kepler.unh.edu (The Rink) writes:
From: ss1@kepler.unh.edu (The Rink)
Subject: Re: TANGENT:  Interpretation
Organization: Turkey Hall

> >Some of the rules of textual criticism include:

> While they are important to keep in mind, I couldn't care less.  The rules
> of textual criticism aren't MY scripture at all.

I suppose Scripture has detailed instructions on determining the accuracy of
manuscripts?

Scripture is not enough to tell us which manuscripts are valid.
	
> >My suggestion:  Learn about textual criticism.  Read commentaries.
> >Become a scholar.

> If I didn't know by now, I would know after reading this.  I couldn't care
> less what a scholar said to me about the Word of God.  I want the Word of
> God to tell me about the Word of God.  There are scholars that are
> evolutionists; there are scholars that are atheists.  There are all kinds of
> scholars.  What the heck makes you think becoming a scholar will open my
> eyes to the truth?  I don't find that in the Bible.  In fact, I find that
> true wisdom is an understanding of the Scriptures.  I find that understanding
> is the fear of God.  I find that "the love of Christ surpasses knowledge"
> (paraphrased, possibly).

What about CHRISTIAN scholars?  And how can the "Word of God" tell you about
the Word of God when you trying to determine just what the Word of God says?
Besides that, I have found nothing in Scripture that can truly help us
authoritatively determine the veracity of extant manuscripts.  What you say
sounds nifty and Godly and "biblically based" but in reality it's a crock
because it does not yield a well-defined result nor is it practical.

> Hard to take, isn't it?  Hard to accept that you, as a scholar, don't have
> intellectual dominion over the rest of us.

> Wisdom to man is FOOLISHNESS to God.  And the Word of God is GOD'S wisdom.
> So don't even talk to me about becoming a so-called "scholar."

You're just being absurdly anti-intellectual here.  God made us to understand
reason.  He gave us minds to think.  Remember, even the KJV relied on scholars
to translate it.  Faith is not opposed to scholarship and reason.

I am not suggesting that scholarship is inerrant.  Scholarship must be joined
with prayer, invocation of the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of God.  

Maybe I missed something, but I'm not sure of the reasoning behind the belief
that the KJV is an inspired translation.  All it seems you're doing is trying
to force people to take on faith something which Scripture doesn't call us to
take on faith.  You can't just claim that scholarship is useless because of
what Corinthians says -- to me that's a dangerous attempt to coerce people to
accept something without question which there is no reason, Scripturally, to
accept it without question.

> > And don't forget about the work of the Holy 
> > Spirit within the translator or group of translators.

> Oh!  So you think the Holy Spirit needs fifty million translations to perfect
> the Book in the English language?  He wasn't powerful enough to get it right
> in the King James?

Why do you think it was the King James which "got it right"?  Why not an
earlier English translation?  And what about change of language?  As was
mentioned, English has changed meaning since the KJV.  Even if the KJV _was_ an
inspired translation, that wouldn't help us, because we would still need to
translate it -- even if you have a perfect Greek manuscript that is without
error, it still must be translated.

> >minds that think, and provided these source documents for a reason --
> >so that we can insure the accuracy of the word of God.

> "...so that *WE* can..."  ?????

So that we can ensure that what we have is indeed the written word of God, is
what I would say.  Surely the Word of God as revealed was accurate, but what we
know of it, and what we translate, is not necessarily accurate.

> --Sam.         ss1@kepler.unh.edu              Preview of coming attractions:

Eric

--
/=============================================================================\
| Eric Ewanco - Software Engineer     For the rash and outrageous opinions ex-|
| Digital Equipment Corp, Maynard MA  pressed herein I alone am responsible;  |
| ewanco@kalvin.enet.dec.com          they do not belong to DIGITAL(TM).      |
\==============================- 2 Th 2:15 -==================================/
    "...[T]he greatest and most ancient Church known to all, founded and
    organized at Rome by [] Peter and Paul, [is] that Church which has the
    tradition and faith which comes down to us after having been announced
    to men by the Apostles.  For with this Church, because of its superior
    origin, all Churches must agree ...  and it is in her that the
    faithful everywhere have maintained the Apostolic tradition."
       -- St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, c. 180 A.D., 3,3,3.

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