The End of Biblical StudiesIn this radical critique of his own academic specialty, biblical scholar Hector Avalos calls for an end to biblical studies. He outlines two main arguments for this surprising conclusion. First, academic biblical scholarship has clearly succeeded in showing that the ancient civilization that produced the Bible held beliefs about the origin, nature, and purpose of the world and humanity that are fundamentally opposed to the views of modern society. The Bible is thus largely irrelevant to the needs and concerns of contemporary human beings. Second, Avalos criticizes his colleagues for applying a variety of flawed and specious techniques aimed at maintaining the illusion that the Bible is still relevant in today's world. In effect, he accuses his profession of being more concerned about its self-preservation than about giving an honest account of its own findings to the general public and faith communities. In a controversial conclusion, Avalos argues that our world is best served by leaving the Bible as a relic of an ancient civilization instead of the "living" document most religionist scholars believe it should be. He urges his colleagues to concentrate on educating the broader society to recognize the irrelevance and even violent effects of the Bible in modern life. |
Contents
ABBREVIATIONS | 9 |
INTRODUCTION | 15 |
HOW THE MAIN SUBDISCIPLINES | 28 |
Copyright | |
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academic American Ancient Israel argue believe Biblical Archaeology Biblical Literature biblical scholars biblical studies biblical text biblical theology Biblical Writers Know Brueggemann Cambridge canonical century Christian claim criteria culture dated David Dead Sea Scrolls Deuteronomy Dever Divinity School edition Eerdmans Eichrodt ethnic evangelical example fact faith Fortress Genesis Gezer Gospels Grand Rapids Greek Harvard Divinity Harvard Divinity School Hebrew Bible historical Jesus Ibid idea inscription interpretation Iron Age Israelite James Jerusalem Jesus Seminar Jewish Jews John Judah Judean King Arthur Kletter Levenson liberation lical literary LORD manuscripts Masoretic Text Medjugorje Megiddo modern Note Old Testament original text Oxford University Press Postmodern pottery problem Psalm Reimarus religion religionist religious studies resurrection scholarship scripture secular Shanks Society of Biblical Solomon story Tel Dan tells Textual Criticism Textus Receptus tion TNIV tradition trans translation Ugaritic verse William Windschuttle words Yahweh York