Reflection for the Week - July 8

I’m not concerned to defend the biblical text, but first to better understand by what authority it makes its claims, or as it were, tells its story. That is, when engaging the text, its authority should be articulated and clarified, rather than merely assumed. Several things need to be taken into account, including the ANE - Jewish and Greco-Roman setting, the natural world informer, the theological environment, and the literary context. My hope is to assess what authority is plausible and where and how it is to be identified. No doubt evaluations will change over time, so this is probably a lifelong task, but nonetheless one that is worthwhile undertaking.