Re: [asa] A question on morals (OT and NT)

Perhaps my way of using the bible in my ministry may help.

I always says that the Gospels are THE most important

then the letters and rest of NT

and then the OT, which is fulfilled in the NT,

i.e NT trumps OT and Gospels trump the rest.

I will now go and give a lecture on Darwin and run for cover.

Michael

PS Peter and Murray will see the trajectory etc behind my simplified
teaching
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pete Enns" <peteenns@mac.com>
To: "Murray Hogg" <muzhogg@netspace.net.au>
Cc: "ASA" <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: [asa] A question on morals (OT and NT)

> Thanks, Murray.
>
> And I think that the notion of "trajectory" is what puts the NT in both
> this position of "confirming" and "challenging" the OT. It is the
> perennial hermeneutical challenge of the church, as far back as Paul.
> Every Christian who looks into this will adopt some model in an effort to
> give as much coherence to the data as possible. For me, a "trajectory
> model" is most helpful because it is flexible and opens up discussion.
>
> Pete
>
> On Nov 3, 2009, at 11:47 AM, Murray Hogg wrote:
>
>> Hi Pete,
>>
>> I like the way you put this; "not a contradiction to be resolved but a
>> trajectory to be understood."
>>
>> All too often I think there can be a tendency to bet bogged down in the
>> minutiae of the biblical text and not appreciate that there is, indeed,
>> an overarching trajectory to it all.
>> In respects of morality, I think the trajectory evidences a move from
>> the idea of following an outward moral code (the Law) to the idea of
>> following an internal witness (the Spirit). Crudely put, I know, but I'm
>> sure I don't need to labour the theological niceties!
>>
>> I should probably acknowledge, incidentally, that "contradiction" wasn't
>> your term. I'll simply remark that I was referring rather generally to
>> the tendency to so focus on Scripture as a bunch of "data" to be
>> systematised that the *function* of scripture as a guide to faith and
>> practice gets lost. I'm not, let me say, against the practice of
>> biblical theology - the attempt to systematise the teachings of
>> Scripture - but I do think we can get just a bit obsessive about the
>> minutiae of it all.
>>
>> Here's to seeking to understand the trajectory!
>>
>> Blessings,
>> Murray
>>
>> Pete Enns wrote:
>>> Murray,
>>> It is both, even within the Sermon on the Mount (although we need not
>>> linger there). Jesus is both addressing the use of Israel's civil law
>>> by the religious hierarchy (but not limited to them) and he is also
>>> abrogating certain laws. A good example is the passage on oaths and
>>> vows.
>>> But there are bigger issues about what the OT itself assumes and what
>>> the NT says. However, although I do not shy away from the notion of
>>> contradiction, I did not use that term to describe this phenomenon. It
>>> is not a contradiction to be resolved but a trajectory to be
>>> understood.
>>> Oh, and hi :-)
>>
>> To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
>> "unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
> "unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
>
>

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Tue Nov 3 13:41:09 2009