Only Christian believers can or should be theologians Essay

Using quotations from at least three write textual matterbooks (ancient and/or modern), argue the case for or against the look on that only Christian cerebraters can or should be theologiansBefore attempting to answer this question, champion essential define some principles of the nature of Christian theology. It is obvious that anyone whitethorn induce a theology based purely on ideas from ones own imagination, with no boundaries or guidelines to it. Such a theology may be creative, intelligent, and reason fitting, but could non be classed as Christian theology. Something essential(prenominal) act as a rule and a guard, lest the Christian organized religion break down into nonhing more than dispersed, individual, self-made theologies. Theology in a Christian context must and does find its foundation in volume, the supreme motiveity to life and thought (Vanhoozer 1998, p. 380).Now that the thing that is to be lay issueed in the building of Christian theology has been identified as Scripture, one may ask the question of who is able and qualified to watch it. In 1860, Benjamin Jowett published his essay, On the indication of Scripture. He argued that the Bible should be regarded as any other ancient collections of literature, using tools of literary and historical scholarship. He implied that a critic who stands apart from tralatitious beliefs and practices is in a better position to find the true importation of the text, as these traditions had obscured their true importee. In other words, only those with the right critical tools and who were willing to suspend any belief in the text that they may become be able to correctly interpret it (Vanhoozer 1998, pp. 378-379).However, Jowetts view of interpretation omits the spiritual and the ethical dimensions of Biblical interpretation. Vanhoozer writesTo call the Bible Scripture does not make its warnings or its promises something other than warnings or promises, but kind of reorients them to the larger purpose of making wise unto salvation .(Vanhoozer 1998, p. 380).Jowetts cost to interpretation requires an objective reading of the text. But can one justly interpret the Scriptures from such a standpoint? To answer this, one must examine the relationship between the ratifier, the text, the author, and the story. Upon reading, the referee reads the text, and in doing so reconstructs the author in his own imagination, creating an implied author, and bringing the story to life (actualising the text) from the tag on the written page (Voelz 1995, 1997, pp. 218- 219). Voelz goes on to state that the intended receiving system of the text isa reader of whom the author is conscious, one who may in any case be called implied. And this implied reader stands in the same relationship to the actual reader as the implied author stands to the actual author he is, again, a construct, not in the real world, and he is detectable (only) in the text. Who accordingly is a valid interp reter of a text? It is he who conforms to the expectations of the author. It is he who conforms himself to the disposed(p) texts assumptions. It is he who becomes the implied reader and only such a one of a given text. Which means that an objective reading of a text is not only impossible it is not to be craved(Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 219)One can see that what is needed for correct interpretation of Scripture, is a subjective, rather than objective reading of the text. Voelz argues a reader interprets in spite of appearance a union, having developed the beliefs and attitudes of the implied reader, through discussion, experience, and training within that community which envisions and appreciates the context of the implied reader. thereforeA valid interpreter of a text is that somebody who assumes the role required as it were, by a given text who becomes the reader implied or called for by that very text. And such a one is formed to assume that role by a community, a community w hich has assumed that role itself.(Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 220)This, however, does not make every Christian communitys interpretation infallible, because humans err thus different Christian communities often disagree on the interpretation of certain parts of Scripture. But, as the church building is a community within which these documents were produced, received, and preserve, Vanhoozer statesThe Bible is more belike to be misunderstood by an unbelieving and unaffiliated individual than by a believing and practising member of the church.(Vanhoozer 1998, p. 378)In the case of the New will, the books were produced, received, and preserved by the Christian community, and following Voelzs argument, one has to be within a Christian community, and taught to read Scripture by that community, to be able to correctly interpret the New Testament.The issue of the interpretation of the Old Testament is one that is referred to in the New Testament. Speaking of the reading of Scripture by the Jew sYes, to this day, whenever Moses is read a shroud lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.(2 Cor. 315-16 ESV)According to Pauls argument, the Jews do not believe, wherefore they cannot, in their unbelieving state, be the implied reader of the Old Testament Scriptures. App atomic number 18ntly, but being within the Jewish community is insufficient to correctly interpret these Scriptures, as more than a simple, straightforward understanding of the Hebrew text is needed. Luke 2445 ESV reads, concerning Jesus and his disciples, Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Minds must be opened, veils taken away. The Christian community must watch readers to interpret even the Old Testament books. Only within the Christian community can ones mind be changed in the proper way (Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 226). The reason for this is clear from the New Testaments claims regarding the Christocentricity of all Scripture, Old and New TestamentsYou search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is they that bear witness about me(Jn. 539 ESV. Cf. Mt. 24-6, 14-15 1 Cor. 1011, 153-4 2 Cor. 120 Heb. 911-12 1 Pet. 110-12)In purchase order to be within the Christian community, one must amaze to and confess its creeds. Voelz writesTherefore, to adhere to the creeds gives one an orientation to the books of the NT. which is congenial to them and which allows/enables one to interpret them in consent with their intention Adherence to the creeds enables one to matrix the signifiers and meanings of a text for interpretation and then to interpret that matrix in a way which is congenial to the text, for the creeds are of one piece with that text and provide, as it were, the interpretive key,determinative for the meaning of the complex signifiers under construction The creeds help to determine which readings of Scripture are the apostolic/Christian readings which may legitimately be drawn from them.(Voelz 1995, 1997, p. 222)It was exactly the misuse of Scripture by heretics, which caused the early Church father, Tertullian, to write regarding themWe meet to them this step above all others, of not admitting them to any discussion of the Scriptures. If in these lie their resources, before they can use them, it ought to be clearly seen to whom belongs the self-control of the Scriptures, that none may be admitted to the use thereof who has no deed of conveyance at all to the privilege.(Roberts & Donaldson 1994, 1995, Vol. 1 p.250 -Chapter XV of On Prescription Against Heretics. deliberate also chapters XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX pp. 250-252)Tertullians belief was that the Scriptures were the property of the Christian Church alone, and not to be handled by those outside of it. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, against the Valentinians, wroteThey endeavour to adapt with an strip of probability to their own peculiar assertions the parables of the Lord, the sayings of the prophets, and the words of the apostles, in order that their system may not seem altogether without support. In doing so, however, they disregard the order and the connection of the Scriptures, and so far as in them lies, dismember and stamp out the truth. By transferring passages, and dressing them up anew, and making one thing out of another, they succeed in deluding more through their wicked art in adapting the oracles of the Lord to their opinions.(Roberts & Donaldson 1994, 1995, Vol. 3. p. 326 -Chapter VIII of AgainstHeresies)In conclusion, there seem to be many problems opposing the idea of those outside of the Christian Church being theologians, not least the question of motive, as the early Church fathers addressed. For these reasons, I believe that theology is a matter only for those within the Church.Bibliography* Roberts, A. & Donaldson J. (Editors) 1994, 1995 Ante-Nicene Fathers Peabody, Massachusetts Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.* Vanhoozer, K. 1998 Is There a Meaning in This Text? Leicester Apollos/IVP.* Voelz, J. 1995, 1997 What Does This Mean? Principles of Biblical Interpretation in the Post-Modern World St. Louis, Missouri Concordia Publishing House.* The Holy Bible incline Standard Version 2001, 2002 Wheaton, Illinois Crossway Bibles