Salvation history is a theological history of God saving fallen humanity that includes creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. The Redemptive-Historical Method converts that view of biblical theology into a method of interpretation, which requires each text be interpreted through the hermeneutic grid of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation.
Read moreReview of Four Views on Moving Beyond the Bible to Theology (Chapter Two: A Redemptive-Historical Model by Daniel M. Doriani)
One way to go beyond Scripture, according to Daniel M. Doriani, is to go beyond biblical language as with words like Trinity and substitutionary atonement. Another way to go beyond Scripture is to ask questions that the Bible never addresses such as stealing “intellectual and digital property.”[1] Doriani provides a summary of the RHM: “The Bible doesn’t have narratives; it is a narrative.”[2] This view has different meanings. “If narratives present paradigmatic individuals whom the faithful should emulate or avoid, then we have guidance for proper conduct in areas that direct teaching never covers. This is going beyond the Bible. For example, can a Christian work for the government? is not directly addressed in Scripture. But from the narratives of Scripture we have the examples of Joseph, Nehemiah, and Daniel.[3] There are NT exhortations to practice this principle as in 1 Cor. 10:6-10.
Read moreReview of Four Views on Moving Beyond the Bible to Theology (Chapter One: A Principlizing Model by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.)
Chapter One: A Principlizing Model by Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. (Colman M. Mockler Emeritus Distinguished Professor of OT and Ethics and President Emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts).
Kaiser advocates applying specifics principles from the ancient text to the contemporary culture. Kaiser provides lists and defines six principles that expose euthanasia as wrong. Kaiser draws principles from different text in his opinion to justify women praying and prophesying. The next issue Kaiser deals with is homosexuality. Kaiser states that no one needs to go beyond the Bible to see that homosexuality is condemned in seven passages. Kaiser believes there are principles in the Bible, such as found in the book of Philemon, that teach slaves should be freed. Kaiser teaches that there are adequate principles against abortion and embryonic stem cell research that no one needs to go beyond the Bible.
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