"Most of us hear the word 'scripture' without stumbling over it. Using it, we give the impression, even to ourselves . . . that we know what scripture is. On reflection, it turns out that it is hardly the case." Wilfred Cantwell Smith

Instructor: Daniel Patte

Office: 322-4884; 322-6359;

Home: 269-0954;

Email: Daniel.M.Patte@vanderbilt.edu

Garland 301B Office Hours: TR 3:00-4:30

 

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Robert M. Grant with David Tracy, A Short History of the Interpretation of the Bible

Stanley Hauerwas, Unleashing the Scripture: Freeing the Bible from Captivity to America

Daniel Patte, The Challenge of Discipleship: A Critical Study of the Sermon on the Mount as Scripture

Sandra Schneiders, The Revelatory Text: Interpeting the New Testament as Sacred Scripture

Wilfred Cantwell Smith, What Is Scripture? A Comparative Approach

Duplicated Material Available at the Religious Studies Office, Garland 301A.

The primary goal of this course is the examination of various contemporary views of the authority of Scripture, with special emphasis on the views of the Black Churches, of the Catholic Church, of Protestant Evangelical churches, and of Protestant Liberal churches.

There are "heated" debates concerning the "authority" of the Bible, its interpretation, and its use. Our goal is TO STUDY these controversies -- rather than engage in these debates in the classroom! For this we need to put ourselves in a position of RESPECTING each view by recognizing its plausibility and integrity. For this purpose we shall step back from the controversies, in two ways.

1. We shall first ask: What kind of phenomenon are we dealing with? Why are people so passionate when dealing with the question of the authority of the Bible, so much so that churches split apart over this issue?

2. We shall study ancient views of the authority of Scripture.

For our study of the contemporary views, we shall examine three kinds of material:

1. The students' understandings of "Believers' views of the authority of Scripture";

2. The students' views of "the problems" with biblical authority and their assessments of present-day controversies over specific issues

3. The use of Scripture in a variety of church and synagogue services.

Expectations:

Regular attendance to class and contribution to discussion are expected. If you have to miss a class, please notify the instructor (before your absence, if possible; an excuse as soon as possible after an absence is expected) Thank you in advance for doing so. This is simply a matter of courtesy (the rest of the class depends on you). 322-4884; 322-6359; 269-0954; Daniel.M.Patte@vanderbilt.edu.

By respect for other persons, in oral and written communication please strive to avoid any offensive expressions (including vis-a-vis people who have a view of biblical authority different from yours) and use sex inclusive language.

Requirements:

1. Active class participation. Classes will include lectures. But, in most instances, we shall function as a seminar. In most class session, one or several students will be asked to present the main points of the readings of the day. (10% of semester grade)

2. A 2-3 page statement about YOUR understanding of the "view of the authority of Scripture by certain believers today." What are problems (wrong views, wrong uses) of biblical authority. Due: Aug 31 Tuesday (15% of grade)

3. A 3-5 page paper on one of the ancient views of the authority of Scripture. How would your three biblical texts be interpreted according to this ancient view. Due: October 28 (15% of the semester grade)

4. Three 2-3 page reports, each one on the role and place of Scripture in a worship service of your choice, but with the following restrictions.

(a) A team of two (2) or three (3) students (as far as possible the students should identify themselves with different religious traditions) will attend the same three worship services (one of which in a synagogue).

(b) The two Christian services should represent quite different church traditions. Ideally, one belonging to the tradition of one of the students, the other to the tradition of the other student(s).

(c) Each student will prepare an independent report.

First Report due Sept 23: 10% of semester grade

Second Report due Oct. 21: 10% of semester grade

Third Report due Nov. 16: 10% of semester grade

5. Take-home final a 7-10 page paper studying the conflicting views of Biblical authority in a contemporary controversy (beside those presented by the instructor). Which side of the controversy is supported by the view of biblical authority expressed in your original statement? Team paper (with students being responsible for different sides of a given controversy) are encouraged.

Proposal (with bibliography) due Nov. 6

Oral Presentation (with handout): between Nov. 18 and Dec. 9: 10% of semester grade.

Final Paper due Dec. 18 at 9:00 a.m.: 30% of semester grade.

HONOR CODE: Throughout the semester, you are under the Honor Code of Vanderbilt University. All your reports and papers should represent YOUR OWN work, unless otherwise noted (in case of team-work). Identify your sources, so as to avoid plagiarism. Sign you work as a pledge of compliance with the Honor Code: a pledge that you wrote it without receiving aid from (or giving aid to) any other person, except as specified in your footnotes and bibliography.

Aug 26 Thursday; Presentation of the Semester. Claiming "Scriptural authority" for the Bible is claiming that there is an intimate relationship among 1) the biblical text, 2) the believers' life in a given context, and 3) their faith, convictions, experience of divine. Implications for our study.

Week 1.

Aug 31 Tuesday Your Preliminary Understanding of The "View of The Authority of Scripture by Certain Believers Today."

2-3 page Statement about "Your Understanding" due Aug 31 Tuesday (see topic)

Sept 2 Thursday - Fundamentalist and Evangelical Perspectives.

Reading: Robert Johnston, Evangelicals at an Impasse, 1-14 (1-47) (Reserve)

Donald McKim, What Christians Believe About the Bible, 49-59 (Reserve)

Week 2.

Sept 7 Tuesday. Protestant Perspectives and "Sola Scriptura as Heresy".

Reading: Donald McKim, What Christians Believe About the Bible, 24-37 (Reserve)

Hauerwas: Unleashing the Scriptures, 15-44.

Sept 9 Thursday Perspectives from the Black Churches.

Reading: Peter Paris, "The Bible and the Black Churches," in E. Sandeen, The Bible and Social Reform, 133-152 (Reserve)

Week 3.

Sept 14 Tuesday A "History of Religion" Perspective:

Reading: Smith: What Is Scripture? 1-44

Sept 16 Thursday: A Catholic Perspective:

Reading: Donahue: 1-38 (Reserve); Grant: 119-125.

Week 4.

Sept 21 Tuesday A Liberal Theological Perspective:

Reading: Tracy in Grant: 153-187,

Donald McKim, What Christians Believe About the Bible,38-48 (Reserve)

Sept. 23 Thursday Reports on the use of Scripture in a first worship service (church of your choice; but a minimum of two students need to observe the same worship service and prepare independent reports). DUE: First Report on a Worship Service.

NOTE: Class sessions will be devoted to the assessment of the ways the historical perspectives (presented in the readings) help us understand the characteristics of "your views" and of the views of biblical authority expressed in worship services.

Week 5.

Sept 28 Tuesday Scripture as Form and Concept: Historical Background. Smith, What Is Scripture? 45-91

Sept 30 Thursday The Bible in Jewish Life. Smith, What Is Scripture? 92-123

Week 6:

Oct 5 Tuesday. The authority and role of Scripture according to Early Rabbinic Judaism. Patte, Paul's Faith, 87-121 (Reserve)

Oct 7 Thursday Cole Lectures

Week 7.

Oct 12 Tuesday The authority and role of Scripture according to Apocalyptic Judaism. Patte, Early Jewish Hermeneutic, 139-231 (especially, 159-180, 201-208, 214-231). (Reserve)

Oct 14 Thursday The Authority of Scripture according to Paul. Grant: 17-27; Patte, Paul's Faith, 195-231 (Reserve)

Week 8.

Oct 19 Tuesday. Paper Preparation (no formal class)

Oct 21 Thursday The Authority of Scripture According to Matthew. Grant: 8-16, 28-38. DUE: Second Report on a Worship Service: Synagogue.

Week 9.

Oct 26 Tuesday The Bible as Scripture in the First Centuries of the Church. Grant: 38-82

Oct 28 Thursday The Bible as Scripture from the Middle Age to the 19th century. Grant: 83-118

Week 10.

Nov 2 Tuesday Modern Critical Interpretations of the Bible. Grant: 126-148. Short Paper Due.

Nov 4 Thursday Shift in Paradigm: Critical Study of the New Testament as Scripture. Schneiders: The Revelatory Text, 1-26; Patte: Challenge of Discipleship. Introduction

Week 11.

Nov 9 Tuesday Critical Study of the New Testament as Scripture; Making Room for the Believers. Schneiders: The Revelatory Text, 27-63; Patte: Challenge of Discipleship. Appendix

Nov 11 Thursday Critical Study of the New Testament as Scripture; Making Room for the Community of Believers: Schneiders: The Revelatory Text, 64- 27-63; Grenholm and Patte: "Overture: Receptions, Critical Interpretations, and Scriptural Criticism" (duplicated material)

Nov 16 Tuesday DUE: Third Report on a Worship Service.

Nov 18 Thursday

THANKSGIVING BREAK

Nov 30 Tuesday

Dec 2 Thursday

Dec 7 Tuesday

Last Paper due: Friday Dec 10 9am

PRESENTING YOUR PRELIMINARY UNDERSTANDING OF THE "VIEW OF THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE BY CERTAIN BELIEVERS TODAY."

Due: Aug 31 Tuesday

Present and illustrate YOUR PRELIMINARY UNDERSTANDING of the "view of the authority of scripture by certain believers today." Your 2-3 page report (Be concise and to the point!) should include three parts:

A) INTRODUCTION (5%)

Briefly identify the believers whose view of Scripture you present. To which church, synagogue or religious organization do they belong? To which culture or sub-culture do they belong? To which socio-economic segment of society do they belong?

I expect that you will choose believers you know well, e.g., members of a worshiping community or group with which you are acquainted (or to which you belong). You can choose to present your own views as a believer, if you so wish.

B) CONCRETE PRESENTATION OF BIBLICAL AUTHORITY AT WORK (45%)

Show in general terms how three (3) biblical texts function as Scripture for these believers, by stating in a few sentences what is the main teaching that these texts have for these believers. How do these texts establish, reinforce, affect, or transform their faith? Their way of worshiping? Their religious view of life? Their daily life?

Choose ONE text from each of the following THREE groups (you may substitute texts of your own choosing, with approval from the instructor. <daniel.m.patte@vanderbilt.edu>). NOTE: There is a "teaching" for believers only when believers learn something--and thus when there is something "new" for believers about the subject matter of the text or about life.

Group 1: Genesis 1:1--3:24; or Jeremiah 1:1-19; or Ezechiel 1:1--3:11; or Galatians 1:1-24 or Matthew 1:1-25; or Luke 24:1-52.

Group 2: Exodus 19:1--20:26; Deuteronomy 5:1--6:25; Matthew 5:1-48 (5:1--7:29); Romans 1:16-32; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 and 14:33-36; 1 Peter 2:11--3:7.

Group 3: Hosea 6:1-7:16; or Amos 2:1--4:13; or Luke 1:46-55 and 4:14-30; or Galatians 2:1--3:29.

C) PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF THE VIEW OF BIBLICAL AUTHORITY OF THESE BELIEVERS

1) Describe what is, for these believers, the "true" view of biblical authority. What does it mean for them to say that the Bible is Scripture(s), Word of God, Revelation, Canon? How does this doctrinal view fit with the way in which the three biblical texts function in their lives? Contrast it with what are, for them, wrong views of Biblical authority.

2) Speaking of biblical "authority" is also speaking of the "power" which the Bible has to affect believers and their lives. What are the "marks" that characterize people with a valid view of Biblical authority? What are the roles which the Bible ideally play in their life? Contrast these with the "marks" that characterize people who have wrong views of Biblical authority or who do not believe in Biblical authority. What would people lack with such wrong views of biblical authority? List these positive and negative "marks" and "roles." How are they reflected in the examples presented above.

3) Speaking of biblical power/authority is saying that the Bible is a locus of manifestation of the holy or sacred or divine (so the phrase, "Holy Bible"). What are for these believers other loci of manifestations of the holy or sacred or divine? In what aspects of their experience, besides the reading and hearing of scripture, do they find meaning, purpose, motivation for their life? What drives them? [Describe as concretely as possible.]

Basis for Grading: clarity of presentation of the distinct parts; but not of the views expressed in them.

*** This assignment will be one of the sources for your research paper. Keep a copy of it. ***