Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Medina, Vincent" <VMedina AT cbcag.edu>]

My response to you is the same as it was to Stoney. You may not share my
faith commitments and that is fine, but we do need to be sure we are
talking about the same thing when we use the word "inspiration."

As for your assertion that my view of inspiration "has absolutely no
value," that is an inflammatory statement, to say the least. Many
Christians throughout the centuries have found a good deal of value in
just such a belief. On the other hand, a view of inspiration that
disregards the historical is in some ways like the Cheshire cat--all
smile and no cat!:)

G. Vincent Medina
Associate Professor
Central Bible College
Phone: 417 887-6559
Email: vmedina AT cbcag.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: George F Somsel [mailto:gfsomsel AT juno.com] 
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 2:07 PM
To: Medina, Vincent
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] RE-Dating Daniel

On Fri, 8 Jul 2005 13:28:32 -0500 "Medina, Vincent" <VMedina AT cbcag.edu>
writes:
> Stoney:
> 
> The type of inspiration spoken of you are speaking of is not what
> theologians a generally speaking of when they discuss 
> "inspiration."
> There is a difference between the human inspiration of a poet or 
> bard,
> and divine inspiration as this is traditionally understood by 
> believers
> when they speak of scripture. While I marvel at the achievements of 
> a
> Shakespeare or Elliot, I do not put their works in the same category 
> as
> Scripture, which, I believe, has its origin in God. While the works 
> of
> poets certainly owe their inspiration to God's gift, the inspiration 
> of
> Scripture not only different in degree, but also in kind. I realize 
> that
> you may not share my rather conservative/orthodox faith commitments, 
> and
> that's fine. But I wanted to be sure we were talking about the same
> thing.
> 
> As far as the question of pious fraud being "resolved centuries 
> ago,"
> perhaps you could enlighten me. I know that many assert that the
> ancients were not concerned with such things, but I am not at all
> certain that simply asserting such a thing makes it so, or 
> "resolves" it
> to everyone's satisfaction.
> 
> chesed v shalom,
> 
> G. Vincent Medina
> Associate Professor
> Central Bible College
> Phone: 417 887-6559
> Email: vmedina AT cbcag.edu
____________

You are constructing a theory of inspiration which is of absolutely no
value.  You construct your theory then complain that anyone who
disagrees
with you doesn't believe in inspiration.  The problem is that you
construct a false definition.  What does it matter if a writing is or is
not historically accurate?  History is what happens once.  The divine
word is what is ever true.  It is of no significance that something
happened once.  It's done, fini.  I am interested in what the word of
the
Lord has to say to my situation.  

george
gfsomsel
___________