Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

To all:

I am surprised at the response that a peripheral statement caused, one that I 
did not dwell on precisely because 1) it is not central to the discussions on 
this list and 2) there is too little data to make a definitive statement, as 
also pointed out by Rolf Furuli.

I know which view I personally choose, but I recognize that it is rooted in a 
particular philosophy/religion, therefore it should not be pushed as 
normative on everybody on this list. Equally philosophic/religious are views 
other than mine. As I wrote Yigal, I have no problem with agreeing to 
disagree. Thus when I mention traditional dating in my messages, I do so 
somewhat tongue in cheek, intended gently to remind people that there are 
other views but not to push it.

Similarly, there are different definitions of inspiration. One is the 
inspiration of the poet, musician or writer, that which inspires them to 
create. There is the technical, theological definition based on a philosophy 
that recognizes universal absolutes that are true for all people whether they 
believe or agree with them or not, where God worked through people to have 
them write documents that are true in all aspects in the original autographs 
(of which today we  have only copies of copies of copies with their copyist 
induced errors), accurate in all details including history, science (watch 
out for figures of speech) and theology. A third definition that I know of 
also found in neo-orthodox theology, denies that there are universal 
absolutes and truths, that all truths are equally true and valid. A book can 
be true even when factually false in that it can explore and explain other 
truths. Thus the Bible can be inspired by god and true even though full of 
factual error and pious fiction. Thus inspiration is not a discussion of 
absolute truth as in the second definition above, rather it is a discussion 
on how god can use the teachings in the Bible to illuminate truths in our 
lives today. There may be other definitions for inspiration, but those are 
the three I thought of off the top of my head.

I personally choose the second definition, as do others on this list, but 
because it is peripheral for this list and it is philosophically/religiously 
based, no one should push his view as normative for everyone on this list. 
Because there are differing understandings for inspiration, neither should 
anyone denigrate another definition as wrong (though one may think so 
privately, as I do).

The reason the purpose for this list is so narrowly focused on the language 
only, was to avoid theological flame wars for which there is no resolution 
possible. As a result, I have tried to limit my theological/philosophical 
statements to the context on how they may influence our understanding of the 
Hebrew language and no more.

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: "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

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