Introduction to Biblical Studies: An Asset or Liability for People of Faith?

A friend of mine, who is the past chairperson of the board of trustees for an Ivy League university—not Yale, in case you are wondering—recently read a book, which was an introduction to the Bible. He and I chat routinely, and he said, “It seems to me that biblical scholars have created sophisticated barriers that keep the average person from reading and understanding the Bible.” As a biblical scholar, I had to ask myself, Have we? In this debate, we are not asking, Does biblical scholarship have a legitimate place in the academy? It does. In this debate, we are asking, Does our scholarship facilitate the understanding of Scripture for people who are not in the academy, whether they are in church pews or just interested readers, or does it serve as a barrier? Perhaps the starkest formulation of this, cast in theological terms, is the title of a monograph by Michael Legaspi: The Death of Scripture and the Rise of Biblical Studies. Are Scripture and biblical studies antithetical? Or, can biblical studies facilitate the understanding of Scripture for all?

We invited four well-known figures who have wrestled with the role of biblical studies to address some of the multiple issues raised by these questions. Two speak on behalf of biblical studies, and two will point out limitations of biblical studies. Two are professors emeriti, and two are in the prime of their careers. The two who will speak on behalf of biblical studies are Carl R. Holladay, the Charles Howard Candler Professor Emeritus of New Testament from Emory University who is an internationally recognized leader in New Testament studies, and Amanda Jo Pittman, Assistant Professor of Bible, Missions, and Ministry at Abilene Christian University who is a specialist in Luke-Acts, scriptural imagination, and the formation of disciples in congregational settings, one of the bright young stars on a very distinguished faculty. The two who will challenge and point out the limitations of biblical studies are Richard T. Hughes, Scholar in Residence at Lipscomb University and a major American historian of Restoration traditions, and Raymond Carr, a theologian with expertise in philosophical theology who specializes in studying theologians as diverse as Karl Barth and James Cone. All four have ties to the academy, but are also committed to serving churches.

We all recognize the role of Scripture as a touchstone in our tradition, a fact that makes this discussion important and sensitive. Can we discuss such an issue with civility, listening to one another in love with the realization that another may have clearer insight? Can we hold our own convictions with the humility that we are searching for truth? Or will the heritage of a coarse frontier that prized individualism and the maelstrom of current American politics that threatens to end civil discourse in our society so overwhelm us that we fail to live up to our ideal of reading Scripture for ourselves, but living together in love in spite of the different understandings. A common Scripture does not guarantee a common understanding; we bring ourselves to our readings—and we are different. We hope that this exchange is a promise that we can discuss vital matters candidly and civilly, with love in our hearts for one another.