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NT THEOLOGY. THE BASIC QUESTIONS. 1. THEOLOGY OR HISTORY?. 1.1 The early history of the discipline: 1.1.1 Melancthon 1.1.2 Protestant Thinkers 1.1.3 German Pietism 1.1.4 Rationalism 1.2. The Challenges of Gabler, Wrede, and Raisanen. 1.2.1 Johan Philipp Gabler.
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NT THEOLOGY THE BASIC QUESTIONS
1. THEOLOGY OR HISTORY? • 1.1 The early history of the discipline: • 1.1.1 Melancthon • 1.1.2 Protestant Thinkers • 1.1.3 German Pietism • 1.1.4 Rationalism • 1.2. The Challenges of Gabler, Wrede, and Raisanen.
1.2.1 Johan Philipp Gabler • J. P. Gabler delivered his 1787 inaugural address at the University of Altdorf on ‘The Proper Distinction Between Biblical and Dogmatic Theology and the Specific Objectives of Each’, an address which most historians see as a significant milestone in the development of biblical theology. • BT must be a two-part task.
1.2.2 William Wrede • German NT scholar. Wrede is noted primarily for his book, The Messianic Secret in the Gospels (1901). His studies with Adolf Harnack and Albrecht Ritschl were influential for his role in developing the Religionsgeschichtliche Schule (history of religions school) at the University of Göttingen. • Concluded that NTT is wrong in both its terms. • Coined the term “messianic secret.”
1.2.3 Heikki Raisanen • Took up Wrede’s cause in a work Beyond NTT • One of the perplexities in reading the NT is that it seems to say contradictory things about the law. In fact, Raisanen makes this his central plank in his book on Paul’s view of the law, contending that Paul’s theology of the law is inconsistent and contradictory
1.2.4 Common Elements (p. 25) • The separation of the historical from the theological • The priority of history over theology • The illegitimacy of confining one’s efforts to the Christian canon
1.3 A Response to the Challenges • 1.3.1 The issue of Canon p.28 • 1.3.2 The issue of presuppositions p. 30
1.4 The Legitimacy of NTT • A summary of the challenges • A clear statement of the canon • An admission of some validity • A question of some importance
2. DIVERSITY OR CONTRADICTION? P. 34 • 2.1 The Problem-Is there really a theology of the Bible or even of the NT for that matter? • How can Peter say that God wants no one to perish (2 Peter 3:9) and yet Mark says that Jesus told some parables so that people would not understand (Mark 7:15, 19)? • How can Paul say that none are slaves (Gal. 3:28), yet tell slaves to obey their masters (Eph. 6:5)
2.2 A Canon Within the Canon • Some have solved this problem of diversity by appealing to some works as more important than others. p. 35 • This was held to by Bultmann, Kasemann and others. • This is very problematic because it: • Is Subjective and individualistic-p. 37 • Fails to recognize the univerality of the Canon
2.3 A Way Forward • 2.3.1 The Tension as Evidence of God’s Nearness • 2.3.2. The Tension as Evidence of God’s Otherness • 2.4 NTT and Theological Diversity: A Summary p. 40
3. HISTORY, THEOLOGY, UNITY, AND DIVERSITY IN THE STUDY OF NTT • Two challenges: • 3.1 The historian who thinks that NTT is hopelessly biased • 3.2 The theologian who thinks that BT or NTT is hopelessly diverse