Posts by Benjamin VanHolstyn
On Barth’s Romans Commentary with Mark Gignilliat
Why was Karl Barth’s commentary on Romans so disruptive? This seminal work is still marked by its profound impact on the German liberal theological tradition. His commentary emerged in the shadow of the Great War, but more fully reflected a crisis in his own pastoral ministry where traditional theological frameworks seemed inadequate. Dr. Mark S.…
Read MoreBonhoeffer as Exegete?
Would Dietrich Bonhoeffer be comfortable signing the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy? To quote the man himself, “The theory of verbal plenary inspiration will not do.” Isn’t that confusing? He has such a high view of the authority of the Bible. Bonhoeffer left German liberalism and combated theological and political error all around him. He…
Read MorePutting Backgrounds Back In The Background (Part 2)
If you rely on backgrounds for Biblical interpretation, what do you do if you do not know the author or date? How much of Paul’s biography should we use to interpret Paul’s writing? Dr. Ched Spellman says, “The Bible is ontologically a theological text before it is a historical text.” In this second half of…
Read MorePutting Backgrounds Back In The Background (Part 1)
How should Bible students and scholars engage with backgrounds when interacting with the Scriptures? Are historical background the backbone of biblical interpretation? Do backgrounds provide deeper, richer, fuller applications of the biblical text? Dr. Ched Spellman says, “History is necessary, but not sufficient for the study of the Biblical book.” In the first half of…
Read MoreDefining Biblical Theology
How would you define Biblical Theology? This is a sticky question with many answers that diverge quickly from each other. Sam Bierig and Mitchell Chase establish a helpful definition and argue for a maximal approach. Biblical Theology happens when we are attentively reading and understanding a biblical passage in light of the progressive revelation, trajectory,…
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