2nd Midterm Study Guide

In Genesis 3:5-6, as interpreted by Birge, why do the man and the woman sin? What does it mean for the serpent to say they will become "like God, knowing good and evil?"

Adam and Eve sin because they desire to go about their life according to their own plan, instead of God's guidance for their lives. The source of their sin comes from the fact that humans try to be like God, when really, they are just mere creatures. Adam and Eve's yearning for independence and complete control over their own lives is at the core of their reason to sin against God. The serpent does not mention that the man and woman will receive consequences when they "become like God." These consequences include becoming ostracized in their communion with God and with one another.

The big bang theory and the Genesis account of creation: these are not one and the same, but they appear to support one another. How?

Although the "big bang" theory is not a proof for God's creation, it still supports the logic of the Christian view that the universe began at a certain beginning point in time. Thus, the beginning of time was the result of an act of creation by a transcendent being. This view is supported by the big bang theory and the Genesis account of creation. Another similarity between the big bang theory and the Genesis account of creation is that they both agree that time itself has a beginning. The common experience of time that humans experience today is ever changing, flowing, and constant; however, those like Einstein proved that time is not a fixed constant. They continued to discover that time is a measure of intervals between things and events in the physical universe. It would not make sense to reference time before the beginning of the universe, because time did not exist.

What is creationism? What is problematic about it?

Characteristics of creationism that creationists believe are true are as follows: Earth is no more than ten thousand years old and microevolution can occur within a species, but scientific evidence for macroevolution does not exist. The problems with creationism are that it has many flaws. Fossils have been discovered that prove evolution from one form to another. Creationists also think that the Genesis story in the Bible is the truth which is truly misleading because Catholicism does not think that the creation stories were to be thought of as scientific evidence.

What is the difference between evolution and evolutionism?

Evolution is a scientific theory of physical development whereas evolutionism is a philosophical worldview that is largely materialistic. Evolution considers observable facts that can be proven through scientific verification. On the other hand, evolutionism presents claims that are not open to scientific verification.

What is inerrancy? Distinguish between strict and limited inerrancy. What does Dei Verbum #11 say about biblical truth?

Inerrancy means "incapable of making a mistake." For scripture, that means God protected the biblical authors from making errors. People apply this concept of inerrancy differently: strictly, or limitedly. Strict inerrancy is the belief that scripture has no errors regarding any topic, including how the world was created and historical events. Limited inerrancy, on the other hand, is the belief that only the truths necessary for salvation are to be considered inerrant (this would mean that it's possible for historical details or descriptions of nature within the bible to contain errors). Dei Verbum says that the Bible teaches, "solidly, faithfully, and without error the truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation."

in the writing of luke's gospel, what did luke do, and what did God do?

Luke gathered the accounts of eyewitnesses, checked the accounts for accuracy, and arranged them in a logical or chronological sequence. God inspired Luke's words, but not necessarily through a divine, word-by-word dictation. Rather, God's inspiration worked through the ordinary practices of human writing, without Luke's awareness.

Albl 8.15.2 argues that, while there is evidence of slavery in the Bible, it does not follow that the Bible approves of slavery: explain.

Since the biblical authors were humans, they were bound to the limitations of humans that God would not be limited to. The authors had ethical limitations because of their culture. The ancient world's view of slavery was that it was natural and acceptable; therefore, the Bible includes passages that mention slavery as a legitimate practice. The references to slavery in the Bible represent the cultural norms of the ancient world, not God's intentions. The people of the time of the biblical writings would not have been able to comprehend why slavery was evil. In addition, the early writings of the Bible share that we are made in the image of likeness of God and therefore we are equal, as well as that we are all one in Christ Jesus. These early writings along with the fact that the Church condones slavery, proves that although there is evidence of slavery in the Bible, it does not approve of slavery.

What is the problem with a God of the gaps version of the harmony of science and faith?

The "God of the gaps" theory states that where science cannot find natural causes for certain situations, religious believers tend to define that gap as "divine intervention" in nature. This is a problem because such things in history can be seen as a "gap" but then later discovered as natural occurrences with more technology and scientific evidence. Thus, it seems that God plays a minimal role as time goes on which would eventually lead to not needing God (or a supernatural being) because science would be able to explain all natural phenomena.

What is the Enuma Elish? How does the Priestly writer of Genesis 1 use it? What does he take from it? How does he challenge it?

The Enuma Elish is a Babylonian creation story. The Priestly writer of Genesis 1 uses it as a complete opposite to the creation story in Genesis. The Priestly author had to make it known that God reigned in the heavens, and that the creation story was to remind the exiled Israelites of God's divine plan for them. The Priestly author keeps the rhythm and pace found in the Enuma Elish and he also uses a similar structure. The Priestly author challenges the Enuma Elish in 5 ways: 1. only God creates 2. God creates through speech instead of sexual activity or violence 3. God creates a world that is orderly, planned and reliable. 4. God's blessing grants the fertility of the land, creatures and humanity out of creation 5. human beings are created on purpose and in the image and likeness of God instead of an afterthought seen to serve the God.

What is the magisterium in the Catholic Church, and what is its relation to the word of God?

The Magesterium, in Catholic understanding, is the official teaching authority of the Church, expressed through bishops and the Pope. The Magisterium is entrusted with the task of interpreting Scripture. Its task is to clarify and explain the divine truths that have already been revealed.

How does the canonization of the biblical books lend support to the "communal model of inspiration?"

The communal model of inspiration offers the view that Sacred Scripture cannot be understood with just the writings alone, but also with the community that recognizes and interprets the books that are produced within the community. The canonization of the biblical books supports this view because before bishops or Jewish leaders can designate certain books as canonical, the faith communities had authority to influence the process of writing texts and calling some as sacred. Because the faith communities were involved in the canonization process, it supports the communal model of inspiration.

Briefly explain the traditional "four senses of Scripture."

The four senses of scripture are: the literal sense, the allegorical sense, the moral sense, and the anagogical sense. The literal sense is based on the literal or historical meaning behind the words. In the most basic terms, it is the meaning that was intended in the words of the Scriptures. The next three senses are all included in the spiritual sense. The allegorical sense means that while some events have literal meanings, they can also have an allegorical meaning as well. For example, the laws about sacrificing animals foreshadow Jesus sacrificing himself on the cross. The moral sense encompasses when events can be seen as models of behavior for future generations. An example of this is the washing of the feet at the Last Supper. Jesus tells the disciples, "as I have done for you, you should also do" (221). The anagogical sense illustrates that stories in the Scriptures can point to fulfillment at the end of time. The Catechism guides our thinking in that we can think of events with regards to their "eternal significance" or the hope of leading us toward communion with God which means the Church on earth is the sign of the "heavenly Jerusalem (221).

In what sense may the stories in Genesis 1-3 be called myths?

The meaning of myths in an old sense, exhibit a story where the task is to present the truths of what it means to be a human being. Currently, myths tend to evoke the subconscious by showing a metaphor story truth about humanity. The story of creation involves a serpent. The serpent was seen as most cunning which was a shared view in most ancient mythology. It was a symbol of immortality and death. The "J" author deconstructs the view of the sea monster that the Israelites have my making it ordinary. The author shrinks its size, brings it out of the sea/river, and leads it into the light of day.

What is the importance of literary form or genre in determining the truth of a biblical text, e.g., the book of Jonah?

The most important factor in determining truth in Scripture passages is the genre or the form that the passage is written in. The story of Jonah and the whale is a great example of this. If people were to read the story of Jonah as literally true, they would have to think that some miracle happened because "large fish" do not swallow people on a daily basis. Ancient Israelite readers would have known this to be true because they were of the time when the story was written. They understood the genre. "Literally" in this sense means if the events in the story actually happened. A story can still be true even though it is not literally true because the spiritual meanings and the significance in the story is what God intended for people to hear and get out of the story. The story of Jonah is not literally true in the sense that he was swallowed by a whale, but the moral of the story or parable is true.

What is meant by the divine inspiration of the Bible?

The word "inspiration" means "God-breathed." The Bible is divinely inspired in that God breathed His Holy Spirit into the Human authors, guiding them to write only things which God wanted. Because God is part of the authorship, the Church trusts that sacred scripture is inerrant.

What are the limitations of the historical-critical method?

There are five. 1. those who first developed the method had a completely secular world view that denied God's influence in the world 2. it is often seen as scientific and neutral, but it is impossible to take a completely neutral approach to Scripture. 3. such a rationalistic view of studying Scripture rejects the possibility of God intervening in human history 4. it is sometimes portrayed as the only legitimate approach to understanding the Scriptures, which dismisses past understandings which is opposite of what the Catholic Church believes. It believes that much can be learned from how the bible was interpreted 2000 years ago. 5. If Scripture is read in a "historical-critical" way, then it is read as a text that only pertains to the past but in reality the Bible speaks to the faithful today as the word of God.

Using an example from Albl 8.16-8.16.3.3, explain how we see theological development of key ideas even within the biblical text.

We see the theological development of key ideas within the biblical texts often as a result of a "dialogue" taking place on particular issues between authors who are separated by time and cultural perspective. When we have these divergent writings in the same collection of scripture, we discover new insights between the encounter of these writings. An example might be that in Exodus, it says that God will punish the children for the father's sins, while in Ezekiel, it says God does not do so. These seemingly contradict, but each contain a potential truth. In Exodus, it emphasizes the value of the social group over the individual; one receives his identity from the family. The phrase "God punishes" is misunderstood here. It means that human sin results in destructive consequences, which hurt both sinners and their families. In Ezekiel, it's clear there has been development from the group-oriented perspective. By Ezekiel's time, the individual was seen as an independent person responsible for his or her own actions. When these two passages, from Exodus and Ezekiel, are considered together, we better understand the full truth. Each person is responsible for his or her own actions. Yet no person is an island. Each person is influenced greatly (sometimes unconsciously) by the others around him/her, especially close friends and family.

What is the "canon" of Scripture? Describe the process whereby the canon of the New Testament came to be "closed."

the canon of Scripture is the official list of books in the Bible.

What is textual criticism? What is Albl's example of a textual variant in the Bible?

the goal of textual criticism is to determine the words of the Bible in the original languages. The example Albl provides is in the first letter of john. The earliest manuscripts read one way, and later on, later manuscripts added words. Text-critical study aims to ensure the modern translations are based on extensive manuscript evidence and that they have clearly identified cases where significant additions to the original text have been made.

How does Dei Verbum understand God to be the author of the Bible?

Because we understand that all sacred scripture, all of the books of the Bible, to be divinely inspired, we know them to be written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God was the source/originator of these writings, but the human authors are true too in that they actually wrote the words. Still, it is God making use of the sacred authors' powers and abilities, so that He might "speak to men in a human fashion", in a way we might understand.

Why does Whitehead believe that modern science could only have developed among people who believed in the Judeo-Christian God?

Whitehead claims that the Judeo-Christian God provides a personal trust that cannot be found in the impersonal gods of ancient civilizations such as Greece or China. God provides a clear confidence, that is a confidence of a rational personal being. This trust allows humans to form the foundations of modern science. This same reason shows how modern science did not develop in "highly sophisticated" societies such as China, Greece, or even in the Islamic tradition. God made both humans and the physical world so it is only natural for humans to have their senses and minds be open to comprehending the world around them. Because of this, the Judeo-Christians can trust that their rational mind can be in touch with rational reality.

What is meant by historical-critical method? What is its aim?

a general approach that applies historical, cultural, and literary analysis to Scripture. its aim is to determine what did the text mean to its original author and audience.

Distinguish between the historical-literary, canonical, and traditional levels of interpretation of a biblical text.

historical-literary: what did it mean to its original author and audience. canonical: what does it mean in context of the whole of Scripture traditional: how has it been understood in Christian tradition