Peter Leithart on Literal and Figurative Language

I have learned a whole lot from Peter Leithart over the years.  Although Peter sees Baptists at the center of a whole bunch of theological mistakes (I am happily Baptist), I nonetheless always benefit from reading Leithart.  He is one of the finest writing theologians around.  In this post at his web-site Leithart succintly and simply--but nonetheless helpfully--has some fun with the unnecessary dichotomy which is often seen when people play "literal" language over against "figurative" language. 

Details

Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading

Published: 15 September 2010 15 September 2010

Hits: 3938 3938

David Lyle Jeffrey and the Current State of the Study of English Literature

To my mind, David Lyle Jeffrey is one of the finest Christian intellectuals around.  He currently teaches at Baylor University.  His scholarship is first-rate, and he is true Christian gentleman.  I have been reading him since I first started to wrestle with questions of the nature of language, and how Christians might think rightly about the nature of language.  I highly recommend his books, including People of the Book and Houses of the Interpreter.  I was listening today to a lecture he gave a few years ago on the current state of the discipline of English literature, and how English as a discipline will continue to flounder as long as it continues to drift from its historical moorings, where it was anchored to the Christian faith.  To any and all persons interested in the confusion in the contemporary academy, and to anyone simply interested in such issues, I would recommend this talk highly.  Here is a link to Jeffrey's talk on i-tunes.  It should be talk #37 on this list.

Details

Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading

Published: 14 September 2010 14 September 2010

Hits: 3885 3885

Tertullian, "Prescription Against Heretics"

Tertullian is one of the key early theologians of the Western/Latin-speaking Christian church.

Here is the link to "Prescription Against Heretics".

Details

Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading

Published: 09 September 2010 09 September 2010

Hits: 4960 4960

Zwingli, Education and the Importance of Language

As someone who teaches theology for a living I have long wanted to be able to better work from the Hebrew (the Old Testament is mainly in the Hebrew language).  So, on my sabbatical this spring I decided to go back and begin to work through a Hebrew grammar.  It has been wonderful, and I am trying to complete a chapter a week until I complete the grammar (I am using Basics of Biblical Hebrew by Pratico and Van Pelt).  As I was reading today about Hebrew verbs Pratico and Van Pelt included a brief selection from Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), one of the Protestant reformers in Switzerland.  Zwingli is making the case for why young persons should be instructed in Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament) and Greek (the language of the New Testament) and Latin.  Zwingli’s piece is commonly titled “On the Education of Youth”.  Here is a brief selection:

“Once a young man is instructed in the solid virtue which is formed by faith, it follows that he will regulate himself and richly adorn himself from within: for only he whose whole life is ordered finds it easy to give help and counsel to others.

But a man cannot rightly order his own soul unless he exercises himself day and night in the Word of God.  He can do that most readily if he is well versed in such languages as Hebrew and Greek, for a right understanding of the Old Testament is difficult without the one, and a right understanding of the new is equally difficult without the other.

But we are instructing those who have already learned the rudiments, and everywhere Latin has the priority.  In these circumstances I do not think that Latin should be altogether neglected.  For an understanding of Holy Scripture it is of less value than Hebrew and Greek, but for other purposes it is just as useful.  And if often happens that we have to do the business of Christ amongst those who speak Latin.  No Christian should use these languages simply for his own profit or pleasure: for languages are gifts of the Holy Ghost.

 . . . .

If a man would penetrate to the heavenly wisdom, with which no earthly wisdom ought rightly to be considered, let alone compared, it is with such arms that he must be equipped.  And even then he must still approach with a humble and thirsting spirit.”

As one involved in a classical and Christian school, it is helpful to always think through why we do what we do, and to remind one’s self about the importance of language.  What would it be like if children in our community coming out of high school could read Latin, Greek, and Hebrew?  I suspect such children would enter adulthood with blessed gifts enabling them to see, understand, and accomplish wonderful things!

This essay can be found in Zwingli and Bullinger, ed. G. W. Bromiley (Philadelphia:  Westminster, 1953).

Details

Category: Recommended Reading Recommended Reading

Published: 09 September 2010 09 September 2010

Hits: 4279 4279