Bruce Waltke: Part 1
On a more serious note, I am auditing a course with Bruce Waltke for the next two weeks on Old Testament Theology. This is not a translation course or a Hebrew course, so I am not sure how much of the content I will blog. However, I spoke to him today and he says he has heard of our blog - although he may mean he has heard of the TNIV Truth blog, but, in any case, he invited me to lunch with him next week.
Therefore, in the comment zone I would like to collect a few questions and points of interest on Bible translation to bring up in a conversation with Bruce Waltke.
Therefore, in the comment zone I would like to collect a few questions and points of interest on Bible translation to bring up in a conversation with Bruce Waltke.
posted by Suzanne McCarthy at 12:41 PM
13 Comments:
1) Under what conditions (if any) should English versions of Protestant Christian Bibles reflect readings that differ from the consonantal text of Masoretic mss?
2) Under what conditions should they reflect readings that require vowels that differ from the Masoretic?
3) Under what conditions should they reflect syntax that differs from that reflected in the Masoretic cantillation marks?
This isn't translation-related, but I'm curious to know if he's planning any more future commentaries on any books of the Bible.
Thanks Eric,
That is a good list.
Jeremy,
He has a book which is due out this Sept. on OT Theology, but I will also ask about commentaries.
Ask him where he really stands on women in ministry leadership.
Fred,
I think he is a moderate complementarian. He calls himself a conservative in general - but not a traditionalist and not a fundamentalist.
Waltke's views on gender issues can be found in his essay "The Role of Women in Worship in the Old Testament".
By the way, I'm fairly sure he'd distinguish between ministry and leadership. He thinks women are restricted from certain authority and leadership positions, but it's very clear from several of the examples he discusses that he thinks the Bible clearly endorses women to have a full role in ministry.
But I have to love his last point about how he submits to women leaders in his own congregation. That's a point you don't hear too many complementarians making, but I'm fully with him on that. It's one thing to have a view about what women should and shouldn't be doing. It's quite another to be unsubmissive to the leaders God has placed over you merely because you don't agree with them on that issue.
Thank you Jeremy, for pointing this out. I have heard him speak on the issue but I didn't have anything to quote from directly.
I enjoy learning from him academically - he certainly doesn't say awkward things to make women feel uncomfortable. For example, he spoke of the "authors of the Hebrew scriptures, both men and women", etc.
What women authors of Hebrew scriptures?
I'll definitely ask him that, Glenn.
Thank you, because as far as I can see none of the OT or NT was written by a woman. As such it makes his comment a little nonsensical.
Glenn, do you have any good arguments why none of it could have been? Lots of people have suggested that Ruth was, although I don't think the arguments are convincing. But I see no reason to think it wasn't.
One thing he may have in mind is that much of scripture seems to come from oral history, and women probably contributed to that.
Or perhaps he's just referring to smaller things like the Song of Deborah and the Song of Miriam. We've also got a NT example in the Magnificat. I don't think you can argue that none of those were authored by women without denying inerrancy.
No telling if many of the Psalms are by men or women - many are anonymous. And no way to tell if they could or could not have been written by a women either.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home