Evangelicals And Biblical Scholarship, 1945-1992: An Anecdotal Commentary -- By: David A. Hubbard

Journal: Bulletin for Biblical Research
Volume: BBR 03:1 (NA 1993)
Article: Evangelicals And Biblical Scholarship, 1945-1992: An Anecdotal Commentary
Author: David A. Hubbard


Evangelicals And Biblical Scholarship, 1945-1992: An Anecdotal Commentary

David A. Hubbard

Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, Ca 91101

The Institute for Biblical Research Annual Lecture, delivered November 20, 1992, at San Francisco, California.

Introduction

I owe you some things right from the beginning. First, you deserve to know the genre of these comments. They are patterned after the didactic narratives of the Books of Chronicles—somewhat genealogical, largely narrative, but not lacking in homiletic or even midrashic qualities. A recent reviewer sums up Simon de Vries’ estimate of the Chronicler’s tendenz as more than a history but “a confession, an affirmation of faith, and a call to unswerving piety” (ExpTim 103 [1992] 287).

Second, my remarks are personal and carry the salient risks of high selectivity and broad generalization. These observations are based on an n of one: all Indians walk single-file, at least the one I saw was doing so.

Third, I would ask you please to frame your own versions of this commentary whether parallel to, divergent from, or colliding with mine. The exercise of remembering significant influences and of weighing the consequences—what future churches would be like if everyone followed your tack—is ultimately more worthwhile than what I say.

Fourth, the chronological framework is arbitrary. The terminus a quo (1945) is both personal and general. The year 1945 marks my matriculation at California Concordia College, one of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, high school/junior colleges. There I met Greek (in classical form: remember Crosby-Schaeffer’s text?) and

ventured into the Latin of Virgil and Cicero. That year also saw GI’s by the thousands return from war to our colleges and seminaries. Victory was in the air. And, along with a yearning for normalcy, there was fresh élan to study God’s Word and prepare for the victories beyond the victory, for the Kingdom that overarches all kingdoms.

Years Of Preparation (1945-57)

The year 1945 was for me a milestone only in its marking of a formal beginning to preparation. My parents were both teachers and ordained pastors, my brothers and sister—all at least a decade older— became pastors, lay ministers, or missionaries. To this day I have no idea when I learned what about Bible, theology, and ministry except in the more technical areas that I can associate with specific courses or teachers.

At Westmont in 1947 I majored in Greek. Engaged to Ruth, I often named books as desired gifts when she asked me about birthdays and Christmases. ...

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