The Metaphysics Of Biblical Studies -- By: Frederick Sontag

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 35:2 (Jun 1992)
Article: The Metaphysics Of Biblical Studies
Author: Frederick Sontag


The Metaphysics Of Biblical Studies

Frederick Sontag*

Someone with fine historical perspective should write a history of the various frameworks that have been used to interpret the Biblical texts. From early times Roman Catholicism felt confident in treating the texts as subject to external criteria. For all Luther made of the centrality of Scripture, when he taught Scripture for the Roman Church before his break he was free in his interpretation. It would be interesting to know how the determiners of the canonical texts thought about how the texts might be interpreted once established. In any case it is clear that there have been numerous frameworks used to interpret Scripture, so that, unless we simply assume that “the later the better,” we need to understand all the approaches that have been used so that we can make an informed choice.

In defining this special kind of metaphysical inquiry Aristotle said that most of us assume our first principles and argue from them rather than turn back and question the first principles themselves. Someone must, he thought, set out the various principles that could be used and evaluate them comparatively. The metaphysician’s task is not a welcome one, since a first principle, if it remains unquestioned, gives the one who argues from it a greater degree of security. To try to consider all the principles known is to commit one to insecurity, since even when categorized there always remains a haunting suspicion that there still remains another principle that if known would be superior. Biblical study needs such a metaphysical inquiry, primarily because we have for some time assumed the superiority of modern methodologies that seemed to transfer mere interpretation into a science.

There was a time of scientific optimism (which transferred across to fields other than the physical sciences and mathematics) when such optimism to replace old views once and for all was warranted. Philosophy fell under this spell too and is only now emerging from it. Linguistic analysis adopted the borrowed optimism that philosophical problems could be solved by the examination of language and its uses. Careful as philosophers have always been about their use of terms, and sensitive as they have been to the strengths and weaknesses of written expression, Biblical scholars seem even more to have fallen under the spell of settling old questions and achieving certainty regarding Biblical texts by using supposedly new textual tools.

Few can doubt the benefit of learning all we can from historical study about the times and cultures in which the texts originated. It is quite

*Frederick Sontag is professor of philosophy at Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711.

You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe
visitor : : uid: ()