The Challenge of Jason Garwood Dot Com

We here at JasonGarwood.com (we meaning, me, myself and I) are always looking to challenge our my readers. So all 5 of you pay attention and listen read closely. And answer with some input. Please. :)

What are the meta-narratives, or Central Interpretive Motifs that you see in Scripture? What different hermenuetics do you use to interpret Scripture?

The reason that I ask is because I've been doing some heavy listening to N.T. Wright and studying closely the New Perspectives on Paul, and have come across some interesting hermeneutics and meta-narratives/themes that Wright uses, along with many in the Emerging Church movement. At this point I am still a little apprehensive about it all, but for the most part see no heresy or major folly. What do you think?

I'm going to blog some thoughts on the Creational/Covenantal aspects to Scripture & hermeneutics while also engaging Wright's Eschatological hermeneutics as well. What do you think, if at all, about these interpretations?

Dec 23, 2008

krisanneswartley said...

First, I want to say, Jason, that I have a lot of respect for you in doing this. I have noticed that some from our cohort have been challenged in their thinking and have chosen NOT to pursue it further, but instead, to just walk away from the challenge. I think your example is a wonderful one... be challenged, explore the issues further and THEN decide what to think.

But back to your question--- I wonder if another theme would be God's upside-down way of doing His work. He chooses to use the weak, powerless and small to be His instruments, instead of the mighty and powerful (one exception to this would be Persia and her king, used to return the exiles to their land.... which is interesting). When I read the biblical narrative, I tend to keep an eye out for this theme and read from that perspective.

I want to think about this more, though, and comment again. Excellent question! And thanks again for your example in this, Jason. It's really commendable.

Emery said...

Looks like someone is inching towards my man NT! I have been trying to read as much of his work as possible. I also saw him recently at Gordon for a conference on the Gospel of John. So far I am amazed and found wanting more of his teaching. I'll write more later on my opinions and whatnot.

Dec 24, 2008

Jason Garwood said...

KA: Thanks for your kind words. I am very encouraged and quite honestly humbled. Suffice it to say at this point that I'm wrestling BIG time with different things and I love it. It's hard work, but God is certainly shaping me!

And I told Derek all about my NT Wright listening escapade that I've been on all week. VERY interesting and I think he is definitely doing his best to NOT be shaped by these different cultural issues (Enlightenment, Romantics, etc.).

Emery: I will be honest. I was VERY skeptical of NT Wright at first. I'm still wearing my skeptical lens because I want to be discerning. But on the other hand, he has not let me down thus far and I think that his theology of these certain issues is something that could really benefit our dead and dying Christendom here in America. I definitely have much more work to do on it all and will be posting some thoughts after the holidays on my findings.

Anonymous said...

I think most (not all) of the "emerging church" fans really don't know what a lot of the jargon means. Do they know what "post-modern" really means? Are they actually living as if they believe the claims of the post-modern philosophers? They talk about "modernity", but I suspect it's just a way to put down old-fashioned Sunday School teachers. They refer to Jacques Derrida or Foucault, and it might sound impressive to talk about deconstructing classic texts, but are the Christians who use that terminology ready to accept the basic premises espoused by the philosophers they quote?

Is there anything they will admit is objectively true? Is everything just someone's personal story?

It's all well & good to figure out how to communicate with young people who have been brainwashed by relativistic philosophers and the moral relativism of our contemporary society, but that doesn't mean a Christian leader should actually adopt a post-modern Marxist worldview as taught in the sociology departments at most universities themselves.

Jeff Swan
McKinney, TX

Dec 31, 2008

Cindy said...

n.t. wright is (almost) bunk. i checked out the "new" stuff on paul and it seems to me that wright and his fellow "new" perspective coherts are fighting a battle that may not need to be fought and in my opinion, have a twisted opinion of certain reformed hermeneutics (luther wasn't the only reformer who read his Bible and interpreted Scripture and the Doctrines of Grace) and being a reformed fellow myself i found myself scratching my head and asking, "why do they have to defend that. . ."
may i'm prideful in presumptions but it seems that a lot of the "new" perspective is hot-air and some of it isn't new at all.

Cindy (Ant),

Don't think of it as a battle. It's not. It's making sure that we interpret Paul in his 1st Century Context, not directly through the lens of the Reformation (albeit those things are important and true).

I'm not sure what Reformed Hermeneutics you are referring to as being "twisted".?

And you'll have to clarify what is "hot air" because you are right, some of it really isn't 'new' per se, but some of it does challenge our Pauline Theology.

What do you think?

Nov 07, 2009

I found this site using [url=http://google.com]google.com[/url] And i want to thank you for your work. You have done really very good site. Great work, great site! Thank you!

Sorry for offtopic

the storied jesus

exploring the Jesus of the Story.