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Biblical and Theological Studies

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Excerpt kindly provided with permission by Sheffield Phoenix Press.

Description

Two distinct questions about the canon of the Bible can be raised: (1) How did the biblical canon come to be?, and (2) What effect does that canon have on its readers? The former is a historical question about the formation of the biblical canon; the latter is a hermeneutical question about the function of the biblical canon. Though these questions have often been pursued in virtual isolation from one another, Spellman argues that there are considerable gains from observing the interconnections between the two lines of inquiry. On the historical question of the origin of the canon, Spellman asks, Is the shape of this collection an accident of history or a result of intelligent design? He concludes that canon-consciousness played an important role in the formation of the canon, even impinging on the work of the biblical authors themselves. On the hermeneutical question, the communities of readers of the Bible may also be shown to have been directed by their own canon-consciousness, using it as a guide in their interpretative task. In this interdisciplinary work, Spellman marshals historical, theological and hermeneutical resources in order to paint a picture of how the concept of canon can enrich reading communities of today.

ISBN

9781909697263

Keywords

Bible, biblical canon, hermeneutics

Publication Date

6-3-2014

Publisher

Sheffield Phoenix Press Ltd

City

Sheffield, England

Disciplines

Biblical Studies | Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

About the Author

Dr. Spellman teaches classes in biblical and theological studies. His research interests include theology, biblical hermeneutics, literary studies, and the discipline of biblical theology. The lion’s share of Dr. Spellman’s interest in teaching and scholarship is directed toward grappling with the textual and theological features of the biblical literature within the context of canon. He is also interested in exploring ways to connect the academic study of the Bible to the life of the churches.

Visit Dr. Spellman's SelectedWorks page.

Toward a Canon-Conscious Reading of the Bible: Exploring the History and Hermeneutics of the Canon

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