The professors, especially in the humanities but also in science and math, told us what someone wrote about someone else. So there were always about two layers of separation between the student and the text.
One of my more embarrassing (for an introverted geek anyway) episodes was when a philosophy professor was quite off track discussing the Theory of Relativity. You see, I had been studying Einstein’s thought experiments that led to the breakthrough and then the math that he worked out as a proof. So, it was on my mind. I raised my hand and began to explain what he was attempting to talk about.
“Would you like to teach this class, Mr. Mintchell?” Professor Dr. H asked. I should have said yes some of my classmates said later. But he shut me up. But at 19 years old, I already was unhappy with living in that separation from the text.
Hal Lindsey was a popular theologian in the early 70s with his gift for story telling while attempting to interpret the Bible. I read The Late, Great Planet Earth and thought it was interesting, if a bit flawed in its understanding of politics. Then I read his next book which was a commentary on Hebrews. I kept thinking there was something wrong. So, I got out my 8-translation New Testament and read the book again testing his translation with those of many scholars. I have no idea where he came up with his translation which neatly fit his theology, but it didn’t match any I had.
I really like reading new commentary on the Bible. But I always keep mine close by to double check translations and context. Just like when Malcolm Gladwell began a passage with “some scholars think”, you need to be careful and not believe everything you read–even this.
And go back to the source text often.
Tags: disciplines, Study
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