Because scholars have tended to use the term in different ways, Biblical theology has been notoriously difficult to define.

Description

Although most speak of biblical

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

as a particular method or emphasis within

biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible (the Old Testament and New Testament).''Introduction to Biblical Studies, Second Edition'' by Steve Moyise (Oct 27, 2004) pages 11–12 Fo ...

, some scholars have also used the term in reference to its distinctive content. In this understanding, biblical theology is limited to a collation and restatement of biblical data, without the logical analysis and dialectical correlation between texts that

systematic theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topi ...

emphasizes. Although the distinction existed prior, the beginning of biblical theology as a significant and separate discipline can be traced to J. P. Gabler’s 1787 address upon his inauguration as professor at the

University of Altdorf The University of Altdorf () was a university in Altdorf bei Nürnberg, a small town outside the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. It was founded in 1578 and received university privileges in 1622 and was closed in 1809 by Maximilian I Joseph of Ba ...

, when he used the term and called for a separate discipline apart from the dogmatic emphasis of the confessions. Some scholars focus on the

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. Hebrew: ''Tān ...

and falls in the field of Old Testament theology. The field started out as a Christian endeavor and aimed to provide an objective knowledge of early revelation, working as much as possible only with these biblical texts and their historical contexts, in the twentieth century it became informed by other voices and views, including those of feminist and Jewish scholars, which provided new insights and showed ways that the early work was bound by the perspectives of their authors. Key scholars have included

Walther Eichrodt Walther Eichrodt (August 1, 1890 in Gernsbach, Baden – May 20, 1978 in Basel) was a German Old Testament scholar and Protestant theologian. From 1908 to 1914 he studied theology in Bethel, Greifswald and Heidelberg, obtaining his habilita ...

Gerhard von Rad Gerhard von Rad (21 October 1901 – 31 October 1971) was a German academic, Old Testament scholar, Lutheran theologian, exegete, and professor at the University of Heidelberg. Early life, education, career Gerhard von Rad was born in Nurem ...

Phyllis Trible Phyllis Trible (born October 25, 1932) is a feminist biblical scholar from Richmond, Virginia, United States. Trible's works centres on the Hebrew Bible, and is considered by some in her field as a prominent influence on feminist biblical interpr ...

, and

Jon Levenson Jon Douglas Levenson is an American Hebrew Bible scholar who is the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at the Harvard Divinity School. Education *A.B. ''summa cum laude'' in English, Harvard College, 1971. *A.M. Department of Near Eastern ...

. Others focus on the New Testament; the field of New Testament theology likewise seeks understanding from within the bounds of these documents and their historical contexts. Key scholars have included

Rudolf Bultmann Rudolf Karl Bultmann (; 20 August 1884 – 30 July 1976) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor of the New Testament at the University of Marburg. He was one of the major figures of early-20th-century biblical studies. A prominent critic ...

, Hendrikus Boers, and

N. T. Wright Nicholas Thomas Wright (born 1 December 1948), known as N. T. Wright or Tom Wright, is an English New Testament scholar, Pauline theologian and Anglican bishop. He was the bishop of Durham from 2003 to 2010. He then became research profe ...

Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual exper ...

, biblical theology is a discipline of

which emphasises the progressive nature of biblical revelation.

Graeme Goldsworthy Graeme Goldsworthy (born 7 September 1934) is an Australian evangelical Anglican theologian specialising in the Old Testament and biblical theology. His most significant work is a trilogy: ''Gospel and Kingdom'', ''Gospel and Wisdom'', and ''The ...

explains the relationship between biblical theology and

as follows: The work of

Gregory Beale Gregory K. Beale (born 1949 in Dallas, Texas; also known as G. K. Beale) is a biblical scholar, currently a Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. He is an ordained minister in the Or ...

Kevin Vanhoozer Kevin Jon Vanhoozer (born March 10, 1957) is an American theologian and current Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Deerfield, Illinois. Much of Vanhoozer's work focuses on systematic theolog ...

Geerhardus Vos Geerhardus Johannes Vos (March 14, 1862 – August 13, 1949) was a Dutch-American Calvinist theologian and one of the most distinguished representatives of the Princeton Theology. He is sometimes called the father of Reformed Biblical Theology ...

(''Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments''),

Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos (13 February 1909 – 8 March 2007) was a Dutch theologian and biblical scholar. He was an important New Testament theologian, having worked extensively on the history of salvation (''Heilsgeschichte'') and biblical theolo ...

(''The Coming of the Kingdom''),

Meredith Kline Meredith George Kline (December 15, 1922 – April 14, 2007) was an American theologian and Old Testament scholar. He also had degrees in Assyriology and Egyptology. Academic career Kline received his AB from Gordon College, Th.B. and Th.M. ...

(''Kingdom Prologue''),

(''According to Plan'', ''Gospel and Kingdom''),

Vaughan Roberts Vaughan Edward Roberts (born 17 March 1965) is a Church of England clergyman. Since 1998, he has been the rector of St Ebbe's, Oxford. In 2009, he became Director of the Proclamation Trust. Early life Roberts was born on 17 March 1965 in Win ...

(''God's Big Picture''), James Hamilton (''God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment''), and Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum (''Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants'') have helped popularize this approach to the Bible. Especially important for bringing this field of study into the confessional tradition was Old Princeton theologian, Geerhardus Vos (''Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments''). They summarize the message of the Bible as being about "God's people in God's place under God's rule and blessing" (in Graeme Goldsworthy, ''Gospel and Kingdom'', Paternoster, 1981).

Biblical theology movement (1940s–1960s)

The biblical theology movement was an approach to Protestant biblical studies that was popular in the United States, particularly among

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

s, between the 1940s and early 1960s. Heavily influenced by

neo-orthodoxy In Christianity, Neo-orthodoxy or Neoorthodoxy, also known as theology of crisis and dialectical theology, was a theological movement developed in the aftermath of the First World War. The movement was largely a reaction against doctrines of ...

, the movement sought to escape the polarization of

liberal theology Religious liberalism is a conception of religion (or of a particular religion) which emphasizes personal and group liberty and rationality. It is an attitude towards one's own religion (as opposed to criticism of religion from a secular position, ...

and

Christian fundamentalism Christian fundamentalism, also known as fundamental Christianity or fundamentalist Christianity, is a religious movement emphasizing biblical literalism. In its modern form, it began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among British and ...

. Important themes included: "1) The Bible as a theological resource; 2) The unity of the Bible; 3) The revelation of God in history; 4) The Bible’s distinctly Hebraic mentality; and 5) The uniqueness of biblical revelation." Scholars included

G. Ernest Wright George Ernest Wright (September 5, 1909 – August 29, 1974), was a leading Old Testament scholar and biblical archaeologist. An expert in Ancient Near Eastern archaeology, he was especially known for his work in the study and dating of pottery. H ...

, Floyd V. Filson, Otto Piper and James D. Smart.

References

External links

101 Books on Biblical Theology: An Annotated Bibliography
- Compiled by: Brittany D. Kim, Darian R. Lockett, and Charlie Trimm
5 Things Biblical Scholars Mean When They Use the Term "Biblical Theology"
- from Edward Klink and Darian Lockett's Understanding Biblical Theology

- classic definition of Biblical theology by Geerhardus Vos (1894)
BiblicalTheology.org
- writings of Geerhardus Vos, who is sometimes called "the father of

Reformed Reform is beneficial change Reform may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine *''Reforme'' ("Reforms"), initial name of the ...

Biblical Theology"
''Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary''
- has been printing biblical-theological material in the

Calvinistic Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Calv ...

tradition since 1986
Beginning With Moses: The Biblical Theology Briefings
- articles, essays and book reviews by various scholars in biblical theology

from ''Catalyst'' ( United Methodist perspective)
WWW Biblical Theology Index
* ttp://www.hornes.org/theologia/rich-lusk/what-is-biblical-theology/ What is Biblical Theology?- an article by Rich Lusk on Biblical Theology. {{DEFAULTSORT:Biblical Theology Christian terminology

Description

Evangelicalism

Biblical theology movement (1940s–1960s)

See also

References

External links