Non-Religious Biblical Studies Group
Posted on October 17, 2009 at 10:50 am by Dr. Jim
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I raised the issue a while back in this post, and got a small, but enthusiastic response. I was contacted this morning about plans for a meeting in New Orleans. If you are interested, feel free to come along!
Dear colleagues,
As the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) approaches, some of us have discussed the possibility of forming a group that would approach the Bible from a strictly non-religious viewpoint. Although no single mission or purpose has been established yet, some our objectives could be to:
1. Promote scholarship of the Bible from a non-religious viewpoint.
2. Produce scholarly critiques of religionist biblical scholarship, and how it functions to maintain the authority and value of the Bible in the modern world.
3. Form a counterweight to the Evangelical Theological Society, and perhaps engage in cordial dialogue and debate with its members through written formats and through joint sessions.
You are free to propose any alternatives, or add your own, to our proposals at that meeting. We can send out a more specific agenda about a week before the meeting begins.
If you are interested in discussing the viability of such a group within the SBL, or alongside the SBL, please join us on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 6:30pm at the Marriott Hotel. Feel free to contact us at the e-mail addresses below.
Sincerely,
Hector Avalos (HectorAvalos@aol.com)
Jim Linville (jimlinville@shaw.ca)
Ken Pulliam (pulliam@mail.com)
John W. Loftus (johnwloftus@verizon.net)
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FOR THE SAME CONTENT AND ACTIVE COMMENTS.
Technorati Tags: Bible, biblical+scholarship,, secularism,, Society+of+Biblical, Literature
October 17, 2009 at 6:04 pm
A great idea Jim – I hope you and your friends are able to pull it off.
I left the evangelical wing sixteen years ago, after being in the mission field as a publishing house manager for eleven years and then retired in the UK. I was in Africa for 57 years in all and belonged to an evangelical church for 32 of those years. Two years I completed a course in NT studies at a British university.
I believe such an organisation as you propose could contribute a great deal and perhaps give those of us who have left the evangelical fold some further focus in our own particular take on the belief/doubt journey.
All the best !
Gordon
October 18, 2009 at 4:51 am
A great idea Jim – I hope you and your friends are able to pull it off.
I left the evangelical wing sixteen years ago, after being in the mission field as a publishing house manager for eleven years and then retired in the UK. I was in Africa for 57 years in all and belonged to an evangelical church for 32 of those years. Two years I completed a course in NT studies at a British university.
I believe such an organisation as you propose could contribute a great deal and perhaps give those of us who have left the evangelical fold some further focus in our own particular take on the belief/doubt journey.
All the best !
Gordon
P.S. – Sorry, forgot to tell you great post!
October 19, 2009 at 6:54 am
Please keep me posted, Jim!
I would like to be in on this, although SBL is out of the picture for a while. If such a society emerges, count me in!
October 22, 2009 at 6:27 pm
[...] maybe not destroy it, but…. 1. Promote scholarship of the Bible from a non-religious [...]