Aristotle on Bible Study and Systematic Theology

“It is the mark of an instructed mind to rest satisfied with the degree of precision for which the nature of the subject admits, rather than to seek exactness when only an approximation of the truth is possible.”

Aristotle 384-322 BC

Aristotle wasn’t a follower of Jesus.  He lived 300+ years before Jesus was born.  But he was a pretty smart guy.  Since the above quote is a mouthful and wasn’t written with Bible Study in mind, I would like to rephrase it and make a point that will help us in our daily Bible study.

How about:

“Speak where the Bible Speaks and Be Silent where the Bible is Silent.”

Or, “Don’t make the Bible say what it doesn’t say!”

Many of the teachings that have divided God’s church originate from someone’s interpretation or opinion of a Bible doctrine that they forced on others.  God has revealed a lot but only a certain amount.  When we go past that revelation and then tell others they are going to Hell for not arriving at our same conclusions, we are in trouble.

For the sake of having a consistent systematic theology, or sometimes to win arguments and debates, we arrive at dubious conclusions.  We often make the Bible be specific about something for our sake, when God has left it vague.

Whether it’s human nature or our western Greek heritage, we like everything neatly organized in lists, charts, and categories.  But sadly, we crave that so much, that we often abuse the Word of God to make things fit.

I am not totally against a systematic view of Scripture.  There is a great benefit in that.  But too often, it comes down to spending a lot of time and focusing on things that God either didn’t say explicity or didn’t say at all.

We need, like Aristotle, to be satisfied with the “degree of precision” of God’s revelation on any given subject, and not try to force some precision for precision’s sake.

I am not saying we should give up short of an exhaustive and comprehensive study to make sure we know what God has revealed, but I suggest caution in our conclusions.

Which Book Should I Write First

I have outlined and worked on a few book ideas.  I probably won’t get around to finishing any of them unless I win the lottery, or get fired and make my wife work full-time.  But it’s fun to dream.

Here are the main ideas I have thought about.  I have preached on them so I already have a basis of material.

Fruitful Evangelism

A look at the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 as the basis for evangelism.  Instead of methods and charts, we need to produce godly fruit.  I think that is the foundation of any and everything else we might do to try to teach people about Jesus.  Without it, our efforts are empty.

God Bless America, and maybe those other Countries, too.

I have lots of things to say.  As of now, it would be a 3 part study.  Part one dealing with the idols that are prevalent in our Nation:  abundance, instant gratification, nationalism, etc.

Part 2 would be based on Daniel and be a guide for how to live in a culture which is anti-God.

Part 3 would deal with the Christian’s relationship to Government.  Maybe this should be three separate studies but they are definitely all related.

The Spirit of Marcion in the Churches of Christ

Marcion was an early heretic who ripped out the OT and some parts of the NT, because he believed the god of the OT was a lesser god and the God revealed in Jesus was the true Christian God.  Sound familiar?

This one I have worked on the most and it is something I get excited about the most.  The study would show how valuable the OT writings are for the NT Christian.  It would look at reasons why we neglect those writings and then consider how Jesus, the Apostles, and the early church valued the OT writings.

What My Children Have Taught Me About God

I have written a few bulletin articles already and would like to develop the thought of God as Father and illustrations and implications from life as a parent.  It would be a devotional book and a gift idea for new parents (hopefully).

So, now I want your input.  Which of these should I focus on and why.

Let’s even create a poll just for fun!

Of Books and Reading (HP Lovecraft)

I finally, out of curiosity, looked into a writer named H.P. Lovecraft.  He is not funny like P.G. Wodehouse (who I love and should really read more).  He is not a man of faith like C. S. Lewis.  He was an American fiction writer in the lines of Edgar Allen Poe from the early 1900s.

The reason I was curious is that his name came up more than once in reading online stuff about Lost mythology.  The Lost TV writers seemed to be influenced from everything from ancient Egyptian religion to Star Wars and Lovecraft kept popping up.

He wrote a lot of short stories dealing with horror, macabre, weird stuff and they are fun. With Halloween coming up, it’s perfect timing to read some scary stories.

Many of the short stories are first-person narratives, from the point of view of one who survived a horror, or knew the people involved.  The narrator is often a skeptic who through following up on other people’s stories, experiences something bizarre.

I can’t even say much without spoiling them.  Many have a surprise twist at the end like Pickman’s Model.  One of the better ones so far is The Colour Out of Space, which is about a meteor that leads to lots of trouble for one family.  The Rats in the Wall is about a man who finds and buys a house that belonged to his ancestors but holds a horrible secret.  It has been the creepiest I have read so far.

How come I never heard of him in school when I read so much more fiction and loved Poe?

Any Lovecraft fans out there?

——————

Here are some non-fiction and non-religious books I would like to read in the next year (also my Christmas List in case Santa is reading):

The Book of Basketball: The NBA according to the Sports Guy by Bill Simmons

Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman

SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance bySteven Levitt and Stephen Dunbar

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson

The Church of Christ Canon

(Some thoughts on Satire as a teaching method:especially the comments)

The churches of Christ need a Bible that accurately reflects our rich tradition, doctrine, and practice.

Consider these alterations to reflect who we really are:

Let’s start by removing large portions of the Old Testament, since it was nailed to the Cross anyway.

Genesis can stay, and the first half of Exodus. Leviticus is out except for Chapter 10 (Nadab and Abihu).  Numbers and Deuteronomy are gone.  Let’s add Leviticus 10 to Exodus and call that one book.

The Historical books can stay because they are easy to study and David rocks, except Kings and Chronicles are redundant.  So, we will combine them to 1 and 2 Kingicles.

Ruth and Esther are out because they emphasize women too much.  And Esther doesn’t even mention God.

Psalms and Proverbs can stay, but Ecclesiastes (too weird) and Song of Solomon (may be about sex) are definitely out.

Isaiah is in and Jeremiah can stay solely because of 6:16 (seek the old paths). No one reads Lamentations, so it’s out.

Only chapter 37 from Ezekiel can remain because it makes a great “restoration” sermon.”  The rest of the book might give fuel to pre-millennial doctrines.  It will be included in Jeremiah.

The minor prophets can be condensed down to one book that contains all the Messianic prophecies and all verses that emphasize the Meanness of God.

On to the New Testament, which is, of course, our sole basis for faith and practice.

Since John says waaay too much about the Holy Spirit and four is kinda overkill anyway, let’s just keep the first two:  Matthew and Mark.

Acts is so important, that it should actually be repeated.  So, three copies in every Bible.

Romans is also good, except for chapters 9-11, which should be removed.

The rest of Paul’s writings are good and can remain, except for Philemon, which doesn’t say much about the church or baptism.

Hebrews through 1 Peter are in. 1 John can stay, but what’s the point of 2 and 3 John?

Jude stays because it teaches us to contend for the Faith! (ty, NG)

Revelation is definitely too weird and used by the denominations to teach false millennial doctrines so it must be removed.

At this point, we are down to 37 book.  We definitely want to always have 66 books in our Bible, so here is a solution.

At the end of the OT, we will add the Gospel Advocate Commentary Series, except for ones written by David Lipscomb who was a pacifist and against slavery, which sounds like a socialist to me.

Also, add J.W. McGarvey’s Commentary on Acts (but only the original one because it’s better than the new one) and Moses Lard’s Commentary on Romans.

That gives us 13 more books once we exclude Lipscomb. Up to 48.

Since we took out Ezekiel and Revelation for millennial purposes, we can add Foy E. Wallaces’ “God’s Prophetic Word” to refute any false teachings that might remain.

Two more books that must be a part of the Church of Christ Canon are Guy N. Woods “Questions and Answers, vol. 1 and 2.”

We definitely need something from our founder Alexander Campbell, so “Christianity Restored” and “The Christian System” are must-haves.

Another addition, from more recent leaders, “The Bible makes Christians Only and the Only Christians by Thomas B. Warren.

C.R. Nichols 6-volume “Sound Doctrine” also deserves a spot here.

Now we are are at 60.  Almost there.

Shall we include some tracts in our Canon, to help new believers understand certain doctrines that they may not understand with the Bible alone?  I think so!

Tracts:

“The Sin of Social Drinking“

“Dancing:  The Slippery Slope to Prostitution” (ty, TM)

“Decently and In Order:  Everything God Meant to Say about our Worship Assembly“

‘Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, Be Baptized:  Everything you need to Know about Salvation in 5 sentences”

An egregious oversight: N.B. Hardeman’s Tabernacle Sermons must be included.  We shall remove 2 Corinthians and the Thessalonian letters.

That’s enough tracts.  Now finally, the final two additions for our 66-volume Church of Christ Bible, is….

“Behold the Pattern” by Goebel Music

“Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ” by Leroy Brownlow.

Here is your new Table of Contents:

Table of Contents

The Old Testament

Genesis

Exodus (Lev 10)

Joshua

Judges

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kingicles

2 Kingicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Psalms

Proverbs

Isaiah

Jeremiah (Ezekiel 37)

Daniel

Minor Prophets:  Greatest Hits

GA: Matthew

GA: Mark

GA: Luke

GA: John

GA: Acts

GA: Hebrews

GA: James

GA: Peter-Jude

GA: Revelation

McGarvey on Acts

Moses Lard on Romans

“God’s Prophetic Word” by Foy E. Wallace

“Q&A, vol 1” by Guy N. Woods

“Q&A, vol 2” by Guy N. Woods

“Christian System” By Campbell

“Christianity Restored” by Campbell

“The Bible Makes Christians only and the Only Christians” by Thomas B. Warren

Sound Doctrine 1 by Nichols

Sound Doctrine 2 by Nichols

Sound Doctrine 3 by Nichols

Sound Doctrine 4 by Nichols

Sound Doctrine 5 by Nichols

Sound Doctrine 6 by Nichols

The New Testament

Acts

Matthew

Mark

Tract:  Dancing:  The Slippery Slope to Prostitution

Tract: Sin of Social Drinking

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

Tabernacle Sermons vol 1

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

Tabernacle Sermons vol 2

Tabernacle Sermons vol 3

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

1 John

Jude

Tract:  Decently and in Order

Tract: H, B, R, C, Baptism

“Behold the Pattern” by Goebel Music

“Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ” by Leroy Brownlow

Acts

My Two Favorite Poems

I like poetry. I have a handful of books and enjoy reading occasionally, although not as much as I used to.  I really like Dylan Thomas, Cristina Rossetti, Keats, and John Donne.  Most book sales and some yard sales are places to build a library.  I love finding a great anthology.

So, here are a couple of my favorite poems

“Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne (pronounced “dunn”)

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,

For, those, whom thou think’st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and souls delivery.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well,

And better then thy stroake; why swell’st thou then;

One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

I don’t know the author of the second one but it can be found in homes all across America:

If you sprinkle when you tinkle….

…then be a sweetie and wipe the seatie!

Who is your favorite poet?

Do you have a favorite poem?

Deer Cupcake Award (thanks Frogtown!)

I was tagged by David Kirk of Frogtown a looong time ago and finally realized it so I wanted to play.

1). What is your current obsession?
Evony video online game.  You build up cities, train armies, fight battles.

2). Where are you right now?
downstairs, at computer, at home

3). Coffee or tea?
two cups of coffee for brekkie, occasionally fun stuff at Starbucks;  decaff sweet tea at lunch or dinner

4).What’s one of your favorite movies?
Midnight Run with Charles Grodin, Deniro

5). What’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
my family coming home

6). Who was your childhood crush?
alyssa milano from Who’s the Boss, who has aged very well (still young, that’s the good part of having a crush on a young person while young)

7). What is your (current) favorite Song?
A Deeper Shade of Blue by Del McCoury

8). What would you like to get rid of?
10-15 lbs of my gut

9). What’s your favorite book?
Moby Dick (fiction); How to read the Bible for all its Worth (religious study); The Celebration of Discipline (religious devotional)

10). Why did you start your blog?
around my birthday about 5-6 years ago, it has moved 2-3 times but pretty much settled in now.  I like to write, that was pretty much the sole motivation.

11). If money was not an issue, what is one thing you would purchase for yourself?
A villa in Italy.  Maybe in Sicily, or near Anzio/Nettuno outside of Rome

12). If you could live in a foreign country, which one would you choose?
Already lived in Italy, would be glad to go back at any moment.  Otherwise, not sure.

13). Who is your favorite member of the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs.  I was in the left field bleachers for a game in Busch Stadium in St Louis in 1990 when he hit his 30th of 40 home runs just a few rows in front of me.  A few of the most exciting seconds of my childhood.

14) Who is your favorite character on Lost?
still Jack, and he is gonna rock the final season, just you wait!

15). What is one thing you’ve changed your mind about in the last ten years?
a whole lot about religion, church, politics

16). What is one thing you’ve changed your mind about in the last ten days?
when to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame

17) If you had to choose between books and movies and could only read or view one or the other the rest of your life, which would you choose?
books, fairly easy choice

18) Have you listened to the A Better View podcast yet?
Yes, and I love it!

TAG! You’re it!

Have you done this, Lisa?

My sister.  I know the answer to 18 at least.

Frank Bellizzi. You need a break from grading papers.

Ooops! I left out the instructions:

• I must replace one question I dislike with a question of mine own invention,
• and then I must add one additional question.