Lord, inspire us to read your Scriptures and meditate on them day and night. 

We beg you to give us real understanding of what we need, that we may in turn

put its precepts into practice.  Yet we know that understanding and good

intentions are worthless, unless rooted in your graceful love.  So we ask

that the words of the Scriptures may also be not just signs on a page, but channels

of grace into our hearts.--Origen of Alexandria (c.186-254)

Where do the Hebrew Scriptures come from?

Where do the Hebrew Scriptures come from?

1. Parachute option

Where do the Hebrew Scriptures come from?

1. Parachute option2. Gradual appearance and collection optionOral phasesWritten phasesCollection phasesFormalized phaseTranslation phaseReappraisal phases

• J - Yahwist source• E - Elohist source• D - Deuteronomist source• P - Priestly source• R - "Redactor", editor who compiled the sources• DH - "Deuteronomic History": Joshua, Judges, Samuel 1 & 2, Kings 1 & 2• *includes most of the Leviticus• †includes most of the Deuteronomy

How to Read the Bible:4 (or 8?) Options

(beyond liberal and conservative)

Literal: Like a newspaper, science text, or work of nonfiction - attempting to tell objective, literal, observable, scientific facts.

Literary: Like a poem, novel, journal, or movie -

attempting to convey meaningful, mysterious, multi-faceted beauty and truth.

Critical: Questioned. Tested. Scrutinized. Evaluated. Treated

as human, situated, constructed, and interpreted.

Naive:Taken at face value. Unquestioned. Univocal. Treated as divine, transcendent, incorrigible, or absolute.

Literal Literary

2. Critical Literal 4. Critical Literary

1. Naive Literal 3. Naive Literary

Naiv

e

Cri

tica

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Option 1: Naive Literal

The Bible is a divine text, akin to a

TextbookInstruction manual

Objective historical accountAudit reportConstitution

Option 2: Critical Literal

The Bible is a human text, akin to

a collection of mythsa collection of folk tales

a collection of propagandaa collection of misinformation

Option 3: Naive Literary

The Bible is a collection of literary artifacts, akin to ...

an anthology of moralistic fablesa collection of magic chants or mantras

a source of inspiring stories and quotations

Option 4: Critical Literary

The Bible is a collection of human literary artifacts, akin to ...

a museum an heirloom quilt

a family scrapbook or photo albuma refrigerator door or classroom bulletin board

a specialized library

Literal Literary

2. Critical Literal 4. Critical Literary

1. Naive Literal 3. Naive Literary

Naiv

e

Cri

tica

l

Literal Literary

2. Critical Literal 4. Critical Literary

1. Naive Literal 3. Naive Literary

Naiv

e

Cri

tica

l

FaithfulFaithful

Option 1: Faithful Naive Literal

The Bible is a divine text, akin to a

TextbookInstruction manual

Objective historical accountAudit reportConstitution

through which God can speak to us today.

Option 2: Faithful Critical Literal

The Bible is a human text, akin to

a collection of mythsa collection of folk tales

a collection of propagandaa collection of misinformation

through which God can speak to us today.

Option 3: Faithful Naive Literary

The Bible is a collection of divine literary artifacts, akin to ...

a book of moralistic fablesa collection of magic chants or mantras

a source of inspiring quotations and stories

through which God can speak to us today.

Option 4: Faithful Critical Literary

The Bible is a collection of human literary artifacts, akin to ...

a museum an heirloom quilt

a family scrapbook or photo albuma refrigerator door

a specialized library

through which God can speak to us today.

Literal Literary

2. Critical Literal 4. Critical Literary

1. Naive Literal 3. Naive Literary

Naiv

e

Cri

tica

l

FaithfulFaithful

Why Faithful Critical Literary?

1. Takes the text seriously2. Takes art of interpretation seriously3. Takes humans seriously (producers/readers)4. Takes God seriously5. Takes Jesus seriously6. Takes the Spirit seriously7. Takes the living tradition seriously