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Loading... The Bible among the Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? (edition 2009)by John N. Oswalt (Author)
Work InformationThe Bible among the Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? by John N. Oswalt
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.  bohannon | Jan 7, 2022 |   The myths rest on ideas that are philosophically developed from nature. That's why there are so many similar myths from all around the world. There are similarities between the Bible and the myths, but the Bible's ideas depend on the accuracy of its historical events. Oswalt redefines myth, history and accuracy to match his ideas. This is a fascinating subject, but I find Oswalt's ideas contradictory and confusing. I dislike ideas that rest heavily on the redefining of words. (  ) arfuller | Sep 19, 2014 |
 In sum, it may be said that this book presents us with a scholarly apologetic that defends the historical veracity and theology of the Old Testament, for "the veracity of the theological claims of the Old Testament is inseparable from the veracity of the historical claims" (p. 16).
Sixty years ago, biblical scholars typically maintained that Israel's religion was unique, that it stood in marked contrast to the faiths of its ancient Near Eastern neighbors. But nowadays it is widely affirmed that Israelite religion mirrors that of other West Semitic societies. What accounts for this radical change, and what are its implications for our understanding of the Old Testament? Dr. John N. Oswalt says theological and philosophical convictions account for this new attitude among scholars, rather than a revision to the data itself. Its roots lie in the Western world's increasing hostility to the idea of revelation. Revelation, which presupposes a reality that transcends the world of the senses, is objectionable to people because it assumes the existence of a realm over which they have no control. Oswalt makes a detailed comparison of the Old Testament and the other ancient Near Eastern religions. While not advocating a "the Bible says it, and I believe it, and that settles it" point of view, he asserts convincingly that the Bible's historical claims cannot be disassociated from its theological claims. - Publisher. No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)220.1Religions Bible Bible Origins and authenticityLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (4.04)
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But finishing it and reading it's final conclusion on this anniversary of the Capital Insurrection was striking.
Oswalt bases his discussion on a distinction between those systems of thought based around continuity and those around transcendence. That is, systems where the spiritual/divine exists as part of, or continuous with, the rest of the cosmos, and systems where it exists outside of, or transcends, the rest of the cosmos.
It is this distinction in Oswalt's view that is the basis for the infamous linear historicity of the biblical religions (versus the generally acknowledged circularity common to others), which in turn leads to the various generally acknowledge differences between the biblical and nonbiblical systems (in terms of practice, ethics, etc.).
What I found particularly poignant tonight was Oswalt's intimation that one can do as Joseph Campbell suggested -- and use the language and outer-rhetorical garb of the Bible, to think and approach the world in a manner fundamentally similar to the rest of the world (ie, as the particular set of symbols in a fundamentally continuous mindset). And that as our society shifted to do just this, and to in many respects keep the rhetorical garb of "western christendom," while abandoning the fundamental structure behind it, we should expect to see certain, fairly specific shifts in behavior and societal norms.
Shifts, that yes, we've seen on the far end of the spectrum which makes no bones about abandoning the biblical system -- but shifts that we've also clearly seen among those who are happily cladding a biblical veneer to a nonbiblical structure.
(2022 Book 1) (