15AR20-21

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AR 20:21 - Improving Christology by "reading backwards"

Apologia Report 20:21 (1,250)

June 16, 2015

In this issue:

CHRISTOLOGY - when downplaying explicit OT predictions of Jesus "has considerable apologetic value"

GIVING - "numerous examples, particularly of Christian ministries," in which "the poor learn to care for themselves"

ISLAM - an argument for the Koran and Hadith as "compatible with contemporary notions of secularism and rights to freedom and equality"

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CHRISTOLOGY

Reading Backwards: Figural Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness, by Richard B. Hays [1] -- Adam C. Pelser, assistant professor of philosophy at the United States Air Force Academy, argues in his review that today’s Christians need a more "sophisticated understanding of how to read and interpret the Old Testament."

"As Hays explains, 'Modern historical criticism characteristically judges ... that the NT's Christological readings of Israel's Scripture are simply a big mistake: they twist and misrepresent the original sense of the text.' In order to be prepared with an informed and compelling response to this challenge, Christians must seek to grow in familiarity with the Old Testament as well as the New.

"A second reason for lamenting the widespread unfamiliarity with the Old Testament in the church today is that the gospel message ... cannot be understood fully without an appreciation of the way that the gospel of Jesus is the continuation and culmination of the story of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself through Israel. ...

"Hays argues - and this is the central claim of the book - the Gospel writers teach us that we cannot understand the Old Testament completely without understanding the significance of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. ... In a book that is apologetic in force, while being primarily instructional and edifying in tone, Hays compellingly argues that, far from misrepresenting the original historical meaning of the Old Testament texts, the Gospel writers were sophisticated biblical interpreters. ... Hays sums up his bidirectional hermeneutical thesis as follows: 'We learn to read the OT by *reading backwards* from the Gospels, and - at the same time - we learn how to read the Gospels by *reading forwards* from the OT.' ...

"Arguing for hermeneutical unity among the four Gospels, despite a diversity of literary styles and theological emphases, Hays contends that 'all four Gospels declare that the Torah and the Prophets and the Psalms mysteriously prefigure Jesus.' ... Hays argues that if we follow the lead of the Gospel writers, 'we do not simply scour the OT for isolated prooftexts and predictions; rather, we must perceive how the whole story of God's covenant promise unfolds and leads toward the events of Jesus' death and resurrection.'

"Hays does not claim that there are no explicit predictions of Jesus in the Old Testament ... but he strongly downplays the importance of any such alleged predictions. This might serve to challenge a hermeneutical approach that has been used by some Christian apologists, but Hays' alternative emphasis on figural interpretation of the Old Testament [in which "one person is taken to point toward or prefigure another person or event that happens at a later time"] should not be understood as anti-apologetic. Indeed, it has considerable apologetic value itself....

"Hays explicitly objects to the popular view that the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) present a 'low' Christology according to which Jesus is merely a good teacher, prophet, and miracle worker, while the Gospel of John presents a 'high' incarnational Christology that developed (i.e., was invented) some decades later."

Hays explains that, "Only by reading backwards, in light of the resurrection, under the guidance of the Spirit, can we understand both Israel's Scripture and Jesus' words."

This book's "brevity and lucid prose make it accessible to lay readers and a useful primer for learning to read the Old Testament as the Gospel writers did. Yet, its interaction with contemporary biblical scholarship and careful examination of numerous literary echoes of the Old Testament in the Gospels help to establish a compelling scholarly case...." Christian Research Journal, 38:2 - 2015, pp60-1.

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GIVING

Charity Detox: What Charity Would Look Like If We Cared about Results, by Robert D. Lupton [2] -- Kirkus (Apr '15, #2, n.p.) explains that Lupton has "New ideas and approaches toward charity." He "writes, 'I have witnessed firsthand how food, clothing, and money given to assist those in need more often than not produce unhealthy dependency and end up harming those the donation was intended to help.' His ideas regarding charity turn the concept upside down, as he suggests that more should be expected of the poor so that they wind up helping themselves rather than waiting impatiently for the next handout. In times of extreme crisis - e.g., emergency situations such as earthquakes or tsunamis - Lupton readily agrees that aid is necessary and should arrive rapidly. However, once the initial crisis has passed, the drive should be to rebuild self-esteem by asking those in need to contribute to their own advancement. Using numerous examples, particularly of Christian ministries, Lupton shows how many charity-based organizations have taken his ideas and restructured their methods so that people learn to care for themselves. He bases his ideas on the solid belief that to end poverty, one must be able to work: 'the most effective method of poverty alleviation is economic development. Jobs ... are the key.' Lupton shows how this can be accomplished in a variety of scenarios. His enthusiasm for this method is evident throughout the text and brings hope to readers that if more organizations adopted these practices, there really could be a better future ahead for all of us, not just the poor. Radical new methods that could take charity to a new, more effective level."

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ÍISLAM

Islam in Retrospect: Recovering the Message, by Maher S. Mahmassani [3] -- in his review for Choice (Apr '15, n.p.), Andrew J. Waskey (Dalton State College) notes: "Mahmassani taught law at the Lebanese University Law School and at the Arab University Law School. ... Here he argues that the pure message of Islam has been distorted. In this very well written, tightly argued, extensively documented book, he argues that the current troubles with Islam have been caused by numerous myths and misinterpretations that have distorted the received traditions. These errors produce false justifications for jihadist violence and fundamentalist inhumanity. The book has three parts: part 1 examines in meticulous detail the origins of the authority of the Qur'an and its teachings. Part 2 seeks to clarify Islam's secular character with critical analyses of Shari'a, the state, and their relationship. Part 3 deals with issue of human rights. Mahmassani presents a daring reconstruction of received Islam to correct a false political Islam that is distorting its original message of peace. He presents an Islam that is secular, progressive, and humane and whose message is universal in origin but now in need of reform. Summing Up: Recommended."

Writing for Library Journal (Nov '14, #1, n.p.), Muhammed Hassanali adds: "Legal consultant Mahmassani outlines his views on Islam, aiming to present his interpretation of the Koran (Islam's holy book) and the Hadith (the prophetic traditions) and show how they are compatible with contemporary notions of secularism and rights to freedom and equality. The book is divided into three parts. The first part explores the conditions under which early Islam was propagated and how one should interpret the Hadith and Koran. The second segment discusses theory of the state as it relates to Islamic doctrine (as interpreted in part one). Here the author considers issues of statehood, law making focusing on Sharia law (Islamic law), and the theory of a divine (Islamic) state. The emphasis is on showing a multiplicity of Sharia laws and the myth of attaining a divine state. Part three looks at rights and freedoms and their consequences. Mahmassani believes that Islam is a universal faith, valid for all peoples at all times, including - with the proper interpretation - today. He shows its compatibility with contemporary notions of statehood, rights, freedoms, and pluralism."

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SOURCES: Monographs

1 - Reading Backwards: Figural Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness, by Richard B. Hays (SPCK, 2015, paperback, 240 pages) <www.goo.gl/6igpZX>

2 - Charity Detox: What Charity Would Look Like If We Cared about Results, by Robert D. Lupton (HarperOne, July 2015, hardcover, 208 pages) <www.goo.gl/IqIUZW>

3 - Islam in Retrospect: Recovering the Message, by Maher S. Mahmassani (Olive Branch, 2014, paperback, 800 pages) <www.goo.gl/7gPHZQ>

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