Freethought & Rationalism Archive

DrJim · 11-30-2011, 07:21 AM

Jacques Berlinerblau has written an op-ed piece for the Chronicle of Higher Education on the persistence of theological practice in the SBL. It is a pretty good little article.

I also had my rant on the subject on my blog:

As I indicated in an update at the end of my post, things may be taking a turn for the more positive in the SBL, but we will have to see what sort of changes are in the works when the SBL announces its new views of programming.

Toto · 11-30-2011, 10:10 AM

So is the Bible like a fossilized dinosaur turd?

Recognizing, of course, that biologists make good use of fossilized dinosaur turds, and if the Bible could be compared to dinosaur poop, it would raise its value quite a bit.

DrJim · 11-30-2011, 11:13 AM

Yes, I have Turd the Good News.

Quote:

Now I fully get Zeba’s [Zeba Crook, whose turd reference it was] point, but since Bibles are continually reinvented as new artifacts by the faithful and their publishing industry, some bibles are not yet fossilized but are still kind of steamy, oozy, gushy turds.

mountainman · 12-01-2011, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

So is the Bible like a fossilized dinosaur turd?

Recognizing, of course, that biologists make good use of fossilized dinosaur turds, and if the Bible could be compared to dinosaur poop, it would raise its value quite a bit.

Quote:

So a question came from the floor: how would you analyse a fossilised turd? To which the answer was that you analyse the dinosaur that produced the turd and not the turd itself.

Other questions from the floor .....

Why cant the turd be dated?

When and where did it hit the fan?

Vorkosigan · 12-01-2011, 06:02 AM

Ddn't he write an article several years ago in which he bemoaned the inability of atheists to get positions in Bib studies departments?

Vorkosigan · 12-01-2011, 06:23 AM

http://berkeley.academia.edu/RonHend...blical_Studies

hendel's farewell to the SBL

DCHindley · 12-01-2011, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorkosigan

http://berkeley.academia.edu/RonHend...blical_Studies

hendel's farewell to the SBL

So ... he lumps fundamentalists with postmodernists (I presume this means holocaust deniers) and feminists (who redefine God so as to make her more approachable)? This guy has an axe to grind, and I am not sure it is really about the critical use of reason.

Has anyone read David laird Dungan's A History of the Synoptic Problem (or via: amazon.co.uk) (The Anchor Bible Reference Library, Doubleday, 1999)? He seems to be fascinated by some of the same things as Hendel, and in some ways equally self-serving.

DCH

Toto · 12-01-2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCHindley

... postmodernists (I presume this means holocaust deniers) ...

No, you should not assume that.

DCHindley · 12-01-2011, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCHindley

... postmodernists (I presume this means holocaust deniers) ...

No, you should not assume that.

I presumed, not assumed. :innocent2: Postmodernism can be used and abused, just as rationalism can.

DCH

Toto · 12-01-2011, 07:01 PM

Holocaust deniers are not postmodern. They are modernists who deny a historical fact and assert other facts. (Bringing up holocaust denial is getting very close to Godwin's Law.)

Postmodernists doubt the ability to actually determine facts. The author of that paper lumps together postmodernists, feminists, and eco-theologians as "the cultured despisers of reason."

11-30-2011, 07:21 AM	#1
DrJim Regular Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Lethbridge AB Canada Posts: 445	The Society of Biblical Literature Meeting Fall out Jacques Berlinerblau has written an op-ed piece for the Chronicle of Higher Education on the persistence of theological practice in the SBL. It is a pretty good little article. I also had my rant on the subject on my blog: As I indicated in an update at the end of my post, things may be taking a turn for the more positive in the SBL, but we will have to see what sort of changes are in the works when the SBL announces its new views of programming.

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11-30-2011, 10:10 AM	#2
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	So is the Bible like a fossilized dinosaur turd? Recognizing, of course, that biologists make good use of fossilized dinosaur turds, and if the Bible could be compared to dinosaur poop, it would raise its value quite a bit.

12-01-2011, 06:02 AM	#5
Vorkosigan Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Barrayar Posts: 11,866	Ddn't he write an article several years ago in which he bemoaned the inability of atheists to get positions in Bib studies departments?

12-01-2011, 06:23 AM	#6
Vorkosigan Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Barrayar Posts: 11,866	http://berkeley.academia.edu/RonHend...blical_Studies hendel's farewell to the SBL

12-01-2011, 07:01 PM	#10
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Holocaust deniers are not postmodern. They are modernists who deny a historical fact and assert other facts. (Bringing up holocaust denial is getting very close to Godwin's Law.) Postmodernists doubt the ability to actually determine facts. The author of that paper lumps together postmodernists, feminists, and eco-theologians as "the cultured despisers of reason."

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