Tim's ProfDoc

by Robert M Grant with David Tracy
Second Edition: 1984, London, SCM

Grant observes: 'the proper place for the Bible is in the church' (p.6)

History:
Irenaeus: 'The teaching of the apostles is the true understanding of the Bible, and if anyone wishes to learn this true understanding he should read the scriptures with the presbyters of the church, with whom is the apostolic doctrine... All other interpretations have fallen from the truth.' (pp. 50-51)
Irenaeus argued that the Church had the unique right to interpret scriptures because it 'owned' scripture. (p. 74)
Tertullian (p.75) developed this argument in legal terms.
Vincent (434): 'What is Catholic: Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est' (p.80) 'there is only one gospel, there is only one truth, and it has been handed down in the tradition of the church' (p.80)
Reformers: 'The church was not to be the arbiter of the meaning of scripture, for scripture, the word of God, was the church's judge.' (p.92)
Luther: 'scripture alone' requires more 'litoral' or rational approaches to exegesis. (p.98)
Rationalsim: Human reason rises in status against the authority of the church.
Nineteenth Century: 'Purely historical' reading rise in popularity.
Schliermacher "The holy books have become the Bible in virtue of their own power" (p.111)
Baur: 'Strongly under the influence of Hegel's theory of history, he and his followers believed in the dialectical development of dogma. Ideas came to their complete expression only gradually, through the setting forth of thesis, the opposition of antithesis, and the formulation of synthesis.' (p.112)
'Thomas Arnold refers to the Bible as consisting of human writings and requiring a rational exegesis.' (p.114)
'F. D. Maurice approved, at least tentatively, of biblical criticism - but only by those who were familiar with the ways of the Spirit.' (p.114)
Modern Protestant Interpretation: Schweitzer, Bultmann, Barth...
Grant and Tracy argue for a 'catholic' interpretation of the Bible - 'scripture is nothing but the written expression of tradition' (p.143)