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Patheos

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What value is there to the Septuagint as a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament? What can we learn from it?

Any translation of the Bible is much more than a mirror copy (just think of how English translations differ from each other). In many places in the Septuagint, yes, one is reading word for word the same text found in the Hebrew. In many other places, however, the translation yields different theological emphases than those found in the Hebrew Bible; the translation has created new meanings.

We also know, as I mentioned above, that some books in the Septuagint were translated from Hebrew texts that are radically different from those in modern editions of the Hebrew Bible, and thus in English Bible translations. This has been brought to light through studying the Dead Sea Scrolls.

That means the Septuagint sometimes reveals an older version of the Old Testament than those that exist in the Hebrew Bibles we use in seminaries and universities. The Septuagint gives us glimpses into earlier stages in the Bible’s development, before the completion of the Hebrew Bible that is now the basis of modern translations. This is especially problematic for those who put their entire faith in the pursuit of the “original text.”

nice list from Jesus Creed

Philosotroll.com 2 paragraphs quoted below.

I’d argue that Craig really isn’t all that relevant to contemporary academic philosophy. His primary relevance is to a community of evangelical Christians who are looking to use some philosophical tools in apologetics; he is a sort of public educator on the issue of philosophy for that community. That said, Craig has done some serious work in the academic sub-discipline of philosophy of time, and so he does have some legitimacy that the evangelical community uses to assess his credibility. In this way, Bill Craig is less like Al Plantinga (a former president of the American Philosophical Association) and more like Peter Kreeft. That’s not a jab; that’s an observation as to the role of the individual within the academic and public spheres.

The other part which is not entirely accurate is the notion that we have a significant renaissance in Christian philosophy now. There is certainly some revived interest, but given that the Bourget and Chalmers study suggests that 14.6% of professional philosophers are theists (not “Christians;” theists at all) and 72.8% are atheists, there’s still a general lack of acceptance in the community. I’ve linked to the study above. (Further, it’s fair to say that there is some serious derision surrounding theism in many of the major bastions of serious academic philosophy. Hang out with the tenured folks in those programs long enough, and help them consume enough wine, and you’ll get some stories.) In order to even advance this as a potential contention, the author would have to show something, like an increase in publications arguing for Christianity (which is actually plausible, I don’t know of a study that has looked at that) or something to that effect. Otherwise, the story that is being woven is more than a bit specious.

Spiritual Friendship blog

Interesting section on Internet mania. First his “cons”

But perhaps the greatest danger is found within me (sort of like Alien, you know?). There’s a kind of mania that comes with writing something and putting it on the internet, and it directly threatens to undermine the very reason I came out in the first place. A central part of my decision to be honest about my sexuality is the desire to foster authenticity. To be closeted usually requires a constant and exhausting self-awareness, a meticulous and intense image-management that can only be maintained through various forms of manipulation, half-truths, and, at times, outright deception.

I found such an existence to be increasingly antithetical to my faith and thus I “stopped lying.” But the internet poses a similar problem. Suddenly, that dimming impulse to assess everything I say and how it might affect my image begins to flare up again, and “authenticity” is infected with sensationalism to increase reader interest. Writing becomes less about sharing my story so that others may be encouraged and more about others listening to my story so that I can feel affirmed. It is a rather magnificent perversion that what should be an important step toward healing and wholeness can just as quickly plunge me back into the very sins I’m running from.

Link to Part 2 which has his “pros”. My comments (not quotes which I usually put in italics)

• These are the reflections of a 23 year old Fuller Sem student on whether or not “coming out” on the web was a good thing or not. Someone in his position faces enormous pressures from two opposing camps.

  One easy dodge culturally is individualism out “well if that works for you”, but we all realize that personal decisions of self denial make deeper statements. It’s easy to say to Matt Jones “well you’re only 23, do you think you can maintain this position all your life?!” and probably a wiser answer would be “not without a very strong, supportive community around me” yet our communities tend to be too transitory and shallow.

  We’ve seen assumed public positions change so quickly its hard to know what outliar religious communities will do. Contrarian pressure sometimes enables minority communities to endure and even thrive, sometimes it warps them to double down on things that don’t matter to a ridiculous degree.

From “The Curator” feed but I can’t seem to pull up the direct link from the website. 

Interesting piece on Jesus Creed probably more interesting is the report itself. They reject the “tighter” language by appealing to “sufficiency” over and against certain Calvinists. 🙂

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