In Defense of Doctrine: Evangelicalism, Theology, and Scripture

by Rhyne R. Putman (Editor)

Overview

Questions surrounding the relationship of Scripture and doctrine are legion within the Protestant tradition. How can doctrine develop over time and maintain fidelity to the sacred text, especially for communities who cling to the Reformation principle of sola scriptura? Does not an appeal to contemporary, constructive theology belie commonly held Protestant and Evangelical convictions about the sufficiency of Scripture? Does admission and acceptance of doctrinal development result in a kind of reality-denying theological relativism? And in what way can a growing, postcanonical tradition maintain a sense of continuity with the faith of the New Testament? This study is an apologetic for the ongoing, constructive theological task in Protestant and Evangelical traditions. It suggests that doctrinal development can be explained as a hermeneutical phenomenon and that insights from hermeneutical philosophy and the philosophy of language can aid theologians in constructing explanatory theses for particular theological problems associated with the facts of doctrinal development, namely, questions related to textual authority, reality depiction, and theological identity. Joining the recent call to theological interpretation of Scripture, Putman provides a constructive model that forwards a descriptive and normative pattern for reading Scripture and theological tradition together.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781451472165
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	06/01/2015
Series:	Emerging Scholars
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Rhyne R. Putman is assistant professor of theology and culture at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. This volume is based on a dissertation completed at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary under the direction of Robert B. Stewart.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

1 Reading Scripture and Developing Doctrine 25

2 Historical Consciousness, Development, and Hermeneutics 59

3 Doctrinal Development in the Descriptive Theological Hermeneutics of Anthony Thiselton 123

4 Doctrinal Development in the Normative Theological Hermeneutics of Kevin J. Vanhoozer 173

5 Interpretive Authority and Doctrinal Development 209

6 Religious Language, Reality, and Doctrinal Development 257

7 Development and Continuity Hermeneutical Approaches to the Problem 325

8 The Hermeneutics of Faithful and Fitting Doctrinal Development 375

Bibliography 401

Index 459