OT: Intriguing article on digital Bibles

Denise said:

I very much doubt that reading the hebrew/greek 2,000 years later is of much value

Denise would you do to a Doctor who had never studied and who knew little more than you about the human body? We, require most professionals to know their subject well and to know it first hand. The Rabbi and the Cantor are not simply required but expected to have a greater working knowledge of Hebrew than the average man, woman, or child. But, then we turn our eyes to the Minister, Preacher, and Bible teacher and our expectations significantly drop? [:^)] Are, not those the people who should in fact be the specialist and have an intimate knowledge of the sources or as close as one can get to the sources? Are, those not the people who should toil and struggle with the original language texts as often as possible?Or, is simple 2nd, 3rd, 4rth hand knowledge good enough?   

Bruce Dunning said:

I think this may also be driven by economics.

It may also be driven by the fact that seminaries know that the average Pastor has access to 2000 years of scholarship on his cell phone...

Paul Golder said:

Bruce Dunning said:

I think this may also be driven by economics.

It may also be driven by the fact that seminaries know that the average Pastor has access to 2000 years of scholarship on his cell phone...

To some degree yes.  

One thing that's been bothering me about some of the Logos marketing:  access to information is a very small part of wisdom, knowledge, and scholarship.  

There's an marketing video for Noet where some college kids are given an assignment to look into the history of how the word "Logos" has been used differently through time.  The young man promptly brings up his laptop and swipes it a bit and out pops a historical perspective on the word.  To me this is nearly farcical.  

Would, say, Socrates have benefited from being able to read, having access to billions of bits of information?  Sure, I suppose so; however, one could easily argue that it may well have had an untoward effect on him as well.  In any case, mere access to information would have played an infinitely small - if any - part of what made him a Socrates. 

Conversely, consider a person who has little scholarship, knowledge or wisdom - in that person's hands, that information can at best be useless, and at worst dangerous.  

~Butters [:)]

NB.Mick said:

At least I hear that doctors increasingly carry around a digital version of the Red Book 

Not only that, but current law in the States has caused most hospitals to adopt a complete paperless system, forcing all medical professionals to carry a tablet of some sort.

Super Tramp said:

I am just saying the availability to look it up on the internet does not replace Med School

True, but more concerning to me is that any school does not replace an apprenticeship (or to use the Christianese, discipleship) 

Super Tramp said:

Having access to or mastery of are two different things. I would not trust my doctor if he was referring to his iPad to treat me.

Sleiman said:

Super Tramp said:

Having access to or mastery of are two different things. I would not trust my doctor if he was referring to his iPad to treat me.

Good point, me neither. But what about trusting someone who uses an ipad while ministering to your soul instead of your body? 

I'd strongly suspect he was merely distracted, and was just checking his email.  [:D]

NB Mick said:

a fool with a tool is still a fool.

[:D]  I like that!  I'll try to remember it if my alzheimers doesn't kick in.

Sleiman said:

George Somsel said:

I'll try to remember it if my alzheimers doesn't kick in

At 39?  

He can't remember, but he recalls reading somewhere that it starts at 38 ... or 39 ... or something like that. Who are you again?

Bruce Dunning said:

Michael Childs said:

It should be a crime for a seminary to give an M.Div degree without requiring Greek and Hebrew, and not just the basic courses, but Greek and Hebrew exegesis courses as well.

If you went to Asbury in the 1970's, you took 6 hours of Greek that you could not count toward your M.Div. because you were supposed to know basic Greek grammar before you started.  Now even Asbury has wimped out and lets them count those 6 hours of Greek as an elective toward their degree.  I am most disappointed in them.  Heretics!

That seems to be the trend these days in many schools. I think this may also be driven by economics.

No, it's driven by the inclusion of many "practical" courses which crowd out the meat of the curriculum.  When I went to cemetery ALL those admitted had been Greek majors in college.  We then had three more years of Greek pounded into our thick skulls full of mush by Dr. Bastiaan Van Elderen (When he wasn't talking about archaeology).   Unfortunately, the Old Testament department wasn't so insistent on knowing the language well (which is why I went on to graduate school in OT).  At the end of our captivity we had to take proficiency exams in both languages as well as an oral on general theological topics.

Paul Golder said:

Always found traditional seminary focus intriguing.

Understanding that a typical pastor spends three to four hours teaching the Word and doctrine each week, and 60 to 80 hours in counseling and administration.

I sure hope that counseling == teaching the Word.

In terms of administration, the elder does need to exercise oversight, but it seems like much of the work could/should be delegated. I think a local church body does itself a disservice by insisting a pastor handle these tasks. Doesn't even have to be paid staff implementing administrative efforts.

Paul ... not when folks are still having their morning coffee.

This tool differentiates original-language word senses, helping you understand Scripture as its inspired authors intended.