Recovering Protestantism's Original Insight

In this engaging volume, Capetz argues that Protestants have largely ignored Luther's heritage when it comes to thinking about biblical authority and instead have followed Calvin's biblicism, leading to many intellectual and moral problems in the face of a fully historical-critical understanding of the Bible in our time. After prefacing the book with a personal story that illustrates what is at stake in this question for the church's pastoral ministry, he examines in detail the debate between Barth--an heir of Calvin--and Bultmann--a Lutheran--regarding Sachkritik or "content criticism" of Scripture since their debate serves to clarify the central issue facing Protestants today. He then traces their debate back to the Reformation itself to show how the difference between Luther and Calvin presented Protestants from the outset with two conflicting models of biblical authority. He then reflects on how this question of the proper understanding of biblical authority manifests itself in the debates over sexual ethics that have plagued mainline denominations for the past four decades. And he concludes by arguing that Luther's heritage provides Protestants with a viable way to engage in a robust theological interpretation of the Bible that does not violate what historical criticism has taught us about it.

Author: Paul E. Capetz
Publisher: Cascade Books
Published: 04/20/2023
Pages: 190
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.64lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.44d
ISBN13: 9781666737479
ISBN10: 166673747X
BISAC Categories:
- Religion | Biblical Studies | Exegesis & Hermeneutics
- Religion | Christian Theology | History

About the Author
Paul E. Capetz is professor of historical theology emeritus at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and is currently minister at Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach, California. He is the author of God: A Brief History (2003) and co-editor of James Gustafson's Moral Discernment in the Christian Life (2007).