Historical Criticism

Historical Criticism

This article sketches the beginnings of Historical Criticism and its impact on the interpretation of the Bible.  Historical criticism is the attempt to verify the historicity of and understand the meaning of an event that is reported to have taken place in the past. The basis for this evaluation is the tools of historical science.

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Methods of Bible Study

This statement is addressed to all members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the purpose of providing guidelines on how to study the Bible, both the trained biblical scholar and others.

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Another Look at Adventist Hermeneutics

A short review of the standard Adventist approach to biblical interpretation.

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Why did God ask Abraham to offer his son?

The text gives only one answer: the Lord was testing Abraham (Gen. 22:1). But why was the test necessary? The biblical context—in a sense, the full story of Abraham—is most important for a proper understanding of this story.

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A Seeming Contradiction

I note what seems to be a contradiction in the description of Solomon's Temple. According to the book of Kings wooden doors separated the Holy of Holies from the main hall of the Temple (1 Kgs 6:31). On the other hand, Chronicles speaks of heavy curtain (2 Chr 3:14). Could this explain a seeming contradiction in the biblical record?

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The Biblical Understanding of “Spirit”

Thank you for your discussion on the meaning of “soul” in the Bible (Nov. 8, 2001). Please describe the biblical understanding of the “spirit.”

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Christians and War

Should Adventists be involved in warfare? What is the church's position?

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Interpreting Scripture According to the Scriptures: Toward an Understanding of Seventh-day Adventist Hermeneutics

A discussion on Adventist biblical interpretation presented to a group of catholic theologians.

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The Bible and Suicide

One of my best friends committed suicide. Since then I have wondered what the Bible says about the topic.

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Where Did We Get “Lucifer”?

The name Lucifer commonly refers to Satan, but I looked for it in my Bible and I couldn't find it. What am I overlooking?

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