Thank you for putting me in my place Dr. You've accused me of dishonesty and naivete. Furthermore, you addressed my comment out of context. The dating of CT is generous, but still is "new" in the scheme of things (as I stated). Quote: |
I don't see a trace of what became dispensationalism in the Fathers"
| Quote:
Leroy Edwin Froom: The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, I, 207: "The early church was distinctly premillennialist in her cherished expectations of Christs second advent. His coming and Kingdom were her constant hope. The Apostolic Fathers anticipated a future Kingdom in connection with the Redeemers Advent."
a. Papias (d. 155)
According to Eusebius, Church History, "Fragments of Papias," in ANF, I, 154: "Amongst these he [Papias] says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth."
b. Justin Martyr (100-165)
"Dialogue with Trypho," in ANF, I, 239:
"But I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, [as] the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare."
c. Tertullian (160-c. 230)
"Against Marcion," in ANG, 3, 343:
"But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us on earth. . . . inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem "let down from heaven. . . ."
d. Hippolytus (d. 236)
Concentrated on the Book of Daniel.
Premillennial interpretation of the image, and the animal passage.
Excellent interpretation of the days, seeing them as days, not years.
Even a good start on the interpretation of the 70 weeks.
Separated the 70th week from the 69th.
Froom, 278: "Hippolytus is believed to be the first to have projected such a theory, making the sixty-nine weeks reach from the first year of Darius the Mede to Christs first coming, and the seventieth to begin separately after a gap, just before Christs second coming."
e. Others: Cyprian (200-258); Lactantius (250-330); Athanasius (297-373) and other Nicene Council participants.
| Admittedly, there is a little room here for misunderstanding. But certainly not enough to not take this seriously and admit the presence of premillennialism in the early church. As far as I can tell, their were no anti-premillinnialist proponents until Origen.
The authoritative nature of the statement regarding hermeneutics and theology notwithstanding, and your credentials duly noted, perhaps your expertise surpasses others who have gone before you. Quote:
Hermeneutics " Biblical Hermeneutics: A Treatise on the Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments by Milton S. Terry.
Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation. The word is usually applied to the explanation of written documents, and may therefore be more specifically defined as the science of interpreting an authors language [as the footnote states, the Greek bears this out as well]. (p. 17)
Biblical or Sacred Hermeneutics is the science of interpreting the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (p. 18).
Biblical Hermeneutics, having a specific field of its own, should be carefully distinguished from other branches of theological science with which it is often and quite naturally associated. It is to be distinguished from Biblical Introduction, Textual Criticism, and Exegesis" Where such criticism [lower criticism] ends, Hermeneutics properly begins, and aims to establish the principles, methods, and rules which are needful to unfold the sense of what is written" Exegesis is the application of these principles and laws, the actual bringing out into formal statement, and by other terms, the meaning of the authors words. Exegesis is related to hermeneutics as preaching is to homiletics, or, in general, as practice is to theory. (p. 19)
As a science, it enunciates princ8ples, investigates the laws of thought and language, and classifies its facts and results. As an art, it teaches what application these principles should have, and establishes their soundness by showing their practical value in the elucidation of the more difficult scriptures. The hermeneutical art thus cultivates and establishes a valid exegetical procedure. (p. 20)
The most contradictory rules of interpretation have been propounded, and expositions have been made to suit the peculiar tastes and prejudices of writers or to maintain preconceived opinions, until all scientific method has been set at naught, and each interpreter became a law unto himself. Hence the necessity of well-defined and self-consistent principles of Scripture interpretation. Only as exegetes come to adopt common principles and methods of procedure, will the interpretation of the Bible attain the dignity and certainty of an established science.
For the Scripture, revelation is itself essentially the centre and substance of all theological science. It contains the clearest and fullest exhibition of the person and character of God, and of the spiritual needs and possibilities of man. [b]A sound and trustworthy interpretation of the scripture records, therefore, is the root and basis of all revealed theology. Without it Systematic Theology, or Dogmatics, could not be legitimately constructed, and would, in fact, be essentially impossible.[b/] (21-22)
| Unless Terry, and others, are off their rocker, it is apparent that theology is entirely dependent upon hermeneutic principles as they are applied to exegesis. Hermeneutics are obviously not dependent upon theology, and can apparently be involved in any literature. How one could be dependent upon the other and yet still be the same thing is beyond me.
Ergo, hermeneutics is NOT theology. However, theology is inextricably linked to hermeneutics because of its utter dependency on proper exegesis.
Graciousness and humility, professor, would be admirable traits to behold. If I err, teach me, don't bully or throw authoritarian rhetoric around.
For our King
Joe
[Edited on 6-4-2006 by Wannabee]
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For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
Slave of Christ, husband, father, Preacherboy at Cornerstone Community Church, Escanaba, MI. and TMS graduate. Personal website - SoundLife.org
I do not know, and I do not say, that a person cannot believe in Revelation and in evolution, too, for a man may believe that which is infinitely wise and also that which is only asinine. ~ CHS
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