RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
Jenson, Robert. Canon and Creed.
Robert Jenson invites us to see questions of canonicity in terms of God's story. Canonization, such that it is or can ever be, is not a static process (ironically, both Protestants and EO/RCC act like it is). He notes, “The Old Testament and the New Testament are Scripture for the Church in different ways” (Jenson 14). The OT was Scripture for the apostles before they were apostles. It is antecedent to the church’s formal existence. Jenson suggests that the real question is, “Can Israel’s scripture accept this proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection and this new movement within Israel?” (20) Jenson further claims that the “new gospel was justified by Israel’s scripture, never the other way around” (21, quoting Campenhausen, Entstehung, 68).
His thesis: “From the beginning the church has read the Old Testament as narrative of God’s history with his people” (Jenson 20-21). The most promising thing about this book is the connection between canon and story. Jenson does not develop this in any real detail, but it is a fascinating insight nonetheless. The canon emerges from the narrative. We can tie in with speech-act of God’s identity. The narrative (cf Irenaeus on divine cvenants’ structuring) justifies the claim that the canon emerges as a creation of the divine speech-act.
Robert Jenson invites us to see questions of canonicity in terms of God's story. Canonization, such that it is or can ever be, is not a static process (ironically, both Protestants and EO/RCC act like it is). He notes, “The Old Testament and the New Testament are Scripture for the Church in different ways” (Jenson 14). The OT was Scripture for the apostles before they were apostles. It is antecedent to the church’s formal existence. Jenson suggests that the real question is, “Can Israel’s scripture accept this proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection and this new movement within Israel?” (20) Jenson further claims that the “new gospel was justified by Israel’s scripture, never the other way around” (21, quoting Campenhausen, Entstehung, 68).
His thesis: “From the beginning the church has read the Old Testament as narrative of God’s history with his people” (Jenson 20-21). The most promising thing about this book is the connection between canon and story. Jenson does not develop this in any real detail, but it is a fascinating insight nonetheless. The canon emerges from the narrative. We can tie in with speech-act of God’s identity. The narrative (cf Irenaeus on divine cvenants’ structuring) justifies the claim that the canon emerges as a creation of the divine speech-act.
