Sola Scriptura: Biblical and Theological Perspectives on Scripture, Authority, and Hermeneutics

385 Pages·2017·3.17 MB·English

by  Hans Burger (ed.)

Sola Scriptura
Studies in Reformed Theology
Editor-in-Chief
Eddy van der Borght (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Editorial Board
Abraham van de Beek (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Martien Brinkman (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
George Harinck (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Dirk van Keulen (Theological University Kampen)
Daniel Migliore (Princeton Theological Seminary)
Richard Mouw (Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena)
Emanuel Gerrit Singgih (Duta Wacana Christian University, Yogjakarta)
Pieter Vos (Protestant Theological University, Amsterdam)
Conrad Wethmar (University of Pretoria)
VOLUME 32
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/srt
Sola Scriptura
Biblical and Theological Perspectives on Scripture,
Authority, and Hermeneutics
Edited by
Hans Burger, Arnold Huijgen and Eric Peels
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Burger, Hans, 1974- editor.
Title: Sola Scriptura : biblical and theological perspectives on scripture,
authority, and hermeneutics / edited by Hans Burger, Arnold Huijgen, and
Eric Peels.
Description: Boston : Brill, 2018. | Series: Studies in reformed theology,
ISSN 1571-4799 ; VOLUME 32 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017041347 | ISBN 9789004355170 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Bible–Evidences, authority, etc.–Congresses. |
Bible–Hermeneutics–Congresses. | Reformed Church–Doctrines–Congresses.
Classification: LCC BS480 .S625 2017 | DDC 220.1–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017041347
Typeface for the Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic scripts: “Brill”. See and download: brill.com/brill-typeface.
ISSN 1571-4799
ISBN 978-90-04-35517-0 (paperback)
ISBN 978-90-04-35643-6 (e-book)
Copyright 2018 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Contents
List of Contributors viii
Introduction 1
Hans Burger, Arnold Huijgen and Eric Peels
part I
Systematic Perspectives
1 Contra et Pro Sola Scriptura 19
Maarten Wisse
2 The Problematic Character of Sola Scriptura 38
Henk van den Belt
3 Foundation or Perspective? On the Usefulness of Formation
and Epistemology 56
Hans Burger
4 Alone Together: Sola Scriptura and the Other Solas
of the Reformation 79
Arnold Huijgen
5 Hermeneutical Theology as Contemporary Rendition of
the Sola Scriptura 105
Willem Maarten Dekker
part II
Biblical Perspectives
6 Oral Tradition in the Old Testament and Judaism 123
Mart-Jan Paul
7 “And Moses Wrote This Torah”: Canon Formulas and the
Theology of Writing in Deuteronomy 137
Arie Versluis
vi contents
8 “How the Mighty Have Fallen”: Sola Scriptura and the Historical
Debate on David as a Southern Levantine Warlord 159
Koert van Bekkum
9 “And it Shall Come to Pass in Those Days …” Eschatological Prophecy
Between Literalizing and Spiritualizing 183
Eric Peels
10 Sacra Scriptura Sui Ipsius Interpres: Reinterpretation in the
Book of Isaiah 195
Jaap Dekker
11 Sola Scriptura and the Imperfection of the Hebrew Text 216
Reinoud Oosting
12 Reading the Bible with Multifocal Lenses 230
Rob van Houwelingen
part III
Historical Perspectives
13 Sola Scriptura: The Relevance of Luther’s Use of Sola Scriptura in
De Servo Arbitrio 243
Willem van Vlastuin
14 Sola Scriptura and Calvin’s Appeal to Chrysostom’s Exegesis 260
Jeannette Kreijkes-van Esch
part IV
Practical Theological Perspectives
15 Sola Scriptura as Social Construction. A Practical Theological
Approach 279
Jack Barentsen and Léon van Ommen
16 Sola Scriptura and the Formative Role of Practical Theology 294
Hans Schaeffer
contents vii
part V
Concluding Reflections
17 The Communio Sanctorum as Scripture’s Home: Sola, Singing and the
Literal Sense 315
Brian Brock
18 Sola Scriptura Means Scripture First! A “Mere Protestant” Dogmatic
Account (and Response) 335
Kevin J. Vanhoozer
Index 359
List of Contributors
Jack Barentsen
Ph.D. (2010), Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven (Belgium), served
as pastor in the Netherlands, and currently teaches Practical Theology, with
an emphasis on church leadership, at the Evangelische Theologische Faculte-
it. He publishes on church leadership (e.g. Emerging Leadership in the Pauline
Mission).
Koert van Bekkum
Ph.D. (2010), Theological University, Kampen, is Assistant Professor of Old
Testament at that university. He is author of From Conquest to Coexistence:
Ideology and Antiquarian Intent in the Historiography of Israel’s Settlement in
Canaan (Brill, 2011).
Henk van den Belt
Ph.D. (2006), Leiden University, is Professor of Reformed Theology: Sources,
Development, and Context at the University of Groningen. He is the author of
The Authority of Scripture in Reformed Theology: Truth and Trust (Brill, 2008)
and of several articles on Reformed Orthodoxy and on Neocalvinism; he also is
the volume editor of Synopsis Purioris Theologiae / Synopsis of a Purer Theolo-
gy: Volume 2, Disputations 24–42 (Brill, 2016).
Brian Brock
Ph.D. (2003), King’s College, London, is Reader in Moral and Practical Theology
at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He has published scholarly volumes
on the use of scripture in Christian ethics, the ethics of technological develop-
ment, and the history of disability in the Christian tradition.
Hans Burger
Ph.D. (2008), Theological University Kampen, is Assistant Professor of
Systematic Theology at that university. He has published a book and articles
on ‘being in Christ’, on the doctrine of atonement, the doctrine of scripture
and on hermeneutics.
Jaap Dekker
Ph.D. (2004), Theological University Apeldoorn, holds the Henk de Jong Chair
as Professor of Biblical Studies and Identity at that university. After Zion’s
list of contributors ix
Rock-Solid Foundations (Brill, 2007) he has published articles on the Book of
Isaiah and co-edited Playing with Leviathan (Brill, 2017).
Willem Maarten Dekker
Ph.D. (2008), PThU, Utrecht, is pastor within the Protestant Church in the
Netherlands. He has published monographs, translations and articles on dog-
matics. His dissertation is entitled De relationaliteit van God: Onafhankelijkheid
en relatie in de godsleer en ontologie van Francesco Turrettini en Eberhard Jüngel
(Boekencentrum, 2008).
Rob van Houwelingen
Ph.D. (1988), Theological University Kampen, is professor of New Testament
at the Theological University Kampen (NL), Extraordinary Professor of New
Testament at the North-West University, Potchefstroom (RSA) and Research
Associate in the Department of New Testament Studies, University of Pretoria
(RSA).
Arnold Huijgen
Ph.D. (2011), Theological University Apeldoorn, is Professor of Systematic
Theology at that university. He obtained his Ph.D. from the same university in
2011. He specializes in Reformed theology, hermeneutics, and the doctrine of
the Trinity.
Jeannette Kreijkes-van Esch
MA, is a PhD student in the field of Reformed Theology and Patristic Studies at
the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, and at the KU Leuven, Belgium.
She is working on a dissertation about Calvin’s reception of Chrysostom’s
method of exegesis.
Léon van Ommen
Ph.D. (2015), Evangelische Theologische Faculteit (Leuven), is Christ’s College
Teaching Fellow in Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen. His re-
search and teaching centers on liturgy and ritual, suffering and healing, recon-
ciliation, and practical theology.
Reinoud Oosting
Ph.D. (2011), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, is Bible translator at the Nether-
lands Bible Society and research fellow at the Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and