The Uses of Scripture in Recent Theology

by David H. Kelsey

The author examines the different concepts of "scripture" and "authority" that were used by prominent theologians in the formation of modern religious precepts.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

David H. Kelsey is the Luther A. Weigle Professor Emeritus of Theology at Yale Divinity School. Kelsey graduated from Yale with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1958 and with a Ph.D. in 1964. He was on the faculty at YDS from 1965 to 2005, during which time he published several books including Imagining Redemption (Westminster John Knox Press, 2005), Between Athens and Berlin: The Theological Education Debate (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), and To Understand God Truly: What’s Theological about Theological Education? (Westminster John Knox Press, 1992). Most recently he has published the two-volume title, Eccentric Existence: A Theological Anthropology, (Westminster John Knox Press, 2009). In 2011 he gave the Warfield Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary, entitled “Glory, Kingdom, and Power: Stammering about God.” In 2012 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in theology from the University of Tubingen in Germany, a great honor for an international scholar.

Reviews

[Ben Fredrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an immensely helpful, though dense, book. The author, writing in the 1970s, explores 7 different ways of using Scripture to do theology. That may sound bland, but the results are really helpful and produce a kind of typology of how Christians in the 1990s viewed and used Scripture. I think this is important because it provides better understanding of how our fellow Christians can arrive at such different conclusions about Scripture at times--some seeming to overemphasize certain elements (like concepts) whereas others may focus on impressions from the Scripture, and still others take the Scripture to be the Word of God itself. To those on the inside of one of those (and other) perspectives, the others seem to be in error and it can be difficult to imagine how they can rightly call themselves Christians. But they all regard the Bible as Scripture, as authoritative for their lives and for the Church. They all seek to be shaped by it and to have the Church formed and re-formed by it. I find myself agreeing with most of the 'streams' that Kelsey presents, and I suspect some streams will dry up over time as their inherent weaknesses or inadequacies do not stand the test of time. I would be interested in an updated approach, or survey, that takes Kelsey's objective, fair approach for today.

This also showed me how I have been shaped (and am being shaped still) by the variety of approaches theologians use when using Scripture as authority. It is not clear to me which of their views are necessarily mutually exclusive, for example. At a minimum, though, it is helpful for me to have more understanding of the lenses through which others are viewing and using the Scripture in their lives.

[Kendall Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good and helpful points. Not always the most clear.

[Justin Hagerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book David Kelsey studies various proposals by theologians such as K. Barth, B. Warfield, and P. Tillich in order to evaluate how these authors use Scripture for theological proposals. There is particular attention given to an aspect of Barth's argumentation that involves arguing with a specific use of Scripture, consisting in the function of Scripture within the common life of the Church. This aspect in Barth's 'theological methodology' works to shape what is meant by Kelsey for the use of Scripture when he himself develops his theological proposals. Moreover, this book serves as good background for understanding Kelsey's later publications after 1975. J. Thiel, for instance, in his own work has pointed out how Kelsey has been interested in theological method for much of his time as a scholar, and this work demonstrates this early (and lasting) scholarly focus. This aspect in Kelsey's work is evident even later, in his Eccentric Existence, a theological anthropology where Kelsey uses the exegesis of Scripture to help him construct his arguments about what he calls 'an embodied creation'. Several other authors, such as S. Wells and J. Wood, have noted how in Kelsey's work theological method shapes his theological (and anthropological) proposals, and this aspect of praise also fits the overall focus in this book, further showing how Kelsey's aims as a scholar have continually overlapped with his aims at contributing towards theological methodology.

[Kirk Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get the impression I am less enamored with this book than others I know.

First -- No doubt, Kelsey excellently and insightfully frames the discussion of what it means to "be Biblical," and "use scripture to authorize theological proposals," etc. His posing questions and identification of the issues involved in this task of moving from scripture to theology are fantastic. However, I am less impressed and satisfied with his assessment of how one might go about answering those questions or navigating those issues. I would recommend John Frame's critical review (http://www.frame-poythress.org/review...). Frame summarizes my thoughts well: "Kelsey has written something which deserves to be criticized at this length. He has elevated discussion of these matters to a new height of sophistication. His insights are indispensable, his mistakes eminently worth thinking about."

Second -- For a book that seeks to bring clarity to the discussion--and it certainly does much of that!--I think the book ironically suffers from being somewhat unclear and vague at points.

In short, I have rather mixed feelings about this book. That is why I gave it 2 stars--"it was ok." I certainly benefitted from reading it. And it has definitely launched me on a new adventure of thinking through these issues.

[Kessia Reyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has fundamentally changed the way I hear theology. This best contribution made by Kelsey in this volume is not the answers he provides as much as the questions: what does it mean to call this doctrine or that doctrine "biblical"? How exactly are theologians using Scripture to authorize their claims?

If you don't mind reading the dense argumentation of a heavy-hitting Yale scholar, or even if you do but you're in any field of academic theology, then I highly recommend this book to you.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was helpful in content, but the author's writing was at times repetitive and difficult to read. It definitely left me with a desire to further understand the way I use Scripture when doing theology as well as explore other ways to use the patterns that are laid out in Scripture to do theology. Overall a good book, but just a bit tedious to read a points.