Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Seeing that biblical criticism has given us a new and better understanding of the Old Testament, we shall be eager to learn what it has to say about the New Testament. Nor is its word less clear and strong, less instructive and quickening in the latter than in the former. The pages of both sets […]

In a similar way we must revise the traditional opinion of many of the other Old Testament books. Limits of space forbid a treatment of all these, and, indeed, allow only the briefest remarks concerning a few of them. The reader who cares to pursue his inquiries further may obtain instruction from some of the […]

Naturally we begin with the Pentateuch, popularly known as the “five books of Moses”—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Jews called them, collectively, the Torah, or, as we should say, the Law ; but the term Pentateuch, meaning “five-fold book,” has prevailed largely since the Septuagint translation (into Greek) was made, about the second […]

Granting the legitimacy and importance of biblical criticism as a large and fruitful branch of modern learning, we are prepared to ascertain the principal results which it has already produced. While its work is by no means finished, and we should therefore be duly cautious about accepting every dictum pronounced in its name, it has […]

At least a primary knowledge of the nature and service of biblical criticism is indispensable to a proper understanding of the better conception of Scripture of which we are in pursuit. Therefore, before we can go forward into the larger thought, the deeper faith, and the more vital spirituality which wait to reward our study, […]

There are three principal spheres for the influence of the Bible—the individual, the social, and the universal. At least it may promote clear thought to distinguish such spheres, although of course they overlap one another and are interdependent. The primary and chief service which the Scriptures render is always a personal one, consisting in the […]

The new appreciation of the. Bible which has been portrayed in the preceding chapters may fitly culminate in a fresh estimate of this great literature as a means of personal culture. How is it related to life in its broadest and best development? Is it archaic, anachronistic, out of touch with the real interests of […]

In treating of the Bible in the home we are dealing with another phase of the great problem of moral and religious education. We have seen that, on account of its surpassing spiritual merits, the Bible is to be used in the Sunday school as the chief instrument of spiritual culture, especially when wielded by […]

The previous chapter presented some of the main facts in the story of the way in which we came by our English Bible. We have now to look at the estimation in which it has been held since about the time of the making of the Authorized Version, 161I A. D. It will be necessary […]

Has the Bible a legitimate place in the public school? This question, with its implications, is receiving increasing attention in our country at present. The issues raised by it have been much debated in recent years by able partisans, and judicial students have been seeking some ample common ground on which conflicting claims might be […]