Toward clarification of list guidelines
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Thu Oct 17 09:03:57 EDT 2002
While I have no intention of inviting or evoking a discussion of what
B-Greek guidelines ought to be (we certainly are well aware that some
list-members may find them overly restrictive), in view of some recent
exchanges which, though courteous, have overstepped our list's boundaries,
I would like to offer a clarification of what is meant by the following
statement in our FAQ:
"B-Greek is not a forum for general Bible issues, except insofar as they may
bear specifically upon interpretation of a particular Greek text, Neither
is it a forum for general or specific hermeneutical or theological issues."
Questions posed to the list not infrequently imply a concern, whether or
not this is openly stated, to ascertain authoritative Biblical answers
regarding matters that are by no means of merely academic interest to those
who pose the questions. It also happens not infrequently that list-members
are aware that their questions may involve such an "agenda" and that they
write one or more of the moderators off-list regarding the appropriate way
to phrase such a question within the list's parameters of discussion. Our
advice on such occasions is always: keep the question posted to the list
focused upon what the Greek text under consideration may legitimately be
understood to say; that is, don't ask how it relates to NT or Biblical
teaching in general about the issue at the core of the passage, but rather
restrict the response sought to what legitimate possibilities exist on the
basis of the grammatical formulation of the Greek text for understanding
what precisely it says.
We really want to keep discussion focused upon matters of Biblical
Greek grammar or specific Biblical Greek texts and avoid broader discussion
of Biblical or NT general issues where critical hermeneutical
methodological and theological assumptions are involved, whether
consciously or unconsciously. It is precisely in these assumptions that
list-members hold very deep convictions and faith-commitments ranging over
a pretty broad spectrum, and there is always the peril that the formulation
of a question or an answer may gore SOMEBODY's ox. Above all, we want to
avoid "agenda-driven" questions that are posed for the sake of ascertaining
"what the Bible teaches" on a matter of faith or moral or ecclesiastical
practice. Let's just keep the focuss of discussion on what the Greek text
SAYS, and let readers draw their own conclusions about what that may IMPLY.
If any may wish to reply in any way to this, I would urge you to write
OFF-LIST to me or to my Co-chair, Carlton Winbery <Clwinbery at aol.com>.
--
Carl W. Conrad
Co-Chair, B-Greek List
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu OR cwconrad at ioa.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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