[B-Greek] Campbell and Aktionsart

Eddie Mishoe edmishoe at yahoo.com
Sun Apr 5 18:06:41 EDT 2009


My only concern at this stage of the discussion is that we not ascribe the title "scholar" to anyone with a degree and wants to contribute to the discussion of Verbal Aspect, or other Greek-related topics. Campbell, IMHO, has another 20 years to go before we can even think about putting the title 'scholar' before his name. I think it is time we return to the idea that a scholar is one with many, many years of research and original works in the subject at hand. This is not meant to be derogatory at all. But we simply can't allow all contributors to Greek topics to grab the title 'scholar.'  How do we put Rodney Decker in the same category as McKay and Fanning? How does a review my M Aubrey hold any significance at this stage in his academic journey. How does a new kid on the block "refute" Dr. Buth, who was a scholar in the genuine sense of the term before a few mentioned in this discussion were born? 

Carl Conrad has warned us against putting too much emphasis on a degree, as if a PhD qualifies one to be considered a scholar, or the lack of a degree immediately disqualifies someone from interacting at the scholarly level. We are to judge a person by the contents of their argument. I agree, but the term 'scholar' has been cheapened over the years if you ask me. Anyone with a PhD and writes a book is ipso facto given the title 'scholar.' If you ask me, I really think we need to hold off on conferring the title 'scholar' for such as Robertson, Metzger, Bengel, Tischendorf, Porter, Tregelles, Colwell, Aland, Smyth, Conrad, Buth, Nida, Brown, the BDAG guys, Spicq, and -- before I get in trouble for leaving out your favorite scholar -- many, many more. A scholar is not one who can amass a boat-load of data. In fact, I'm basically defining 'scholar' by the list I've just given. If someone fits in their category, they're a scholar.

I just have a hard time reading works by Aubrey, Campbell, Baldwin, Decker, etc. as if all contributors to Verbal Aspect or other Greek discussions hold equal academic weight. I know this is going to be taken the wrong way, and there is nothing I can do to thwart that. But the list of scholars I gave above is intended to show you the class I am referring to when I mean "scholar." There are a lot of qualified professors to write on Greek related topics, but we need to reserve the title 'scholar' for a few. BTW, being a scholar doesn't make his/her view correct; I'm simply acknowledging those whose accomplishments and/or publications are rather known intuitively as original and brilliant, terms you would not generally associate with many of the 'scholars' we cite.

With all the above said, I apologize for those who disagree or who want to argue this point. 

Eddie Mishoe
Pastor




      



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