John Mark Hicks

Days 9-10 in Around the Bible in Eighty Days Texts: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7. The reading of Genesis 2-3 is widely disputed, and it is difficult to discern what the best reading is. Is this description of cosmic and human origins literal history (as if we were watching a video), a theological saga, a mytho-historical worldview, […]

For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. If the reasons Paul gives for 1 Timothy 2:11-12 are difficult to understand and subject to […]

“…Galilee of the Gentiles–the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:15d-16). “…Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17) “Galilee of the Gentiles”? Is that not part of the land of promise? Indeed. […]

“The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:7-8). “[Yahweh] brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 26:9). When the […]

“God saw all that he had made and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31a). “….Cursed are you above all the livestock….Cursed is the ground…” (Genesis 3:14a, 17b). God created order, life and light out of a chaotic, inanimate and dark earth.  By divine act, life emerged from nothingness, light appeared in the darkness, and order […]

In the first half of 2004, the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ (Family of God) in Nashville, TN, pursued a congregational-wide study entitled “Women Serving God.” There were some preliminaries in the Fall of 2003, but the main focus was the Spring of 2004. This involved many different venues–sermons, Bible classes (Sunday and Wednesday), small groups, […]

Eventually I will move beyond this philosophical and epistemological level to reading the Biblical text and thinking theologically as part of the Stone-Campbell tradition, but it is important to lay some foundations as these considerations will impact what is said down the line.  So, bear with me for another post or two. We are hermeneutical […]

In my previous post I noted that the human condition circumscribes the hermeneutical task in at least two ways: (1) our finitude–we are limited, situated and always in process, and (2) our fallenness–we are narcissistic, egocentric interpreters. Consequently, the hermeneutical process must be soaked in humility and prayer (seeking transformation). Drawing once again on Smith’s analysis […]

Over the next several posts, I will explore some dimensions of theological hermeneutics. I’m not sure where I will go with this or have sufficient time to devote to it, but I would like to lay some foundations as well as process some theological-biblical methodology. I begin with some insights from Christian postmodern philosophy/theology (see my previous post on […]