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Exploring the Bible: A 21st Century Option for Informed Believers

 


Exploring Our Biblical Heritages is a science-based educational approach for reading the Bible. The Biblical Heritage Center, Inc. is not a religious organization, therefore we do not require people to accept, adopt or believe an institutional theology. We do expect those who participate with others in our explorations to agree to follow this guideline:

 

My belief system will be large enough to include all facts,

open enough to be examined and questioned,

and flexible enough to change if errors or new facts are discovered.

 

This guideline creates the open and safe environment required for exploring the biblical text. It also gives all participants permission to examine and question each other’s beliefs and a plan for what happens if errors or new facts are discovered.

 

Beliefs About the Bible

 

All Explorers of Biblical Heritages have beliefs about Bibles, while most Explorers also have beliefs based on the words in their Bible. Unlike Bible studies that take place in religious institutions, our explorations have participants that range from religious people to atheists. Religious people and atheists both have beliefs about Bibles, but they are usually polar-opposite beliefs. Religious people have beliefs about God based on words of their Bibles, while atheists do not.

 

Belief about Bibles range from believing

“the Bible is the inerrant infallible Word of God”

to believing “all Bibles are total fiction.”

 

One fact that all Bible readers agree on is -- “Bibles are books with words.” Another fact is that there are rules that govern how those words are understood and communicated. Without those rules, the communication process would not work. We created linguistic models to guide Explorers as they work with the words in Bibles (or anywhere else).

 

1. Identify the Source (author or speaker).

 

2. Identify the Receptor (reader or hearer).

 

3. Identify the Symbols or Sounds (language).

 

4. Identify the Bundle of Associations attached to the symbols or sounds (Source’s culture, time period, geographical location, personal experiences).

 

5. Identify the Context (the environment in which a word or phrase appears).

 

Developing the Exploring Skills above will transform your understanding of the words of in your Bible. Using these skills, you will see things that you wouldn’t have been able to see before. Below are a couple of examples I discussed in previous Exploring Our Biblical Heritages Educational Emails.

 

1. In the context of Genesis 1:1-2:4a, ELOHIYM (Hebrew word) is the “creator of the heavens and the earth.” ELOHIYM is translated “God,” but ELOHIYM describes a type of entity. In this context the name of the ELOHIYM is not revealed. In other words, god’s name is not “God.”

 

2. In the context of Genesis 2:4b-3:24, YAHWEH ELOHIYM (Hebrew words) is the “planter of the Garden in Eden.” Yahweh is the name of this ELOHIYM. The Hebrew words were translated into English as LORD God (King James Version), Jehovah God (American Standard Version), Jehovah Elohim (Darby’s English Translation), Lord God (Douay Rheims Bible), and Yahweh God (World English Bible). We usually translate it “Yahweh the ELOHIYM” or “Yahweh the god.”

 

3. In the context of Genesis 1:1-2:4a, ADAM (Hebrew word) is “one human male and one human female.” This ADAM is able to function as “a producer of a new human life.” This ADAM is also used to describe the collective we call “mankind.”

 

4. In the context of Genesis 2:4b-3:24, ADAM (Hebrew word) is “one male human.” He is incapable of producing a new human life.

 

Genesis 1:1-10:32 is an ancient Hebrew wisdom text. The Source (author or speaker) used the Hebrew words ELOHIYM and ADAM in two different contexts that resulted in their meanings being changed. Readers must be aware of the Hebrew words to discover the wisdom principles the Source embedded in those contexts.

 

In my opinion, being aware of information like this is not only very important, it is an essential requirement for accurately understanding the words that 2.5 billion people base their beliefs on. What do you think?

 

If You Think Exploring Our Biblical Heritages

Is Important, Please Make a Year-End Donation.

 

We do not include advertisements in our emails or require subscriptions for people to receive our educational emails. We are funded by donations from individuals who consider our science-based approach valuable. Your help is needed and greatly appreciated. Please donate now!

 

Click Here to Donate Online or mail your donation to:

 

Biblical Heritage Center

PO Box 714

Cleburne, TX 76033-0714

 

Shalom and Thank You!

Jim Myers

 

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