Remember the first day of class, when we discussed Matthew 16:13-20? It's baaaaa-ack! And you have had a semester to contemplate its meaning — capped off with a volume on theologies of scripture.
The point of this assignment is for you to do your own reflecting on the significance of what you have learned about God's revelation through the Church's practices, focusing especially upon its biblical practices (which go beyond Scripture as the basis for sermons to include the Bible used in a whole variety of ways in the life of the Church).
First, review your answers to the entrance exam I distributed at the beginning of the semester. This may help jog your memory regarding some of the things you learned this semester.
Then choose two chapters from Holcomb, and show how each treatment of the character and proper use of Scripture does and/or does not help you read Matt 16:13-20 well.
Tips: For each chapter, you will need to do three things as you prepare to answer: (1) understand its proposals for what the Bible is and how it works; (2) interpret your Bible passage in view of that chapter's considerations and according to your own agenda as reader; and (3) evaluate the reading. With our space constraints, I recommend you center your exercise on your interpretation, alluding to the figure's understanding and delivering your evaluation very briefly. You may find that it is neater to handle one figure and then another (in effect, writing two 1.5-page essays), especially if the two figures disagree. However, and especially if they agree, you may find it more efficient to mingle them and offer only one interpretation that draws on both.
Your grade will depend not only on how well you understand and use the materials, but also on how enlightening your results are. (And yes, I do realize that these figures and the members of our class will not agree on what 'reading well' means!)
Please keep your paper 3-4 pages, double-spaced, and follow the directions in my handout for writing papers.
Remember, I want to see proper style, clear writing, a thorough answer to the question, and explicit citations of course materials.