DATE: Saturday, November 22, 1997           TAG: 9711210101

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E3   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: Issues of Faith 

SOURCE: Betsy Wright 

                                            LENGTH:   74 lines

READERS OFFER THEIR PRAISE, AND CRITICISM, OF SERIES

For the next two weeks, we will print reader responses to Betsy Wright's seven-part series, ``Understanding the Bible.''

From Joseph Kuehling of Chesapeake: ``Your series on the Bible gives out much information that most people are completely unaware of. I recall a class where I mentioned the two versions of creation in Genesis, and the students were taken aback. They insisted I show them, which I did, using King James Version, Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem and the Revised King James. None of them had `seen' this text. If one then brings in Kabbalah, in interpreting the text, there is a whole different meaning which puts a whole new slant on ideas. ...

``There are also those people who have no conception of the time span involved in the Bible, nor the influences of other spiritual paths. One example: those Buddhist `sounding' texts (of the Bible), which appear after 300 B.C., after the Greeks brought Buddhist teachers to Egypt.''

From Hildegard Zeitlin of Virginia Beach: ``My husband, Sid, and I want to say we are proud of your seven-part series on the Bible. You did a very scholarly - but understandable to the lay person - report. We certainly agree with your second view, since we are Reform Jews. That is the non-orthodox viewpoint that believers cannot ignore the important discoveries of the last 250 years. Again, we are very proud of you and are thankful you are in Hampton Roads.''

From Dr. Craig S. Wansink, coordinator, department of religious studies, Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk: ``In your article on Oct. 18, you noted that `It was very common in ancient times ... for writers to attribute their works to their more famous teacher or religious leader' and that this `wasn't seen as deceptive.' ...

`` ... To claim that `artistic pseudonymity' per se was not seen as at least potentially deceptive is inaccurate. Neither authors themselves nor readers seemed to appreciate false attribution. ... Issues surrounding pseudepigraphy (and pseudonymity) are complex. Ultimately, perhaps the most important question has to do with whether the intended audience of a work actually cared who wrote the work. It is not anachronistic, and it is not surprising, to recognize that the audiences frequently did care. ...

``Thanks for taking on such complex issues, with such very little space. dismissed immediately, and I'm not sure that either option is fruitful. Keep up the exciting work!''

From Donald E. Karnes, B.A., M.Div., assistant pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Norfolk: `` ... The Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God, not only containing the words of God. When we present Scripture as a book that is partly of God and partly of some biased ancient writers speaking their own views, then how are we to know what God's standard is?

``This would then bring into the mix of biblical standard the problem of selective obedience. One commandment in Scripture that you think is of God might not be what another thinks is of God. Then the determining factor of right and wrong moves from the biblical standard to the humanistic standard of whatever one thinks is valid for himself is righteous in his own eyes (Deuteronomy 12:8).

``When one brings into question any of God's infallible standard, then we bring into question all of God's standard. If the first verse may not be valid, then the last verse may not be valid. If the first commandment is up for personal interpretation, then the last commandment will be up for personal opinion.

``The standard then moves to man, and whatever he deems is righteous for himself - from questions on the sanctity of life, morality, adultery, stealing and killing - is then ... valid for himself.''

From Pat Stultz of Norfolk: ``Like a lot of your readers, I knew of the different interpretations and word-of-mouth stories handed down and so forth, but i didn't know a lot of these facts. I didn't have the educational opportunities to learn exactly how the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament evolved. ... Thank you especially for the hours and hours and hours you spent in research compiling these informative columns. This series is truly educational and should promote a deeper understanding of the Bible for all of your readers. ... ''

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