John Walton explains the interaction between God’s world and God’s Word (0:10), followed by an animated video highlighting why the cultural context of Scripture matters to modern readers (5:10).
Study the culture and context of the Old Testament
To learn more about the ancient Hebrew culture and context of the Old Testament, check out Dr. John Walton’s Mobile Ed courses. These exclusive video lectures offer the unique insights of a prominent Old Testament scholar, exploring the origins of Genesis and Old Testament genres.
Get John Walton’s Mobile Ed courses now.
Visualize Scripture with Bible Screen
To watch more captivating motion graphics Faithlife designers, pick up a copy of Bible Screen, and start filling your home, church, or business with compelling, Bible-centered motion graphics. Bible Screen turns any screen into an uplifting work of art.
October’s free book
This month’s free book is Freedom of the Will (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 1 | WJE).
This inaugural volume in The Works of Jonathan Edwards is his major contribution to theology and stands as a leading document on Calvinist thought. Paul Ramsey’s introduction provides a fresh analysis of Edwards’ theological position, includes a study of his life and the intellectual issues in the America of his time, and examines the problem of free will in the philosophical context of today and in connection with Leibniz, Locke, and Hume.
Plus, you can get two more books by Edwards for less than $8. That’s a savings of over $100 for all three books.
Roderick James Bernitt says
October 11, 2019 at 4:19 amDoes the Old Testament cosmology teach a flat disk earth with a solid dome firmament connected at the *ends of the earth*? I think John Walton holds to this cosmology view of the Old Testament based upon ANE documents. Groups like ICR, AiG, or CMI in Australia (young earth creation science) would disagree.
Charles McClelland says
October 12, 2019 at 2:24 pmThis seems like an odd idea coming from an organization like Wheaton College and Logos. I do not have an advanced theological degree, but his presentation reminded me of Gamaliel in (Acts 5:34). Gamaliel advocated a middle position between punishing the apostles for preaching Jesus, and accepting that Jesus was in fact the messiah. The fact is that if Jesus was not God, then the Jewish leaders should have not only punished but executed the apostles according to the law. If, however, Jesus was in fact God–their messiah, then they should have believed and accepted Him as their Messiah.
Dr Walton’s presentation has the same deceptive approach. True science and accurate Biblical interpretation are never in conflict. That sounds good. However when he says that when science discovers something that conflicts with my understanding of the Bible I should re-examine my conclusions in light of the new accurate science, he has subtly replaced the Bible’s authority for man’s authority.
I believe a better approach is to realize there are two types of “science” that are mixed together when we talk about how the world was created. Science is based upon the ability to test hypothesis by experimentation. Evolutionary “science” cannot be tested. It draws conclusions by examining evidence and then “assuming” facts that cannot be tested. This is not science it is religion.
I cannot prove to you that God inspired the Bible empirically, It is one of the axioms of my faith. The other is that God exists. Once I accept the fact that there is a God, the inability of man to determine how God created the universe is no problem. If we take Dr. Walton’s approach, this week we will relax our belief in God’s creation. Next week we will relax our belief in the virgin birth of Christ, and His bodily resurrection from the dead. At the point our faith is simply another man-made religion.