Die tydgerigtheid van die Bybel en die etiek van Bybellees: respons op die artikel van Gerrie Snyman

Abstract

The time-orientedness of the Bible, and reading the Bible ethically: response to the article by Gerrie Snyman
The Editorial Board of “In die Skriflig” has requested Prof. Fika J. van Rensburg to respond to the article by Prof. Gerrie Snyman (“Homosexuality and time-orientedness: an ethic of reading the Bible?”; p. 715-744 in this edition). Prof. Snyman is critical of the discourse on homosexuality in the Reformed Churches in South Africa, as i.a. verbalised by Prof. Van Rensburg’s view that the pronouncement of the Biblical text on homosexuality is a matter of principle and not a cultural prescription bounded by time. Snyman (2006:718) is of the opinion that the criteria Van Rensburg uses to establish whether Scripture portions are time orientated and/or time bound, have no logic to it, but that it reveals clear ideological preferences. In his response Prof. Van Rensburg does not respond to Snyman’s argument point by point, but gives a systematic presentation of how he would like to see Reformed theologians establish whether a Scripture portion is time- oriented or time-bound. This he does methodologically and theoretically, as well as practically, at each point indicating how he agrees with or differs from Snyman.