Thank you Seamus. You write beautifully. I wonder : it may be true that all greed begets anxiety but it is perhaps too far to say that all anxiety comes from greed. I wonder what you would say on that ? Also I wonder about the wider methodological relationship between exegesis and claims about mental health experiences. Exegesis is a bewitching craft.
Well, on this point I would say that it's not the case that all anxiety comes from greed. I think that's overly simplistic and is more likely to mislead than to help people. The relationship of exegesis, theology, and mental health is a complex one - the next book review taps into that, as did the earlier book review I've done on specifically anxiety (https://jeltzz.substack.com/p/book-review-when-the-noise-wont-stop).
By ‘bewitching’ I’m being tongue in cheek. I LOVE exegesis of scripture. I just mean it can maybe create the sense of connection and authority between ideas in a way that’s actually distinct from the authority of the Word per se. Like the methodology attains its own kind of de facto authority. I know you don’t intend to conflate the two. Would love to know your thoughts. 😀
I think this is a very real danger. You can say lots of things and kind of connect them to Scripture in a way that makes them sound like they are exegesis and they pick up authority and they aren't things that actually come from the text. This danger never goes away, and I would say that it requires both humility and caution. It's way careful and attentive and responsible exegesis is so important, and a due reverence to not wield Scripture as an authority basis for our own thoughts. But there's no easy way to guarantee that one gets this right all the time. Hence the need for humility and caution.
Thank you Seamus. You write beautifully. I wonder : it may be true that all greed begets anxiety but it is perhaps too far to say that all anxiety comes from greed. I wonder what you would say on that ? Also I wonder about the wider methodological relationship between exegesis and claims about mental health experiences. Exegesis is a bewitching craft.
Well, on this point I would say that it's not the case that all anxiety comes from greed. I think that's overly simplistic and is more likely to mislead than to help people. The relationship of exegesis, theology, and mental health is a complex one - the next book review taps into that, as did the earlier book review I've done on specifically anxiety (https://jeltzz.substack.com/p/book-review-when-the-noise-wont-stop).
By ‘bewitching’ I’m being tongue in cheek. I LOVE exegesis of scripture. I just mean it can maybe create the sense of connection and authority between ideas in a way that’s actually distinct from the authority of the Word per se. Like the methodology attains its own kind of de facto authority. I know you don’t intend to conflate the two. Would love to know your thoughts. 😀
I think this is a very real danger. You can say lots of things and kind of connect them to Scripture in a way that makes them sound like they are exegesis and they pick up authority and they aren't things that actually come from the text. This danger never goes away, and I would say that it requires both humility and caution. It's way careful and attentive and responsible exegesis is so important, and a due reverence to not wield Scripture as an authority basis for our own thoughts. But there's no easy way to guarantee that one gets this right all the time. Hence the need for humility and caution.