Een spade dieper. Over de worsteling om de Schrift recht te doen

Samenvatting

In the preceding article, prof. Houtman criticizes the December 2014 issue of Theologia Reformata on the theme ‘the God of the Old Testament’ for failing to sufficiently take into account the vulnerability of the Old Testament image of God, because it overestimates the Bible as the Word of God. This essay responds to the critique of prof. Houtman by advocating the value and significance of the reformed doctrine of Scripture. While thoroughly acknowledging historical processes of reinterpretation and actualization both within the Scriptures and in the reception history of the Bible, the difference between inspiration and illumination is of enduring significance. It is argued that the polyphonic testimony of the Bible does not invalidate the conviction that there is an intrinsic unity in the Scripture. Reading Scripture adequately requires an interpretive attitude which does not ignore inconvenient or offensive passages, and an attempt to do justice to the entirety of the Old Testament testimony about God.