Description
Book SynopsisJohn C. Poirier examines the theopneustic nature of the Scripture, as a response to the view that inspiration lies at the heart of most contemporary Christian theology. In contrast to the traditional rendering of the Greek word
theopneustos as God-inspired in 2 Tim 3:16, Poirier argues that a close look at first- and second-century uses of
theopneustos reveals that the traditional inspirationist understanding of the term did not arise until the time of Origen in the early third century CE, and that in every pre-Origen use of
theopneustos the word instead means life-giving.Poirier thus conducts a detailed investigation of
theopneustos as it appears in the fifth
Sibylline Oracle, the
Testament of Abraham, Vettius Valens, Pseudo-Plutarch (
Placita Philosophorum), and Pseudo-Phocylides, all of whom understand the word to mean life-giving. He also studies the use of the cognate term
theopnous in Numenius, the
Corpus Hermeticum, o
Table of ContentsList of Tables Preface Abbreviations Chapter 1—Is “All Scripture … Inspired”? The Meaning of Theopneustia in 2 Timothy 3:16 Chapter 2—Pre-Origen Uses of Theopneustia Chapter 3—Pre-Origen Uses of Theopneustia Chapter 4—Excursus: Theopneustia in the Physiologus and the Cyranides Chapter 5—Inspirationism and the New Testament Chapter 6— The Screw Turns: Theopneustia in Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, the De Universo (of Hippolytus?), and Origen Chapter 7— Post-Origenist Traces of a Vivificationist Understanding of Qeo&pneustoj in Nonnus of Panopolis Chapter 8— In Lieu of a Conclusion: Inspirationism’s Waning as a Blessing in Disguise—The Truth of the Gospel versus the “Truth” of the Scriptures in Evangelical and Postliberal Hermeneutics
Bibliography Index
