course material

1. . Give a definition of “canon.”
Topic: Special Topic 3Order Descriptionyou must support your assertions with at least 5
citations in current Turabian format from at least 2 different sources. Each reply must cite
at least 2 different sources. Acceptable sources include textbooks, scholarly
sources/articles, and online sources approved by the instructor.You must respond to 2 of
the following questions separately. Consider these questions with the information in your
textbooks in mind, but feel free to use other sources as needed to aID to the conversation.
acknowledge which question is being answered (e.g., "Question 1"), and restate the question
within your response ..1. Give a definition of “ canon.” Where does the word come from and
what does it mean with relationship to the study of the Bible? Discuss the development of
the New Testament and the criteria of canonicity used by the early church. Why did early
Christians feel a need to establish an authoritative list of Scripture? What element in the
criteria of canonicity is most important in your opinion? Which element is least important
in your opinion? Be sure to give reasons why you chose these particular elements. How
would you respond to a person who claimed that the canon of the Bible should still be
open?2. Define the terms “ formally equivalent” and “ functionally equivalent” with regard
to translation theories. Which one is considered more “ word-for-word” and which is more
“ thought-for-thought” ? What criteria should a person use to choose a Bible translation?
Respond to this quote: “ If they can’ t read Hebrew and Greek, then Christians should use at
least 2 Bibles: one formal and one functional equivalent. That way they can see some of the
nuances in the languages as understood by the translators.” Do you agree or disagree? Be
sure to give reasons. What translation would you recommend for a new believer and why?
What is your favorite translation?3. How important is “ literary context” to understanding
the Bible properly? What are 3 important principles that should guide the practice of
interpretation? Define the following terms: immediate context, book context, and Bible
context. Which one of these is most useful in hermeneutics? Why? If you were given the task
of teaching a class on interpretation, how would you explain the task of understanding the
literary context of a passage? Why would it be important in your opinion? What problems
could arise if one doesn’ t take the literary context into consideration?4. Define the phrase
“ historical-cultural background.” What is the significance of this material in interpreting
the Bible properly? Describe the process of “ contextualization.” How would you explain
contextualization to a new believer that wanted to learn more about the historical-critical
background of the Bible? Why is the “ historical-cultural background” important? What are
some steps useful in retrieving the “ historical-cultural background” of Scripture?5. List the

2. 5 characteristics of words. Which one was new to you? Which one do you think is most
important? Why? Define “ connotative” and “ denotative” meanings. What are the steps for
performing a word study? How important are word studies in understanding Scripture?
Why is it important to do word studies in the original languages instead of in English
alone?Reference: Duvall and Hays, Grasping God’ s Word (2012).Klein et al., Introduction to
Biblical Interpretation (2004) Chapter 4 and 7