Reference works assist Professional Theologists in the discovery and understanding of the biblical worldview of varied peoples. They provide support for first order primary texts and secondary sources and allow interpreters to understand nuances of culture that may be easily overlooked. Dr. Heiser speaks of the importance of using specialized, focused dictionaries and encyclopedias that are specific to the different cultures and civilizations in the OT world, Hellenistic world, and the Second Temple period of Judaism [1].
Professional Theologists must narrow their investigation of worldviews to a pointed focus if they are to capture the fullness of God’s revelations. Broad tools such as secular encyclopedias will offer scant help for these discoveries. Good reference tools, provided by LOGOS leads interpreters to exact places that encourages discovery of deep, credible, and new approaches rather than “fill-in-the-blank” commonly known paths.
It is probable that Professional Theologists could not have been developed until today, when access to so much reference material is at hand with Software programs such as LOGOS. Up until this time in the Information Era, preachers searched the Bible and represented doctrine that was assigned by their ordination leaders. Scholars read obscure books and papers and formed opinions on these then published their ideas in places that in past times were referenced by only other scholars. The world of the preacher and the scholar seldom met; those in church vs. those with educational commitments were two different worlds that never seemed to come close to each other.
Professional Theology takes these two worlds and melds them into compatible roles. Theologists highly trained to bring God’s full truth of both the church and the ivory towers to the masses, the people with the questions, comes in modern time as direct results of accessible resources and references. References allow inquiries into biblical text by associating the times, places, and views of the biblical characters. References develop intellectual content, and give path to new discoveries. It is often said that those students seeking higher education in Seminaries must become master of a minute piece of knowledge because all subjects of study and inquiry have already been covered. But, those Professional Theologists that are highly trained to consider both sides of religion and with access to the highly referenced indexes of books and papers contained within LOGOS are not as limited to minimal focus. More Truth of God is still discoverable from Scriptures because of computers and the LOGOS software that develops new ideas and understandings.
But no computer can make the journey necessary to discover new Truths of God on its own. It takes a well-educated scholar dedicated to the finding of Truth through the use of all the tools available in modern-day times. Dr. Heiser breaks down a simple task of seeking deeper and deeper information through the skilled use of LOGOS. Throughout Becker Professional Theology Academy classes, instruction into the LOGOS software is developed, which gives our students tools that will last them a lifetime in their profession assigned them by the Lord. The use of LOGOS for reference material that can go from the common to the sublime biblical worldview melds perfectly with God’s Word and prepares Professional Theologists to lead religious discovery through reference sorting and information analyzing with perfect application to Scripture.
Bibliography
Heiser, Michael S. BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources: LOGOS Bible Software.
Links
About the Author
Kathy L. McFarland is President and Founder of Becker Bible Ministries, Inc. and the Becker Professional Theology Academy. She is also a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, is on track for the Master of Divinity (Professional Ministries Track) degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary & Graduate School in 2016 and will be seeking a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Theology and Apologetics beginning in the fall of 2016. She is the originator of the newest theological movement to encourage Christian leaders to minister within the modern-day marketplace as Professional Theologists. She is also the Curriculum Developer for Becker Professional Theology Academy and a teaching faculty member. Kathy's favorite studies to teach include the connections between Old Testament exegesis, Christian Apologetics, and Bible typology and mysteries.
©2014-2015 Kathy L. McFarland. All Rights Reserved.