

Rule #3: Claims should be supported through citation of appropriate academic sources. Theological discussions/debates (excepting historical detailing) will be removed, along with pro/anti religious posts. Issues of divine causation are left to the distinct discipline of theology.

This is an acknowledged methodological limitation, not a philosophical affirmation. This approach is called “methodological naturalism” and it restricts history claims and the historical method to be limited to human and natural causation. See rule 2 for more details Rule #2: Contributions should not invoke theological beliefs.Ĭlaims involving the supernatural are off-topic for this sub. Modern or contemporary events and movements are not discussed here, nor are questions about personal application.įaith-related and theological questions (“Is God real?”, “Will God punish those in hell forever?”) are also out of the scope of this subreddit. This sub focuses on questions of Biblical interpretation and history (“What did the ancient Canaanites believe about the gods?”, “How does the concept of Hell develop throughout the Bible?”, etc). Rules Rule #1: Submissions, questions, and comments should remain within the confines of academic Biblical studies. Want to know more about the readership of this subreddit? Check out our 2020 Community Survey Report. This subreddit is for everyone, regardless of theological tradition. Published literature has undergone peer review in line with standard academic practices. We study the Bible as a compilation of literature worthy of study like any other ancient text, and as an artifact of the cultures and contexts that produced the Jewish and Christian religions.Īcademic Biblical Studies is a field just like any other in the humanities, with practitioners from many different backgrounds, both religious and non-religious. Relevant topics include general exegetical issues, ancient languages and translation, the study of the historical Jesus, textual criticism, reception history of early Jewish/Christian literature, etc. This is a subreddit mainly for discussion of early Judaism and Christianity - with a focus on Biblical texts, and other related literature ( 1 Enoch, the Dead Sea Scrolls, etc.) - in a scholarly context.
