Always game for some perspective, I decided to take the CT Hermeneutics quiz. Jason Clark, Maggi Dawn, were the only bloggers I spotted being brave enough to post their score but there is lots of comments around the blogosphere and specifically on the out of ur (CT) blog.
It was created by Scot McKinght over at Jesus Creed.
‘Ever wonder how two people can look at the same passage of the Bible
and come away with such different applications? The ways we interpret
the Bible, and what enters into our process of applying the Bible, are
important for us to be aware of. Without this self-awareness, we can
have blind spots in our Bible reading and not even know it.’
I got 59% which I think is on the conservative side of moderate.
"The moderate hermeneutic might be seen as the voice of reason and open-mindedness. Moderates generally score between 53 to 65. Many are conservative on some issues and progressive on others. It intrigues that conservatives tend to be progressive on the same issues, while progressives tend to be conservative on the same issues. Nonetheless, moderates have a flexible hermeneutic that gives them the freedom to pick and choose on which issues they will be progressive or conservative. For that reason, moderates are more open to the charge of inconsistency. What impresses me most about moderates are the struggles they endure to render judgments on hermeneutical issues."
I can certainly see that what is perceived within this test as the inconsistency of hermeneutics are in fact that a lot of my theologizing is ‘unfinished’, and I have not firmly landed on some of the issues that are used as a litmus test.
At some points the quiz seems to turn to satire in it’s responses to some of the questions. Interestingly a conservative friend who I got to take the quiz noticed the trend of 1’s being the most conservative answer and just kept answering 1 when he didn’t know what to say!
4 responses so far ↓
1 sam clark // Mar 3, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I took the quiz. I scored a 61. I too am in an “unfinished” position on some of the theology. I guess I’ll see you somewhere, 2 points separation means we’ll probably spend eternity in the same place, right?
2 Liam // Mar 4, 2008 at 10:31 am
Sam, Glad to hear from another unfinished Christian! And Im sure we will spend eternity in the same place, I enjoyed your comment, Thanks hope to hear from you again.
Liam
3 Laura Anne // Mar 6, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I took the quiz too. I scored 50. I’ve always been labelled as ‘progressive’ but I came out conservative. I too think some of my theology was unfinished, and to be honest on a few of the questions, none of the answers really applied.
I found some of the ‘5’s a lil bit concerning actually, and was surprised when so many people came out saying they’d scored so highly.
Something to think about, but I’m not going to worry about it too much. I guess the main thing is that we are ‘united in thought and purpose’ when it comes to the aspects of our faith that are the foundations - i.e. Jesus died to save us etc!
Glad I noticed this post today - I’m slightly relieved to see that you guys have both scored closer to my ‘conservative’ score!!!
4 Liam // Mar 7, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Laura,
Sometimes I think the most progressive thinkers within the methodology of ‘doing church’ can be the more conservative (in the best sense) theologically.
I found the 5’s almost cartoonish in their liberalism, but I think much of the responses would have been on the basis of how different people interpret words used in the answers.
Other than all of that, I am glad to have hermenutic neighbours reading my blog.
Thanks for leaving your thoughts,
Liam
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