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9 votes
Accepted

Are questions about hermeneutical approaches still on topic?

As far as I'm concerned, yes these always have been and still should be on topic. I've been kind of frustrated when I've run across similar things where some of our community can't seem to separate ...
Caleb's user avatar
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9 votes

What should we do with questions about tools used in Biblical scholarship?

In my understanding, Meta is for discussion of Hermeneutics.SE site policy. None of these questions is about the site. They are indeed “meta-” in a way, but they are meta-hermeneutics rather than meta-...
Susan's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

What about questions about historical linguistics when focused on meaning in biblical languages?

It's a reasonable question, but my own sense is that "historical linguistics" ("HL" in what follows) questions are not a good fit for BH.SE. The examples provided would only very tangentially -- if ...
Dɑvïd's user avatar
  • 24.7k
7 votes
Accepted

Is it ok to ask since when a particular teaching/doctrine was known?

Questions about the history of a doctrine in Christianity such as when a particular viewpoint came on the scene or came to prominence are probably better suited to Christianity.SE. Even though the ...
Caleb's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

Criticism of Second Esdras' First Two Chapters

It's On-Topic as far as I'm concerned. In the Site Tour we link to What Texts are Open for Examination?. The community consensus is currently as follows: "You build a site for a group of experts....
Steve can help's user avatar
  • 5,596
7 votes
Accepted

Are history of interpretation questions on-topic?

My own sense is, Yes -- "history of intperpretation" questions are "on-topic" for Hermeneutics.SE. I have some caveats (noted later), but here's my rationale. The BH.SE community is already ...
Dɑvïd's user avatar
  • 24.7k
6 votes

Can we reformulate the "Specific Bible passage" close reason?

I agree the close reason is sometimes miss-used, and would be incorrect applied to that question, but that doesn't mean it's actually an invalid close reason. Questions "about Biblical topics" is ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 5,786
5 votes

Can someone please add a description to the "Biblical Theology" tag?

I suggested this wiki excerpt before, but it was rejected for reasons I don't really understand: Biblical Theology is an approach to theology which emphasises the progressive nature of Biblical ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 2,976
5 votes

Can we reformulate the "Specific Bible passage" close reason?

Questions about hermeneutical approaches are unambiguously allowed by the help center even when not based on biblical passages. Questions that do not arise from a Biblical text are off-topic unless ...
b a's user avatar
  • 3,738
5 votes

Topicality of a Textual Question related to a Group with a Specific Doctrinal Commitment

1. Reason for VtC OP notes the "hold" reason provided by the system. Just to be clear, I did not point to that text with my VtC, but rather invoked the "bespoke" field, filled with this text: I'm ...
Dɑvïd's user avatar
  • 24.7k
5 votes

Topicality of a Textual Question related to a Group with a Specific Doctrinal Commitment

Why can those other questions pass, while this one cannot? With exegesis questions, we draw a distinction between those that arise from a text and those that do not, with the latter being off-topic. ...
Jack Douglas's user avatar
  • 12.3k
5 votes

Close Reason : Appeals to Modernistic Doctrine

I don't see any need for this. First of all, "appeals to doctrine" is a more common problem for answers than it is for questions. Close reasons apply to questions, they are not for handling answers. ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 5,786
5 votes

This looks like a well-masked theological question

Well, there are two principles to remember: Questions are considered on their own merits. A good answer can't make an off-topic question into an on-topic question. If someone thinks the question is ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 2,976
5 votes

This looks like a well-masked theological question

Do both texts describe the same event ? . . . is an hermeneutic enquiry. I do not see how it can be anything else, nor has anyone (yet) attempted to show that it is not. There are two possible ...
Nigel J's user avatar
  • 29.5k
4 votes

Is this question about bias off-topic?

At first bluff I didn't see any reason at all for this to be "off topic". Having reviewed Mark's reasoning I have to admit there is some sound logic there. However I think still have to defend my ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 5,786
4 votes

How is my question about a hermeneutical approach off-topic?

I cannot answer for those that voted to close it, since I was not one. Some things I see that probably need correcting: I agree with you, the question retitling was poorly done by Ruminator, as the ...
ScottS's user avatar
  • 20k
4 votes

Is Interpretation of Prophecy on Topic?

These questions are typically an even worse match for Christianity.SE than they are here. At least here the stand a fighting chance of getting answers that approach them in context. And we already ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 5,786
4 votes

This looks like a well-masked theological question

This question was a journey for me, as no matter what it's definitely close to the boundaries of scope for the site. It doesn't get much more 'meta' than this, when we're debating the authorial intent ...
Steve can help's user avatar
  • 5,596
3 votes
Accepted

May I ask a question, about Euclid's use of Greek prepositions, on the main site?

No, but the Latin site does take questions on Ancient Greek: "We also allow questions about Greek up to the end of classical antiquity, including New Testament Greek. Similarly, questions about ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 2,976
3 votes

I wasn't able to find in the on-topic page what exactly this site is about in terms of what are the rules in answering questions

thanks for this question, it's a great observation that does express a challenge many new users find when getting acquainted with the site. Essentially, the key you're looking for is wrapped in the ...
Steve can help's user avatar
  • 5,596
3 votes
Accepted

Two questions using [tools-of-biblical-studies] being voted to be closed

The way I see it is that questions about the tools used to study the text are ontopic under tools-of-biblical-studies. Traditionally that would include things like concordances and critical texts. ...
Jon 'links in bio' Ericson's user avatar
3 votes

Why was my question about Source Criticism and the Doctrine of Atonement deleted?

Thanks for asking here. There ought to be a way to fix this up for one site or the other, but you might have to narrow the question down to the bit that is on topic for the respective site(s). In any ...
Caleb's user avatar
  • 5,786
3 votes

This looks like a well-masked theological question

While it is true that epistles often, and even primarily, expound ideas or the practical application of ideas it is not universally binding that this be so. For instance, in Galatians 1:17 Paul ...
Mike Borden's user avatar
  • 3,988
3 votes

This looks like a well-masked theological question

Just in case I am accused of doing the very thing I object to (abuse of the comments boxes), I have formed my comments into an answer. The question itself is legitimate and there should be freedom for ...
Anne's user avatar
  • 21.2k
3 votes

What precisely is "Biblical Hermeneutics?"

The subject of this site is the discipline of Biblical Studies. This is broader than just pure hermeneutics (often equated with exegesis, though sometimes subtly distinguished from it), and includes, ...
curiousdannii's user avatar
  • 2,976
2 votes

Topicality of a Textual Question related to a Group with a Specific Doctrinal Commitment

The reason for my close vote is that I view this question as moving beyond the scope of hermeneutics and source/text criticism. This question is not asking about a framework a scholar uses for ...
James Shewey's user avatar
  • 7,652
2 votes

Topicality of a Textual Question related to a Group with a Specific Doctrinal Commitment

To me, the other questions you mention inquire about an exegetical method that is influenced to varying degrees by doctrine. Although they involve doctrine, the endpoint is a method of interpreting ...
Susan's user avatar
  • 26.2k
2 votes
Accepted

Why should one participate in the Biblical Hermeneutics site (is it a viable site)?

Since I've been rather active on this site for a while now, I thought I should answer my own questions, based on my own perspective (which is not to disparage the answers given, since they originally ...
ScottS's user avatar
  • 20k
2 votes

Close reason "site scope" vs "texts open for examination" (meta)

As I check this question, it appears to be open and not on hold. This question seems to be asking about the interpretation of Genesis 4:25, but then also asks about a pseudepigraphal text. It is ...
James Shewey's user avatar
  • 7,652

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