This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016

Critical historical method

Who am I to judge Dr. Bill Cumming's faith and Christianity? So I won't do that. But we can judge the method of biblical analysis to which he clings tenaciously. It is a methodology rooted in liberal Protestantism of the late 1800s called the critical-historical method. As an unbridled ideology of that period, it eventually pushed orthodox Protestants towards biblical fundamentalism and literalism by the 1920s.

Liberal Protestantism tended to deconstruct the Bible, which led to the denial of basic tenets of the historic church even to the point of denying the divinity of Christ in pursuit of the so-called historical Jesus.

When it was shown that this method could have some beneficial aspects, Catholic scholars were allowed to use the critical-historical method of interpretation by Pope Pius XII beginning in 1942. But by the 1960s many Catholic scholars were abandoning its sober approach and making some of the same disastrous mistakes of their liberal Protestant counterparts. This period of church's history is confused to say the least and heterodox Catholic academicians have pushed some Catholics toward fundamentalism as occurred in Protestantism earlier.

Pope Benedict in his book "Jesus of Nazareth" calls us to move beyond mere historical criticism to a more profoundly theological reading of scripture that does not deconstruct the historic faith and morals of the church or emasculate the divinity of Christ, although he acknowledges that a truly historical approach is necessary when used soberly.

However, Pope Benedict rightfully points out the philosophical flaw that is embraced by those like Cummings when it comes to this method of biblical interpretation. Many scholars have divorced the "Jesus of history" from the "Christ of faith." Some have also divorced the church from Christ and in doing so have severed theology and doctrine from reason and reality. Pope Benedict sees the logic of this ideology as disastrous: "Intimate friendship with Jesus, on which everything depends, is in danger of clutching at thin air." This is what Dr. Cummings does and it is truly the most unfortunate aspect of his use of the critical historical method applied to the Bible in an unbridled 1960s way.

— Father Allan J. McDonald

Macon

Guns here to stay

What Hillary and other anti-gun liberals don't seem to understand is that the NRA isn't some corporate entity that acts against the people — it is the people. It's made up of firearm owners and financed by firearm owners. "But what about the gun companies? They give the NRA the majority of its money," the liberals say. Uh, excuse me, where did the gun companies get that money? From gun owners.

Liberals refuse to acknowledge that the NRA is no different than their own pet lobbying organizations. Somehow, liberals don't see their own organizations as evil entities. Their latest objective is to overturn the recent Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the Second Amendment right to own firearms. If Hillary is elected president, she will try to do just that, surely by appointing liberal justices to that court or by taking "executive actions" in defiance of the Second Amendment. A president who defies the Constitution is properly called a dictator.

Owning a firearm is a traditional right older than the founding of our nation, and our Founding Fathers regarded it as so important they addressed it via the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Only religious freedom (First Amendment) was more important to them. But times have not changed enough to say that this tradition is outdated. Today, when you have just seconds to live, the police are minutes away, and that's just the blunt truth. Most police activity is connected with solving crimes that have already occurred, rather than preventing them.

Ultimately, everyone is responsible for their own safety. A firearm in the possession of a legal, responsible, trained owner puts a 100 pound woman on the same level as a 300 pound thug. Ask the grandma in Macon who fought off those thugs, as reported in The Telegraph.

People do not carry firearms because they are afraid. They carry to allow themselves to be unafraid. They cannot be bullied or victimized by someone bigger, stronger and less civilized than they are. Samuel Colt said it best, via an engraving on his famous Colt six-shooter, the Peacemaker: "Be not afraid of any man who walks beneath the skies. Though he be great and you are small, I will equalize"

— Richard Jones

Warner Robins

Unhappy teachers

The Bibb County Board of Education has proven its lack of support for the teachers of this county. The following selected quotes are from an Action Memorandum submitted at the board's Jan. 21 meeting.

The fee to teachers who break their contract is going from $500 to $800 dollars. Why? ".we have experienced a large exodus of our employees going to other districts after they have signed a contract with BCSD." At issue, "One of our goals is to retain our quality teachers. We desire to gain their commitment to the district as early as possible and to hold them to their commitment..."

Yes, anyone who signs a contract should honor that commitment. It is a basic principle of good citizenship and good character. What amazes me, is that the board thinks that raising the breach of contract fee will solve the problem of teachers leaving Bibb County. I was not present for the board's discussion, but I wonder if any other solutions were put out for discussion. Did anyone ask why the teachers are leaving? Did anyone suggest surveying teachers to find out why they are leaving? Did anyone consider asking what could be done to make teachers want to stay in Bibb County? If the exodus is so great, why? As a retired teacher who spent 27 years in the classrooms of Bibb County, I can tell you, the punitive action of raising the breach of contract fee will not deter an unhappy teacher.

— Deann Duke

Juliette

Beyond their powers

"The Kelly File" on Sunday presented a program on the Benghazi affair. Hillary Clinton caught the brunt of the blame. Only one person can call the military stand down that was in effect at the time of the event and the principal cause of the outcome was not mentioned. A secretary of state cannot be held responsible for a military stand down. Only the person in the Oval Office has that authority.

— Gilbert R. Switzer

Warner Robins

Hypocrite

In Sunday's letter to the Telegraph, Michael Myers tries to make a point about politics by insulting anyone who may be supporting Trump (I support a different GOP candidate). He says any Trump voters are "either mentally challenged or just plain stupid," calling Trump and others liars. He then claims the answer to our problems is to elect Hillary Clinton, simply because she's a woman.

This reveals Myers to be a true hypocrite, since Clinton has been shown to be dishonest for many years, and is likely the most dishonest candidate in the 2016 race. Her illegal handling of sensitive information and trying to cover it up is just the latest in a series of dishonest actions. If Myers really believed what he wrote, he would be voting for Bernie Sanders.

— Mike Simpson

Centerville

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 9:43 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016 ."