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Theology


Dr James Barr And Fundamentalism

Dr James Barr,  one time Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture (University of Oxford) :
>>”The real and fatal cost of fundamentalist doctrine and ideology, as a
>>system of life. . . is its personal cost: it can be sustained as a
>>viable way of life only at the cost of unchurching and rejecting, as
>>persons, as thinkers or scholars, and as Christians, all those who
>>question the validity of the conservative option.  The presence of the
>>questioner breaks down the unnatural symbiosis of conflicting elements
>>which makes up the total ideology of fundamentalists.  We can thus
>>understand why ‘liberals’ and other non-conservative persons have not
>>only to be disbelieved, discredited and overcome in argument; they have,
>>still more, to be eliminated from the scene altogether.”
>>
>>James Barr, Fundamentalism (London: SCM, 1977, pp. 314-15)

Troy:
>Sounds like a biased fanatic to me.

Graeme I:
> I understand absolutely where they are coming
> from and reject them as false teachers. 

Graeme II:
> ...why should anyone in their right mind study the work of
> religious quacks?  I use all my spare time studying the truth; I have
> not time at all for messing around and wasting time on the enemies of
> truth.

Let me get this straight. The Oriel Professor of the 
Interpretation of Holy Scripture University of Oxford 
is a biased fanatic, false teacher, religious quack and 
enemy of truth. And you guys are.....  Troy and Graeme. 

I’ll bet the senate of the University of Oxford 
feels a little foolish now, knowing the grave mistake 
they have made in appointing James Barr and not you two 
to the post. Shall I tell them, or will you. Perhaps 
you already have?

I can see the correspondence now....

Dear Mr Chancellor,
We are writing to inform you that your professorial 
appointments commission have erred greatly in appointing 
Dr James Barr to the position of Oriel Professor of the 
Interpretation of Holy Scripture.  One only has to look 
at one paragraph of his writing, published as it is by 
the notorious SCM publishing house, to see that the man 
is a biased fanatic, false teacher, religious quack,  
and an enemy of truth. 

We, on the other hand, are not only qualified to make 
this judgement, but also are willing, in all humility, 
to offer ourselves severally or jointly for the 
professorial position Dr Barr will hopefully soon vacate 
as a result of our bringing this matter to your attention.

We would be happy to make ourselves available for 
interview, or to appear as witnesses for the Defence in 
Dr Barr’s heresy trial. Please send business class 
airline tickets to the adresses listed below.

Yours sincerely
G. Hunt
T. Harris



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