The BioLogos Forum: Pete Enns
Pete Enns is a former Senior Fellow of Biblical Studies for The BioLogos Foundation and author of several books and commentaries, including the popular Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament, which looks at three questions raised by biblical scholars that seem to threaten traditional views of Scripture.
Series by Enns
Evolution and our Theological Traditions: Calvinism (15 Parts)
In this exhaustive series, Pete Enns begins with this question concerning the science and faith discussion among the Evangelical community: “How do our various theological traditions contribute to or hinder the dialogue between evolution and our Christian faith?” It all stems from the specific way in which one interprets Scripture. Though all traditions have an important voice in the matter, Enns specifically looks at that of Calvinism’s due to its wide impact on Evangelical thought. He explains John Calvin’s unique approach to interpreting Scripture and then demonstrates its impact on the conversation between Christianity and science. Furthermore, he looks at how Old Princeton thought has influenced Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism. He also explores ways in which these interpretative methods have been applied. He then highlights the hermeneutical strategies of the theologian B.B. Warfield, who took seriously the incarnation and thus the “human side” to Scriptures. In light of these strategies and interpretational tools provided by Calvinistic thought, he views the creation stories of Genesis in their historical, ancient Near Eastern context. Evolution and Our Theological Traditions: Wesleyanism (6 Parts)
In this six part series, Pete Enns recognizes the potential of the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” to contribute to the science and faith dialogue. This tool highlights the four ways by which knowledge of God can be obtained: Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience. Enns walks through the sections, defining the capacities of each to influence one’s theology. When used in its fullness, he suggests that this interpretative system will progress the discussion between science and Christianity greatly. Paul’s Adam (4 Parts)
In this four part series, Pete Enns delves into Paul’s views, backgrounds, and culture to understand his views of Adam and the Old Testament scriptures. Though many would like to hold a strict, literal interpretation of the Genesis writings and Paul’s letters, Enns brings to light the various problems that inevitably arise from this view. To obtain a richer perspective on this dilemma, he takes a look at nine different pieces of the puzzle including the consequences of the Fall, the appearance of Adam in the Old Testament, Adam theology in the Old Testament, the parallels between Christ and Adam in Romans, the limitations of Paul’s time period, and the interpretative methods used by Jewish rabbis at the time. Israel’s Two Creation Stories (3 Parts)
This three segment series by Pete Enns highlights the discrepancies that exist between the creation stories of Genesis 1 and 2. According to his analysis, they have different time scales, views of God’s creative role, and order of events. Additionally, the two accounts bear similarities to other Ancient Near Eastern creation narratives, giving a good reason to think twice before reading these chapters as literal descriptions. Gilgamesh, Atrahasis and the Flood (3 Parts)
Pete Enns examines the Genesis flood story in light of the ancient Mesopotamian flood accounts in this short series. He highlights certain elements—the Noah figure, the animals, the large boat and a devastating flood—which they share in common. Then, Enns focuses on theological statements made by the Genesis text that differ greatly from the other two narratives. He also reminds believers that a theological statement made in the Bible is not necessarily dependent on its historicity. What Does “Image of God” Mean? (4 Parts)
In this series, Pete Enns discusses what it means to be made in God’s image according to Genesis 1:26-27. These verses show that humans are made in God’s image in order to rule over all creation as representatives of God. He argues that humanity’s image is not wrapped up in their soul, but in their role as caretakers. In this discussion, he mentions that God commands Israel to make no graven images to represent God because humans are living images themselves. Ultimately, Jesus is the perfect image of God, and humans are called to live in Christ. The Problem with Literalism: Chronicles (4 Parts)
In this four part series, Pete Enns explains the logic of reading the Bible literally as well as the problems that come with it. He notes that one should only take a literal reading of an account if the text itself is making historical claims. Even then, he continues, there are some minor differences between accounts describing the same historical events. He walks through several examples with the readers as he compares and contrasts 1 and 2 Samuel and Kings to 1 and 2 Chronicles. Genesis, Creation and Ancient Interpreters: The Beginning (6 Parts)
In this series, Pete Enns explores how ancient interpreters—ones who “regularly picked up on real interpretive challenges in the biblical text that tend to pass moderns by”—thought about and solved various issues regarding the Genesis 1 account. He brings forth points that they discussed such as the creation of angels in the beginning and the plural pronoun “we” used by God when making humans in his image. Enns reminds us that the Genesis 1 text may not be so straightforward and complete as people would like to assume. Genesis, Creation, and Ancient Interpreters: Cain’s Birth (6 Parts)
This series, preceded by Genesis, Creation, and Ancient Interpreters: the Garden and the Fall, closely examines the “gaps” in the stories surrounding Cain in Genesis 4, and offers some ideas that the ancient commentators formulated in response to these factually incomplete accounts. Pete Enns highlights the questions these texts raised for early interpreters, including Adam and Eve’s sexual relations, the conception and birth of Cain, and the murder of his brother Abel. Enns explains that these “gaps” in the narratives are good as they invite readers to reflect and ponder the messages of the stories. Chicago Statement Series (14 Parts)
In order to remove obstacles from the science and faith discussion, Pete Enns carefully examines both the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (CSBI) and the Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics (CSBH), two documents that were developed by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. The CSBI and CSBH were produced during three-day summits to which approximately 300 pastors from the Evangelical community came in an effort to defend and define biblical inerrancy. Despite their best efforts, there are still hermeneutical and theological shortcomings in the statements that pose road blocks to the progression of the science and faith discussion. Throughout the series, Enns looks at three main problems with the content of these declarations: inadequate genre recognition, a failure to appreciate how the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament complicates various Articles, and a failure to appreciate narrative developments within the Bible. Genesis, Creation, and Ancient Interpreters: In the Garden (8 Parts)
In this lengthy series, Pete Enns engages the peculiar and unfamiliar parts of Genesis 2. He first presents the details of the story which ancient interpreters often wrestled with, and then he discusses the scholars’ conclusions and offers his own insight. He addresses such particulars as the speaking serpent that tempts Adam and Eve, the idea that the couple was naked before their act of disobedience, and the fact that Adam and Eve did not physically die when they ate the forbidden fruit. Posts by Enns
Jesus the Artist
February 1, 2011
In a recent post, my colleague Mark Sprinkle drew a very helpful analogy between Jesus’ use of parables and the creative expressions of artists. There is one part of that post that I think is particularly important for BioLogos readers to grapple with, and I would like to expand on it below from the point of view of a biblical scholar.
Comments (17)
Challenging Old Assumptions
December 9, 2010
In this video “Conversation,” Pete Enns addresses some assumptions about ancient readers and writers that are relevant to the way we should read Genesis in the 21st century. One such assumption, says Enns, is that ancient people share the same view of the cosmos as do we. This is a flawed assumption, however, because ancient peoples did not think about outer space in quite the same way.
Comments (19)
Adam, Eve, and the Culture Wars
October 6, 2010
In this video Conversation, BioLogos Senior Biblical Fellow Peter Enns discusses why Adam and Eve seem to be at the center of the Culture Wars. In particular, he considers why questioning the historicity of this particular origins narrative is so threatening to evangelicals.
Comments (198)
After You Believe
September 29, 2010
In this video Conversation, BioLogos Senior Biblical Fellow Peter Enns speaks with the Rev. N.T. Wright about some of the concepts explored in his latest book After You Believe. Enns begins by asking Wright what prompted him to write the book.
Comments (21)
America’s Culture Wars: A Different Perspective
September 22, 2010
In this video Conversation, senior biblical fellow Peter Enns asks Rev. N.T. Wright to respond to a common question of readers regarding the disconnect between science and religion. Specifically, he asks Wright why he thinks there is such controversy in evangelicalism about evolution. Is this a “culture war” issue?
Comments (31)
Paul’s Perspective on Adam
September 15, 2010
In this video Conversation, senior biblical fellow Peter Enns asks Rev. N.T. Wright to respond to the question of how Adam functions theologically in the Old Testament and whether a historical Adam is central or important for that “Adam theology” that is brought up later in Paul’s letter to the Romans, where he describes Christ as the “new Adam.”
Comments (132)
What Do You Mean by ‘Literal’?
September 8, 2010
In this video Conversation, senior biblical fellow Peter Enns asks Rev. N.T. Wright to respond to a reader question about science and faith. Specifically, the reader asks, “If you take Genesis in a non-literal fashion especially the creation stories, why take anything in the Bible literally—such as the Gospels? Do you take the Gospels literally?”
Comments (75)
Does the Slippery Slope Always Go to the Left?
September 1, 2010
In this video Conversation, Peter Enns asks author and theologian N.T. Wright to respond to a question from a BioLogos Forum reader about the implications of the relationship between politics and religion within the evangelical movement.
Comments (37)
Understanding the Humanity of Jesus
August 24, 2010
In this new series, BioLogos senior fellow Pete Enns asks N.T. Wright to respond to questions that have come to BioLogos via Twitter, email, and its blog. The first question for Wright is as follows: What do you think is the biggest misunderstanding that western 21st century evangelicals have about Jesus and how does it stunt their understanding and witness?
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The Creator is the Redeemer
July 20, 2010
Central to all of this is the resurrection of Jesus. Rising from the dead is the true beginning of this new mode of existence in which believers—right here and now—take part. Believing in Jesus means you are benefiting from Jesus’ resurrection already now in the new life you experience by the power of the Spirit.
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Jesus and the Sea
July 14, 2010
Up to this point Jesus’ ministry has been characterized by some healings (which were enough to make the people take notice) and some powerful and challenging speeches, such as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. But this act of calming the storm raises the ante: it shows that the healer and teacher also controls the elements of the created order—specifically, the sea. This act is infused with theological significance.
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How Should BioLogos Respond to Dr. Albert Mohler’s Critique: Pete’s Response
July 8, 2010
Dear Dr. Mohler, I watched your articulate presentation “Why Does the Universe Look So Old?” and along with Dr. Giberson, I have some questions. For me, those questions concern how you approach biblical interpretation.
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The Benefit of Doubt
June 30, 2010
Doubt is an assault on faith. We know this because doubts leads to such destructive emotions as fear, depression, anger, irritability, and stress. Clearly, God does not want us to doubt. Right? Wrong. There is a benefit of doubt. Doubt is a gift of God to move us from trusting ourselves to trusting him.
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The Second Creation Story and “Atrahasis”
May 25, 2010
Last week we looked at Genesis 1 and Enuma Elish. Another very important discovery in Ashurbanipal’s library is the story commonly referred to as the Atrahasis Epic. Though in the nineteenth century only fragments of the story were found, a more complete version was found in 1965, dated to the seventeenth century B.C.
Comments (36)
Genesis 1 and a Babylonian Creation Story
May 18, 2010
In the middle of the nineteenth century, archaeologists discovered thousands of clay tablets written in a language that came to be known as Akkadian (a distant and much older cousin to Hebrew). [...] It was the religious texts found there that got the most attention. One of those texts bore striking similarities to Genesis 1. How people viewed Genesis would never be the same again.
Comments (146)
Pete Enns on the Incarnational Model of Scripture
May 8, 2010
An incarnational model is by no means the only model for thinking about the Bible. Neither is it necessarily the best model. It is just a way of talking about the Bible where the challenges of historical study can be seen in a different light.
Comments (48)
Why We Fight About This
April 20, 2010
Passions run high because evolution seems threatening. Christians feel unsettled because evolution challenges something meaningful and non-negotiable—their scriptural understanding of God, of ultimate reality, of how the parts of their existence fit together and make sense.
Comments (556)
Creating Adam
April 6, 2010
Understanding the Adam story in Genesis and Paul’s use of the Adam story in Romans and 1 Corinthians is important and challenging. An informed discussion engages topics such as Old Testament views of creation and challenges in understanding Paul. We have glimpsed these in the previous weeks. But this is just the beginning of the conversation.
Comments (180)
Understanding Origins and the Ancient Mind
March 17, 2010
In this video conversation, Pete Enns sheds light on the key difference between the ancient and modern mind with regard to interpretation of texts. A literal understanding of Genesis from an ancient mind frame would not necessarily be the same as what we now think of as a literal reading—where everything corresponds to reality in a one to one fashion.
Comments (7)
The Apostle Paul and Adam
March 10, 2010
In this video conversation, Old Testament scholar Peter Enns discusses the Apostle Paul and his understanding of Adam as the progenitor of the human race. While in Paul’s mind, there may be an “organic” connection, Enns points out that for most Christians, this has no bearing on the “literalness” of Jesus.
Comments (116)
Adam is Israel
March 2, 2010
I am not trying to say that cosmic battle is some magic key to unlock the mysteries of the Bible. But it does open a new window to seeing the ”ancient ways” in which the Israelites thought of creation. It also helps us look at the Adam story from an angle that might be new to some readers here: Adam is the beginning of Israel, not humanity. I imagine this may require some explanation.
Comments (120)
Exodus, Mt. Sinai and Creation
February 23, 2010
Here the topic of creation is important. Even though the cosmic battle is over, we have not left the creation theme. Think of the exodus as God “creating” a people for himself out of a cosmic battle. After that act of creation, he gives them two things the people of Yahweh need if they are to be called his people, if they are going to serve him.
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Response from One of Jerry Coyne’s Fleas
February 17, 2010
In discussing Kent Spark’s recent post, the noted atheist and evolutionary biologist, Jerry Coyne has referred to BioLogos as a flea that needs to be scratched. Coyne writes that by showing that Augustine and Calvin did not view Scripture as a sourcebook for information about nature, Sparks was setting up some straw men that do not represent Christianity as a whole.
Comments (15)
Exodus and the Cosmic Battle (Again)
February 16, 2010
These themes are wonderfully interconnected from Genesis through Exodus: cosmic battle, separation of elements, and deliverance from watery fate. Creation, flood, and exodus are almost versions of the same story: the victory of Yahweh and the salvation of his people.
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Exodus, the Plagues, and the Cosmic Battle
February 9, 2010
It is obviously important to spend a lot of time discussing the scientific data. But it is also important to deal with the biblical data. Why? Because our expectations about the Bible affect how we handle the scientific data.
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Yahweh, Creation, and the Cosmic Battle
February 2, 2010
When it comes to the science/faith discussion, the presence of the cosmic battle motif in the Old Testament should send us a strong signal: don’t expect the Old Testament to inform, let alone guide the scientific investigation of origins.
Comments (33)
Essays by Enns
Understanding Adam
March 2010
In this paper, Pete Enns looks at from a unique angle to some: Adam is the beginning of Israel, not humanity. He follows through with how this line of thinking affects our reading of the Genesis account.
Evangelicals, Evolution and the Bible: Moving Toward a Synthesis
March 2010
Why are the numerous interpretive issues related to the Apostle Paul’s view of Adam important, exactly? Why invest so much time in trying to understand Genesis as the ancient Israelites would have, or in reading Paul in a non-literal way? In a new essay, Enns argues that Christians must engage in these activities, because ignoring the scientific and archeological evidence for evolution is not an option for believers in the twenty-first century.
Preliminary Observations on an Incarnational Model of Scripture: Its Viability and Usefulness
May 2010
From the author: "One such theological model is called an incarnational model. Simply put, this is the idea that the Bible is no more a book dropped out of the sky than Jesus is some superman who flew down from heaven. Instead, just as Jesus was a human being, the Bible is a book that fully reflects its cultural contexts. Jesus is “God incarnate,” both divine and human. Likewise, the Bible is a book that speaks God’s word but thoroughly reflects the thoughts, ideas, and worldviews of the human authors."
When Was Genesis Written and Why Does it Matter? A Brief Historical Survey
December 2010
The question of when Genesis was written is not a new one. It has been a focus of modern biblical scholarship since at the eighteenth century. How modern biblical scholarship has handled this question is not unanimous and has hardly been above criticism. Enns' essay provides a descriptive historical survey of some issues surrounding the question of when the Pentateuch was written and how that question was answered.