David Clarkson, The Idea of the Holy

David Clarkson,  March 9, 2016, Signs Following

Rudolf Otto writes, "Now the fewer preconceptions which we bring to our reading of the narrative-material of the Gospels, as reviewed and guaranteed by a thorough criticism, the stronger becomes the impression that in Jesus these powers were present with a rare potency" (Otto 208). I thought that this point was an interesting and accurate point by Otto. It seems to be referencing the idea that as readers when we are getting into the Bible for study, we come into the passages with a preconceived notion and idea of what we think we should be getting out of the passage in terms of application. This is a dangerous practice because instead of learning what the passage is actually saying, individuals might only be receiving what other people have told them the particular passage is about. This unintentional practice could be especially dangerous if an individual goes into reading a passage with preconceived notions heard from someone else that are false in doctrine. Moreover, this type of reading will raise a culture of individuals who are incapable of learning how to read and understand a passage without help for themselves. Personally, if I'm being honest, I know that I have been guilty of this type of reading before, as I have taken something a pastor or peer has told me about the Bible, and when I have gone for myself to read it, already had an idea of what I think it meant without reading it completely for myself.