SEBTS Faculty Lecture - Fred Allen Grissom November 17, 1988

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  • Fred Allen Grissom was SEBTS Associate Professor of Church History. Grissom is announced as Chapel speaker (0:00-0:10). Hymns are played (0:11-7:59). A word of prayer is given (8:00-8:59). Grissom’s lecture is greatly anticipated (8:40-9:06). Grissom begins with Scripture reading from Matthew 7:3-5 (9:07-9:45). He states that this is his first faculty address and that he plans to discuss the importance of studying history with a focus on how culture influences biblical interpretation (9:46-15:59). He expresses that cultural norms lead to different interpretations, using the literal interpretation of men not trimming their beards in the book of Leviticus as an example (16:00-19:20). Grissom further discusses that Christians believe that cultural norms are reflected in the Bible as well as that their institutions are sanctioned in the Bible (19:21-19:57). He uses the examples of the sanctioning of slavery and segregation to come to the argument that biblical interpretations are influenced by the culture of the interpreter (19:58-26:46). He then provides an analogy to prove that this argument is true even in present society: we all have culture filtered “glasses” (26:47-29:26). We have different filters, yet we all filter biblical revelations that we identify with on a personal level (29:27-33:08). Our glasses affect our applications of the affirmations about the Bible (33:09-35:43). Grissom conveys that we go so far as to deny culture’s influence, and thus our filters become blinders that lead to our interpretations becoming absolute and our creation of God in our own image (35:44-37:47). To combat these blinders, Grissom provides four steps: 1) to become more aware of the presuppositions at the foundation of our cultural complex, 2) to see through different “glasses,” 3) to expand our vision further by listening to those of even different cultures, and 4) to study the languages of others in order to better understand the meaning of their words (37:48-40:04). He concludes with urging everyone to learn as much about our culture and other people’s cultures from the present and past so that the Bible is not misinterpreted (40:05-41:34).
Last modified
  • May 6, 2025
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Subject
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Identifier
  • SEBTS_Faculty_Lecture_Fred_Allen_Grissom_1988-11-17
Date Created
  • November 17, 1988
Location
  • Wake Forest (N.C.)
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Preferred Citation
    SEBTS Chapel and Special Event Recordings, SEBTS Chapel and Special Event Recordings - 1980s, Archives and Special Collections, Library at Southeastern, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC.
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