Local and Global: Biblical Studies in a "Runaway World"

Abstract

This essay begins with a sketch of our current global society and its challenges to biblical studies to provide as resources for humanity in search of a direction for a ”runaway world.” In considering hermeneutical implications for biblical studies within the context of the Greater Chin a Region (GCR), the ethos of biblical studies is being delineated with a view of proposing the need for a kind of new critical public intellectual model for its graduate and doctoral educational programs so that the challenges from a global society of risk may be encountered and engaged by a new breed of public biblical scholars. The implication from Ulrich Beck's theory of reflexive modernization brings us back to the idea of a public relevance of biblical studies by adapting itself to the hazards endangering humanity. Public relevance is definitely the right direction instead of secluding itself as a private elite professional community musing with its academic knowledge. Furthermore, since negative fatalism runs in direct contradiction to the theory of reflexive modernization, risk society negates the principles of its rationality. In taking up the challenge presented by Beck, biblical studies, in all its undertaking and understanding of the creation theology, must contribute its effort towards the common goal of humanity by bring this ”runaway world” to heel.