The Gospel of John and the Religious Quest. Johannes Nissen

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The Gospel of John and the Religious Quest - Johannes Nissen


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unambiguously to the unique salvation in Jesus Christ. It is precisely these two features—the wide spectrum of the audience and salvation in Christ alone—that make John’s Gospel particularly relevant to the encounter of contemporary Christians with other religious traditions. The crucial questions then as now are: How can we maintain genuine Christian integrity while at the same time being open to people of other faiths? And how is it possible to combine the two dimensions of openness to religious diversity, yet belief that salvation is exclusively bound to Christ?

      The Gospel of John and the Encounter with Modern Religiosity and Spirituality

      Finally, in recent years the Gospel of John has proved to be a great inspiration to those working with Christian spirituality. Its metaphorical language and meditative form appeal to people engaged in spiritual guidance and theology of pilgrimage. An example of this is Lene Højholt’s Vejen: Meditativ fordybelse in Johannesevangeliet (“The Way: A meditative immersion in the Gospel of John”) from 2006, see also the survey and comment on this work in chapter 10 of this study.

      All these examples of contemporary readings of the Fourth Gospel raise the question of whether it is possible to establish any criteria for a religious dialogue. Or to put it in another way: How far can Christians go in dialogue without betraying the essence of the Christian gospel? The question will be addressed throughout the book and discussed in greater detail in Part Two.

      Methodological Reflections

      Bible Readings—Academic and Experiential Approaches

      For the past few centuries the study of biblical texts has been dominated by an academic approach, aiming at objective, even “neutral,” analyses of the texts. It has often been taken for granted that this approach was in opposition to an immediate and more popular reading. Today, many scholars try to combine the two ways of reading, an approach that is characteristic also of this book. However, in combining both approaches we must be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of both.

      The academic approach covers a variety of different readings. The most widespread method is historical criticism which is at one and the same time both necessary yet insufficient. It is necessary because it takes seriously the human side of the revelation; the incarnation is the theological basis for the historical analysis of texts.

      1. It insists on the text in its “otherness”; in this way it protects the text against subjective wishes and ideological exploitation.

      2. It investigates the historical and linguistic peculiarity of the text and thereby points to its message.

      3. It is actually self-critical; the interpreters should be prepared to abandon what they know in order to learn something new.

      4. It contributes to an open dialogue about the Bible; the results can be tested in a public, inter-subjective discussion.

      However, historical criticism also has a number of weaknesses. Firstly, by concentrating on discovering the historical meaning of the texts it can easily create a distance to present time. If the research is content with this, the biblical text will never have a chance to show its actual relevance. Second, this approach is strongly dominated by the professionals. They often disagree on the interpretation, or their interpretations are difficult to take in at a glance. All this creates the feeling of alienation. Third, historical criticism is oriented towards a cognitive apprehension. Yet reality is not just that which we can comprehend with our reason; it also includes existential questions and experiences. The historical method therefore needs to be supplemented with other methods that are open to the inclusion of contemporary experiences in the interpretation of biblical texts.

      Academic Bible studies tend to focus only on rational thinking and intellectual activity. But according to the love commandment in Mark 12:29–30 we must love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength—and not just our reason. The command to love insists that the whole person has to be taken into consideration, including the emotions, experiences, intuition, and the body.

      Creative Bible study places a special emphasis on ordinary people, who themselves are encouraged to work creatively with the texts. Both the “insight of the feelings” and the “knowledge of the brain” are important. The Bible can be studied in a creative way by everyone—professionals and amateurs, scholars and students, clergy and laity, male and female alike. All kinds of experiences count. The only presupposition is that we accept the methods employed as valid. Creative Bible study is based on the conviction that Scripture is not reserved for theologians or church leaders and that the Holy Spirit is present and active in the life of ordinary people. The meaning of the Bible is not restricted to what was said by its authors to its first readers; it is relevant to God’s people at any time in history, including the present.


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