{"id":867,"date":"2009-09-01T04:01:26","date_gmt":"2009-09-01T04:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/09\/introduction-reading-with-an-agenda.html"},"modified":"2009-09-01T04:01:26","modified_gmt":"2009-09-01T04:01:26","slug":"introduction-reading-with-an-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/09\/introduction-reading-with-an-agenda.html","title":{"rendered":"Introduction: Reading with an Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 1 of series: A Theology of Work in Ezra
\n<\/em>Permalink for this post<\/a> \/ Permalink for this series<\/a>
\nYesterday I introduced a project to which I will soon be contributing, the Theology of Work Project (TOWP). This effort includes a systematic reading of the whole Bible, looking in every book for its theology of work. In time, the findings from this particular investigation will be published as a kind of biblical commentary. I have seen some early drafts of some of the material, and it is excellent. The more I learn about this project, the more enthusiastic I become.
\nMy particular assignment, as I explained yesterday, is to focus on the Old Testament books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. This might seem like a surprising allocation, given that my academic expertise is in New Testament. But, as you may know, several years ago I wrote a commentary on Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther<\/a>. So, though I\u2019m not an Old Testament scholar, I do have a measure of expertise in these particular books.
\nUltimately, I will produce a focused, commentary-like study of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, one that seeks to answer the question: What is this book\u2019s theology of work? I will not be publishing that production here, because it will be part of TWOP\u2019s \u201clibrary.\u201d But I do want to work through my assigned biblical texts as a part of my blog. Not only will this give my readers a chance to think about these issues with me . . . a worthy effort, I believe. But also, I will have the chance to learn from my readers through their posted comments and emails.
\nBut before I get to the task at hand, I want to say something about reading with an agenda.
\nWe always approach a reading assignment with some sort of purpose or plan. When I\u2019m on summer vacation, for example, my agenda is enjoyment. When I\u2019m reading a book for work, usually I\u2019m trying to glean material that will be relevant for the mission of Laity Lodge. When it comes to most reading, we want to let the text speak for itself, to tell its story or explain its point.
\nWhen I was writing my commentary on Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, my goal was to let these books speak in their own voice. Beyond this, I was hoping to accurately hear the voice of God. I tried not to bring to the text my own questions that we\u2019re extrinsic to the text itself. In particular, I was not asking Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther to offer a theology of work, since this was not the main point of these writings. Rather, I sought to let Ezra and Nehemiah speak about restoration and renewal, the primary themes of these books. And I tried to let Esther speak about living in a culture in which one doesn\u2019t fit, a central them of this book.
\nNow, however, I am bringing to Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther a question that is not the primary question of these books. Yet I am still hoping to hear what they say in some authentic way, and not merely interject my own ideas into the text. In many cases I will be listening to what is implicit in the telling of the story. In other cases I will be dealing with what is explicit, even if it isn\u2019t the main point.
\nI believe that this kind of reading, when it is done with careful attention to the primary meaning(s) of a text, can be quite illuminating. I experienced such illumination a decade ago when working on the NIV Worship Bible<\/em>. For this Bible, which is now out of print, I was invited to write the introductions to all of the biblical books. These introductions were not your standard study Bible fare, however, with brief notes about authorship, date, context, outline, and themes. Rather, my introductions sought to answer the question: What does this book teach us about worship?
\nIn order to answer this question for each biblical book, I had to read the book at least twice. As I read, I kept asking myself questions like: What does this have to do with worship? What view of worship is assumed here? And so on. In the process of writing the introductions, I learned a lot about worship. And I\u2019m quite sure I didn\u2019t just project my own thoughts into the text, because much of what I learned I hadn\u2019t thought before I began my study.
\nSo, as I get ready to look for theological material related to work in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, I am bringing my agenda, if you will. This agenda is not, however, something I want to force into the text. Rather, my agenda is to ask, as openly as I can: What does this book teach us about work?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 1 of series: A Theology of Work in Ezra Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series Yesterday I introduced a project to which I will soon be contributing, the Theology of Work Project (TOWP). This effort includes a systematic reading of the whole Bible, looking in every book for its theology of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-theology-of-work-project"],"yoast_head":"\nIntroduction: Reading with an Agenda - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=867"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/867\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}