Where's the Application?

One of the advantages of attending the "National" version of Camp Logos is the opportunity to beam aboard the mother ship, HQ for Logos Bible Software in Bellingham, WA (pictured at left). We were able to tour the rapidly expanding facilities and chat with staff.

I found a conversation with Michael Heisner, Academic Editor, most interesting. I'll tell you about what struck me, but first a little background. Logos has created the premier Bible study software. The resultant program is amazingly robust and capable of marshaling a plethora of biblical resources before the user. How does it do it? I cannot imagine the amount of time and effort that has been invested in this endeavor.

So here's my question for Mr. Heisner: "How does Logos software assist the Bible student to translate what the Bible teaches (the interpretation) into specific implications for living (the application)?" He replied, "He's pretty much on his own."

Isn't there an irony here? Don't take this as a criticism of Logos, because I am grateful for what they have created. But I find it an interesting commentary on the state of our engagement with the Bible that so much attention is given to interpretation and so little to application. I realize this is not a new theme at L-W - here's a link to a previous post on the subject. Click here to call up a copy of "The Growth Chain" that illustrates the connection between interpretation and application. When we see how God's Word changes us - interpretation is a  vital link in that process. But so is application and it warrants more than the subjective methodology of being "pretty much on your own." Where is the rigorous thinking, objective methodology, and maybe even robust software to help us move from interpretation to personal transformation?

Comments

[Austin]

You know...I think the "their on their own" comment is VERY important. But, I also think it's begs a question that conventional wisdom or methodology perhaps overlooks.

In school, our teachers give us a rule...and then we practice applying that rule over and over--and over. In this kind of process, two types of students emerge: one student memorizes the facts and result of each case study. He does application by wrote--yet is often completely flabbergasted when asked to apply that same rule to circumstances that may only slightly vary from his memorized material.

The other kind of student learns HOW to apply that same rule for himself. He doesn't memorize a specific application and try to regurgitate it ad infinitum...he can explore the rule's meaning in any situation no matter how twisted or convoluted the facts get. Subtle nuances in the facts that he confronts lead him to an appropriately circumspect analysis of the proper result. Sometimes, facially similar circumstances, when put to an exacting analysis, lead to dramatically different results.

I humbly submit that the kind of application that the body most needs to be taught is not WHAT to think in a GIVEN situation, but HOW to think in ANY situation in light of a particular principle. Anyway, maybe you could be a trend-setter in application by taking a more "problem based, socratic" road in lieu of the current "give a man a fish" status quo? Broad strikes and pat answers are convenient...but they also sometimes seem to foreclose a "living faith." Why not be a teacher who helps his sheep learn biblical truth by forcing them to answer some questions (situations) YOU come up with?

Anyway, chew on that a bit. Cheers.

[Alex Marshall]

I definitely agree with Austin- the real challenge of applying a principle in any field of thought (Biblical, scientific, legal, etc) is that the specific application can change rather dramatically with even slight changes in the situation. So really, what needs to be learned is how to look at and assess a situation to discover the appropriate "application" or response. I don't know if that is something that can be done with a computer program, it seems to me like in a lot of ways that does have to be done by the individual. Not to say that it is completely subjective, but I don't think you can possibly make a software program that understands the variables enough to make an adequate "decision" about a specific situation in someone's life.

[bubba matthews]

I'd go a slightly different route and say many churches, and people, are all about interpretation of Scripture and not at all about application of Scripture. It is kinda like we act like there will be an entrance test to get into heaven based on our ability to cross reference passages. I'm not saying study isn't important but study without application seems to be one component of what James rails against. It seems I'd like to argue that without personal growth application and outward growth application we treat the Bible as nothing more than an interesting, really long, textbook.