Richard Burridge on Being Biblical

I recently came across the text of a lecture by New Testament scholar Richard Burridge, with the title “Being Biblical? Slavery, Sexuality, and the Inclusive Community.” His argument is that we need to look carefully at episodes from the past, such as when defenders of the Bible’s authority defended slavery as part of that endeavor, so that we may have insight into when issues may seem to be similarly conjoined in our own time, in ways that may lead later generations to look back on our use of the Bible with shame and dismay. He offers a vision that avoids the often much-too-simplistic and sweeping statements from both sides.

See also his thoughts on The Life of Brian.