Kontribusi Ilmu-ilmu Sosial Terhadap Studi Alkitab

Abstract

The use of social science methods in biblical study has produced various contributions:(1) better knowledge and understanding of the social backgrounds of the events of theBible and its authors, (2) connect biblical study with social sciences in general resultingin the admittance of biblical study as science, (3) insights of ancient civilization, (4) showarchaic types of humanity, (5) theological inspiration for imagining an ideal community,(6) social critique of to the church as well as society. As the study progresses one mayhope that by way of theoritical highlight and comparative study, the lack of informationconcerning the social background of the Bible could gain more clarity. However, thiskind of study needs to be completed with similar study by the interpreters. Understandinga biblical text is not a matter of only discerning the text and its background but also ofdealing with the ideology of the interpreters. Social sciences open a way into theideological inquiry of the readers too.