5 - Social-Scientific Approaches and the Gospel of Matthew

Summary

Many scholars who use social-scientific approaches to the New Testament employ perspectives derived from the academic study of the social sciences, for example, from the infamous Sociology 101. Since the goals and principles of social-scientific (not “sociological”) approaches elude most interpreters, it seems useful to present a simple overview of the definitions and organizing principles supporting social-science perspectives. These definitions should help.

Sociology is the study of human beings in groups in one's own society. The study of human beings in groups in foreign societies is called anthropology. Human beings in groups interact in terms of the social system into which they have been socialized. These social systems consist of social institutions, values, and ways of “being person” – all directed toward a meaningful, human, social existence for all group members.

• Social institutions are fixed forms of phases of social life. Generally four major fixed forms are used for analysis: kinship (naturing/nurturing); politics (taking effective collective action); economics (provisioning society); and religion (relating people to the general order of existence, from which they derive ultimate meaning, belonging, and comfort). Specialized fixed forms of social life in Western societies include education and medicine (both deriving from kinship and/or religion), and the legal system and the military (both deriving from politics and/or religion). Social institutions are ways or means to the general end/goal of a meaningful, human, social existence for all group members. The specific qualities constituting a meaningful, human, social existence derive from group values.

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