--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To the extent that it remains true to…" description: "\"“To the extent that it remains true to itself, the historical method not only has to investigate the biblical word as a thing of the past, but also has..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/pope-benedict-xvi-414_history_to-the-extent-that-it-remains-true-to-it_2035748.jpg" --- # To the extent that it remains true to itself, the… ![“To the extent that it remains true to itself, the historical method not only has to investigate the biblical word as a thing of the past, but also has to let it remain in the past.” quote by Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/pope-benedict-xvi-414_history_to-the-extent-that-it-remains-true-to-it_2035748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/pope-benedict-xvi-414_history_to-the-extent-that-it-remains-true-to-it_2035748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/pope-benedict-xvi-414_history_to-the-extent-that-it-remains-true-to-it_2035748.jpg) > ““To the extent that it remains true to itself, the historical method not only has to investigate the biblical word as a thing of the past, but also has to let it remain in the past.”” [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical method must study biblical texts as past artifacts while keeping them in their historical context. **In simple terms:** Study biblical texts historically, not as timeless doctrine. Key Takeaway Respect historical context in interpretation. Themes theology history interpretation Mood reflective academic Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - seminary studies - academic research - faith education Key Concepts hermeneutics faith scholarship Questions to Reflect On - How does historical study affect faith? - Can past context coexist with modern belief? A Different Perspective May diminish spiritual relevance for believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biblical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical/) [Biblical Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biblical-word-3762692/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-method-2977632/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Investigate Biblical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigate-biblical-3762691/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The psychoanalytic method is essentially a historical method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/the-psychoanalytic-method-is-essentially-a-historical-method/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [“The historical method includes the presupposition that history is a unity in the sense of a closed continuum of effects in which individual events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-karl-bultmann/the-historical-method-includes-the-presupposition-that-history-is-a/) [Rudolf Karl Bultmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-karl-bultmann/) > [Nothing is easier than to teach historical method, but, when learned, it has little use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/nothing-is-easier-than-to-teach-historical-method-but-when-learned-it/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [Nothing is easier to teach than historical method, but, when learned, it has little use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/nothing-is-easier-to-teach-than-historical-method-but-when-learned-it/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“Thus far it has become clear that the biblical creation narratives represent another way of speaking about reality than that with which we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/thus-far-it-has-become-clear-that-the-biblical-creation-narratives/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Lemberger's stories are marvelous compounds of scholarship, imagination and empathy. 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Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/at-the-time-when-this-famous-historical-battle-was-fought-in-kosovo/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [There are historical analogs, which are not exact, of course, but are close enough to be worrisome. This is a whiff of early Nazi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-historical-analogs-which-are-not-exact-of-course-but-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It takes all sorts to make a world - saints as well as soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/it-takes-all-sorts-to-make-a-world-saints-as-well-as-soldiers/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) ## More by Pope Benedict XVI > [The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-fact-that-the-lord-can-work-and-act-even-with-insufficient-means/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Continue to witness to the Gospel every day and commit yourselves generously in the next missionary initiatives in the Diocese of Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/continue-to-witness-to-the-gospel-every-day-and-commit-yourselves/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Jesus’ example of fidelity to prayer challenges us to examine the time and effort we devote to our own prayer. 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(Dawkins says) ‘Scientific belief is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/richard-dawkins-regards-faith-as-an-evil-to-be-eliminated-he-takes/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [ The fall \[of your soul\] from perfection into duality...was naturally followed by the discovery of the duality of good and evil...This is the Biblical… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-fall-of-your-soul-from-perfection-into-duality-was-naturally/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Even Superman's name reflects his creators' biblical knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/even-superman-s-name-reflects-his-creators-biblical-knowledge/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [“And I pray mark how he begins: he sets not up trophies to himself, but triumphs in his God-- "I will love thee, O…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-steele/and-i-pray-mark-how-he-begins-he-sets-not-up-trophies-to-himself-but/) [Richard Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-steele/) > [Scripture is not inerrant; believers are called to interpret biblical texts in light of tradition and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/scripture-is-not-inerrant-believers-are-called-to-interpret-biblical/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [“The Bible isn’t a list of requirements; rather, it’s a list of results after experiencing God’s love. Following God isn’t an action but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-haas/the-bible-isn-t-a-list-of-requirements-rather-it-s-a-list-of-results/) [Peter Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-haas/) > [I portray myself as wicked, hoping I will not be regarded as wicked. But I may be wicked in the biblical sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-flynn/i-portray-myself-as-wicked-hoping-i-will-not-be-regarded-as-wicked/) [Errol Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-flynn/) > [ \[John Calvin's\] treatment of the person and work of Christ, of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, of prayer and liturgy,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/john-calvin-s-treatment-of-the-person-and-work-of-christ-of-the-holy/) [Oliver D. 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