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Ecumenical dialogue is important. One problem in discussions between Christians has been the failure to recognize that each group quotes different Biblical authors. We all know that Paul is a Protestant, for example, but few recognize that Paul himself can be divided between early Paul (hyper-Calvinist) and late Paul (Presbyterian).

Theologians, of course, have long known that Obadiah was a papist, but the rest of us have been clueless. For example, the shift of Jeremiah from Calvinism to Catholicism over the course of his life explains a great deal about the text.

Many problems related to our ignorance of denominational affiliation  would be solved if the Biblical players came with a program. I have provided you one with a one sentence reason for the designation. If you need more information you will to wait for Fred Sander’s upcoming tome All The Writers in the Bible and Their Church Homes .

I have tried to use the most mainstream designations, but of course like any work summarizing scholarship these are tentative conclusions

Denominational Affiliation for Writers of the Bible

Moses (if he authored the Pentateuch): Catholic

Why? Central authority figure who likes ritual and many rules, some about sex.

Alternate Theory:

JEPD (if Pentateuch edited):

J: Baptist

Why? Has Seven Day Creation Account and God is often angry, but also likes to eat.

E: Pentecostal

Why? Dislikes J and normal ministers.

P: Seventh Day Adventist

Why? The only mainstream Christian group interested in his work.

D: Orthodox

Why? Adds a bunch of stuff the other authors ignored and refuses to be integrated with the rest.

Joshua: Catholic

Why? Likes crusades and building shrines.

Author of Judges: American Episcopalian

Why? Every man does what is right in his own eyes.

Author of Ruth: Home Church Movement

Why? Book appears to be about religion, but really about getting married.

Samuel: Calvinist

Why? If God hasn’t chosen you or rejects you, you are through.

Court Chronicler: Anglican

Why? Only Christian group interested in sustained sucking up to monarchs.

Ezra: Southern Baptist

Why? Has a great church building program.

Nehemiah: American patriot.

Why? Builds walls.

Esther: Pentecostal

Why? Good looking women leaders.

Mordecai: Pentecostal

Why? Guy willing to work with good looking women leaders.

Job: Calvinist

Why? Stuff happens, don’t complain.

Psalms:

David: Catholic

Why? Monarchical praise band.

Others: Wesleyan

Why? Non-monarchical praise band.

Solomon (Proverbs): Evangelical

Why? Advice fits on church sign.

Solomon (Ecclesiastes): Burned out evangelical

Why? Knew Creator in days of youth, but now writes emo and self-referential one man drama.

Solomon (Song of Solomon):

Alternate Theory for Song of Solomon:

Allegorical Reading: Catholic or Orthodox

Why? It is all about the Church.

Literal Reading: Charismatic

Why? God loves fun!

Isaiah: Evangelical

Why? Because he could find the Gospel anywhere.

Alternate Theory for Isaiah:

Isaiah I: Calvinist

Why? Loved faith and hated his leaders.

Isaiah II: Lutheran

Why? Wrote stuff suitable for organ music.

Isaiah III: Dispensationalist

Why? Cared more about future Israel than present.

Jeremiah (Jeremiah) : Calvinist

Why? Dour.

Jeremiah (Lamentations): Catholic

Why? Sad, but gets a lot of art of it.

Ezekiel: Orthodox

Why? Weird symbols nobody really understands.

Daniel: Dispensationalist

Why? Weird symbols nobody really understands related to the future.

Hosea
: Baptist

Why? It is all about second chances.

Jonah: Anglican

Why? Does some good despite himself.

Micah: Calvinist

Why? The news is bad now, but someday it will be better.

Nahum: Wesleyan

Why? Bad cities will be destroyed.

Obadiah: Catholic.

Why? Shortest homily in Christendom.

Habakkuk: Calvinist

Why? Stuff gets destroyed, but the just live by faith.

Zephaniah: Pentecostal

Why? There is a better language coming!

Haggai: Baptist

Why? Urges giving to the building program.

Zachariah: Dispensationalist

Why? Things stink, but when the Messiah comes they will be great!

Malachi: Calvinist

Why? Ends the epoch mad about giving.

New Testament

Matthew: Messianic Jew

Why? Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, let me explain it to you in detail.

Mark: (source of scholarly controversy)

Mark (camp one): Evanglical

Why? Short and action packed message that gets quickly to the good news.

Mark (camp two): Catholic

Why? Short and action packed homily that gets quickly to the Petrine confession.

Luke (Evangelist): Catholic

Why? Cares to name Mary.

Luke (Acts): Pentecostal

Why? Contains praying in tongues, controversy, and missions!

John (Evangelist and Letter Writer): Orthodox

Why? Cares less about details of history than mystic theology.

John (Revelator): Dispensationalist

Why? Action packed focus on the End.

Paul: (Early, see Galations) Hyper-Calvinist

Why? Read it.

Paul: (Middle Period, see Romans) Dutch Reformed

Why? Mellower and more academic Calvinism.

Paul: (Late Period, see II Timothy) Presbyterian

Why? Very mellow and more concerned about heritage than present.

Author of Hebrews: traditional Anglican

Why? Lots of mysterious concepts (angels!) and appropriated pagan vocabulary given Jewish meanings ends up saying what everyone else is saying only in a weird way.

James: Catholic.

Why? Luther hated him.

Peter: (I Peter) Catholic

Why? Uses his authority to straighten out the universal church.

Peter: (II Peter) Evangelical

Why? Realizes there is no way to straighten out the messed up church until Jesus returns.

Jude: Tridentine Catholic

Why? Old school anger and language straightens out the young people.

All the writers of the Apocrypha are either Roman Catholic or Orthodox. Nobody cares which.

More on: Biblical Studies

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