Board Thread:Community Engagement/@comment-5175866-20171121014251

Hello. I would like to make a suggestion regarding outlines for books of the Bible on the wiki. Currently we utilize topical outlines (many of which are adapted directly from a Bible's study portion or the headings inserted by the editors- either way are not original for us, nor original to the Bible) instead of literary outlines.

I would like to suggest in general that we move towards more "Literary" rather than "Topical" outlines. By a "Literary" outline I mean one based off textual divisons that implicate a certain intent from the author on how to read the book. I am beginning work on this for the Gospel of John article. I would not do it topically based on subject matter addressed (for applicability's sake), rather would adhere to the author's original intent on how the literature was meant to be read.

I have nothing against headings or topical outlines in Bibles, however, people have become too reliant on these and neglect the context of a passage and the intention of the author. I would like to move towards literary outlines in the spirit of helping to improve biblical reading. These headings and outlines were not meant to break up a text without regard to context or intention, but to aide the reader in application. People become overly oriented on these and there are not a lot of literary outlines out there.

I do not think this needs to be some major project that everyone works on (however I wouldn't mind that). I simply think, moving forward, this is something that needs to be gradually changed or considered on future outlines. I think the best qualification for making an outline is to have enough familarity with a text (recently or currently reading, or have read enough to go back and anaylze it) and discernment for a literary division. Literary divisions vary per genre and per length of text, thus they require time and knowledge to determine. I do not mean "qualifications" as to exclude others, but I say this as a general guideline in order to produce truly, literary outlines.

In Christ, Superdadsuper, Bible Wiki Administrator and Bureaucrat 01:42, November 21, 2017 (UTC) 