The Meanings of History

IThe question of history is very important to Christianity but what is history? In the following presentation, N.T. Wright examines the various nuances of the polyvalent word and how it affects our understanding of God and the Bible.

Below are the 8 senses of history he enunciates.

1. a. The whole past.
   b. The knowable past.
2. a. The written account of past events.
   b. The written account of past events acknowledged as partial and incomplete.
3. a. The task of researching and writing about what actually happened.
   b. Discerning and displaying some connection, principle or pattern, therefore some meaning, between events that actually happened.
4. a. The meaningful or purposeful sequence of events.
   b. The meaningful or purposeful narration of events.