OnScript Dru Johnson – Understanding Biblical Law (with surprise guest)
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Oct 15, 2025 Drew Johnson, a Professor of Religion at Hope College and author of Understanding Biblical Law, dives deep into the role of biblical law as a tool for moral reasoning. He argues that laws in Exodus-Deuteronomy promote care for the vulnerable rather than merely restricting behavior. Drew contrasts biblical law with modern legal systems, highlighting its unique narrative embedding and wisdom-like qualities. The discussion includes how stories, like that of Rahab, enrich the application of laws and emphasizes the importance for Christians to better engage with the Torah.
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Law As Formative Instruction
- Biblical law functions as instruction (torah) meant to shape thinking and cultivate practices, not merely statutory rules to punish violations.
- Read commandments as formative guidance like tending a garden or shepherding sheep, not as rigid glass you must not break.
Boot Camp Shower Story
- Drew recalled boot camp in San Antonio where avoiding showers for days led to a drill sergeant ordering them to clean up.
- He used that story to answer a playful speed-round question about hygiene habits.
Laws Form Moral Imagination
- Treat individual laws as teaching tools that form legal reasoning and moral imagination rather than isolated statutes.
- Look for clusters and literary links (repeated phrases) that shape a coherent legal ethic across cases.
