Berean Christadelphians - Other Characteristics

Other Characteristics

For reasons which are unclear, many Bereans refer to John Thomas as 'Doctor Thomas' rather than 'Brother Thomas' (as male members of the Christadephians usually are). Bereans doubt that the Bible alone is sufficient to teach the gospel, believing that the writings of either John Thomas or Robert Roberts are not only necessary but vital for a correct understanding of the Scriptures (considering the writings of John Thomas and Robert Roberts authoritative expositions of the Bible), and it is taught that neglect of the regular reading of these writings is 'to put our own salvation at risk!'. Bereans are typically suspicious of interpreting the Bible without the aid of the writings of John Thomas and Robert Roberts. The writings of John Thomas and Robert Roberts are considered authoritative expositions in the Berean fellowship, and Bereans will often quote them in discussion of Biblical issues instead of quoting the Bible.

Please refer to online Berean Christadelphian archives for evidence of the Berean Christadelphian use of the phrase Brother Thomas, Bro. Thomas and other such references number in the thousands in the Berean Magazine.

Bereans often use a method of Biblical interpretation which is highly anagogical, with a heavy emphasis on typology and conjectural exposition. This is the method used commonly by early Christian expositors such as Origen and Augustine, and Berean exposition often resembles that of Origen in its appeal to anagogue and typology. Whilst this method of exposition is also found in the main Christadelphian community, it does not predominate there as it does among the Bereans. Again, whilst in the main Christadelphian community it is used as a method of illustrating existing doctrines taught explicitly by the Bible, in the Berean community it is frequently used as the foundation of doctrines not revealed explicitly in the Bible but which the Bereans view as 'first principles', foundation doctrines which are necessary for salvation. Literal events described in the Bible are commonly declared to be typological of later events, and there is much speculation over the identity of the 'anti-type'. Discussions of this kind of exposition sometimes take place on online forums in a 'Mars Hill' format, in which conjectural exposition is proposed and encouraged. Conclusions are generally accepted without challenge, and rarely disputed. It is considered unnecessary to provide evidence for such conjectures, since this method of exposition is itself considered 'Scriptural', and is assumed to produce accurate results.