BT101: Hermeneutics

Introduction
A. Description of Hermeneutics

1. General Hermeneutics
The study of the activity of interpretation;
A. Description of Hermeneutics

1. General Hermeneutics
The theory that analyzes interpretation,
specifically, how texts communicate, how
meaning is derived from texts and/or their
authors, and what it is that people do when they
interpret a text
A. Description of Hermeneutics

2. Biblical Hermeneutics
The discipline of interpreting the Bible which
includes exegesis (the discovery of the original
meaning) and the contextualization of meaning to
Christian theology and practice
Biblical Hermeneutics: Two Worlds

Reader’s Textual
World World
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

1. Every reader is an interpreter.

a. Because the nature of language
and communication as inferential
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

Aoccdrnig to a rseearch at Cmabrigde

Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr
the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt
tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the
rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and
you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed
ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a
wlohe. Amzanig huh?
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

1. Every reader is an interpreter.

b. Because of distance gaps

What is usually spontaneous for us when reading

documents in our native language and of our same
cultural context necessarily needs to be more
consciously addressed when reading ancient texts
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

1. Every reader is an interpreter.

b. Because of distance gaps

Dear Sir and Madam:

This is to inform you that you have been

selected to be audited by the IRS…..
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

“Now for the matters you wrote

about…” [I Cor 7:1]
“Now about food sacrificed to
idols…” [I Cor 8:1]
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

“Go to Bethel and sin…” [Amos 4:4]

B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

BECAUSE OF GAPS:
a. Historical Gap

b. Cultural Gap

c. Linguistic Gap

d. Worldview Gap
B. The Necessity of Biblical Hermeneutics

2. BT101 Goals:
a. To assess our own hermeneutic
(the way we approach Scripture).

b. To develop an intentional hermeneutic.

“If theology is to make sense now about the
meaning of Jesus Christ whose career took place
then, it has in that moment engaged in a transfer of
meaning. It has carried out a hermeneutic…the
question is whether that hermeneutic is to be the
object of deliberate theological reflection, or
whether it is to be assumed and allowed to operate
without the benefit of theological clarification.”
(Paul J. Achtemeier, An Introduction to the New Hermeneutic)