Developments in Hermeneutics and Teaching the New Testament:
Robert Bowie
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Abstract
Developments in Hermeneutics and Teaching the New Testament: N T Wright and Antony C Thiselton The workshop will draw on the work of N T Wright and Antony C Thiselton and their significant contribution to hermeneutics. It aims to whet the appetite of teachers to plunge into teaching New Testament with a hermeneutical edge. Whether or not you have studied it before this session will provide an orientation to this exciting area, at the same time pointing you to resources available. It will focus on the work of two important contemporary New Testament Scholars and their recent work, presented as a toolkit for making sense of the New Testament to enrich your teaching of the bible in light of these developments.
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Studies in hermeneutics have largely focused on hermeneutical method and the application of such methods; however, the significance of hermeneutical method in the actual exegetical process has received limited attention, particularly as it relates to the preaching event. It is necessary to examine the significance of hermeneutical method at two levels; namely, the theoretical and the practical levels. In considering the theoretical understanding, it is argued that there are seven broad categories of proposed influencing factors in the practical exegetical process; these being: 1) Intrapersonal, deriving from the person of the exegete. 2) Spiritual, deriving from the spiritual life of the exegete. 3) Community, arising in the community context within which the exegete seeks to interpret the biblical text. 4) Contextual, deriving from the cultural and social context of the exegete. 5) Methodological, shaping the manner in which the exegetical process is carried out. 6) Traditional, arising out of the historical context within which the exegete stands. 7) Academic, arising out of contexts which are either regarded as learned or as respected. Hermeneutical method and methods may be categorized under methodological factors, and it is suggested that most hermeneutical theorists would argue for the primacy of methodological factors in general and hermeneutical method in particular. However, an examination of practice suggests that spiritual factors are regarded as more significant than methodological factors. On the basis of the research findings, the proposed influencing factors may be ranked as follows: 1 Spiritual 2 Methodological 3 Academic 4 Intrapersonal 5 Contextual / Community / Traditional. In the light of these theoretical considerations and research findings, it is argued that the most appropriate response to the significance of hermeneutical method is to call exegetes to a hermeneutic of responsibility. The proposal is that the biblical exegete choose an appropriate method or methods for the given exegetical task; however, the application should be effected in a fourfold approach to the exegetical task. The fourfold approach challenges the exegete to be deliberately aware of their responsibility, at both a theoretical and practical level, to four realms of responsibility. These four realms being: 1) The God of Scripture: The responsibility to the God of Scripture is that which acknowledges that the Christian Bible is a product of divine revelation, and that the God of that revelation is intimately involved in the practical exegetical task. 2) The community of faith: The responsibility to the community of faith is that responsibility which recognizes the community or communities of faith as forming a vital context for the practical exegetical task and the conclusions of that task. 3) The world at large: The responsibility to the world at large is that responsibility in response to which the exegete undertakes to deliberately consider the challenges presented to the biblical text and to the exegete by those contexts and persons who would be regarded as either on the fringe of the community of faith or outside of the community. 4) The historical and universal church: The responsibility to the historical and universal church is that responsibility by which the exegete recognizes their context as being part of the older history of the church and the greater setting of the universal church. In applying the chosen hermeneutical method or methods in the context of a hermeneutic of responsibility the exegete would be required to consider and evaluate their practical exegesis in three areas: 1) Personal preparation for exegesis; 2) The actual exegetical process; 3) Ongoing demands after exegesis. The greatest challenge of the hermeneutic of responsibility is that the exegete positively acknowledge and respond to the demands of the four realms of responsibility. In other words, the greatest challenge in the exegetical process is not faithfulness to and proper application of hermeneutical method or methods. Rather, it will lie in the attitude with which the exegete approaches, effects and responds to the exegetical task in the context of the fourfold challenge of the hermeneutic of responsibility.
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