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Cambridge Companions to Religion
The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation
This book provides the first complete guide for students to the present state of biblical studies. The twenty-one specially commissioned chapters are written by established scholars from North America and Britain, and represent both traditional and contemporary points of view. The chapters in Part One cover all the methods and approaches currently practised in the academic study of the Bible, while those in Part Two examine the major categories of books in the Bible from the perspective of recent scholarship - e.g. historical books of the Old Testament, Gospels, prophetic literature. Major issues raised the relation of modern 'critical' study of the Bible to 'pre-critical' and 'post-critical' approaches; the place of history in the study of the Bible; feminist, liberationist and new historicist concerns; the relation of Christian and Jewish scholarship; and recent interest in the Bible as literature.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 1998
13 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
John Barton
189 books65 followersJohn Barton is Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford. His publications include The Theology of the Book of Amos (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and Oracles of God: Perceptions of Ancient Prophecy in Israel after the Exile (2007).
For the Canadian poet, see John Barton.
For the Canadian poet, see John Barton.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 20, 2008
A good introductory text that explains a great deal of ways to read the bible. It explains historical-critical readings, feminist readings, and others. The book explains each of these and their goals and methods. Its worth having on the shelf.
January 2, 2017
Прочетох избирателно около половината глави от книгата (тя е съставена по начин, който позволява непоследователен прочит). Като цяло тя не ми помага почти по никакъв начин в практическото библейско тълкуване, така че спирам дотук.
March 30, 2017
Though The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation was slightly dated when I purchased it a few weeks ago, it is extremely useful to me because it surveys the main approaches taken in biblical interpretation both when and after my final graduate degree. My dissertation on the Balaam Oracles attempted to use some of the experimental methods described in this volume, but it was my intent to keep a continuity between historical-critical studies and the new methodologies. I was glad to discover another fellow-traveler in this regard, a philosopher I highly regard named Austin Farrer (particularly his marvelous Reflective Faith).
The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation is, after John Barton’s introductory pages, divided into two parts. The first division of the book is methodological in nature, surveying approaches to the text. It begins with Barton’s own summary of the historical-critical method and runs through nine (9) other essays including: linguistics approaches, feminist interpretations, political readings, literary approaches (including the place of rhetorical criticism), and sociological analysis. The second division of the book demonstrates how this montage of approaches/methodologies has been and is being used in nine (9) different sections of the Bible: Pentateuch, historical books, prophetic books, poetry and wisdom, synoptic gospels plus Acts, Johannine gospel and literature, Pauline letters, non-Pauline “epistles,” and apocalyptic literature. Each of the essays is written by a different scholar—usually one who has written prolifically in that area.
It would obviously be difficult to summarize a volume with such broad scope, so a few ideas will have to suffice. As one who teaches several liberal studies classes for a game development program, I very much enjoyed Hans-Georg Gadamer’s insights quoted in the “Biblical studies and theoretical hermeneutics” essay. Gadamer observes (thinking toward scripture but using a game analogy) that “The player experiences the game as a reality that surpasses him.” (p. 103) Gadamer continues, “There is such freedom that no game is ever played twice identically, and for all this variety it is still the one game.” (p. 104) So, Gadamer doesn’t worry about tackling the same text from different angles and methods.
A lot of people realize that Irenaeus insisted on the gematria of the number “four” to explain why there were four gospels (since “4” is a number representing creation since there are four winds, four zones, and four types of living creatures in the Bible) and joined this with four levels of interpretation: 1) literal, 2) allegorical, 3) moral (tropological), and 4) anagogical (using this world to represent eternal matters) (p. 160). But have you ever heard the comparison of pseudepigrapha (using respected names as the author in order to continue their thought or ministry) as “Somewhat like the tail of a comet, they tell us something about the comet itself.” (p. 277) James Dunn, who wrote the Pauline essay, surprised me with the observation that the Corinthian church might only have been about 40 people strong (p. 281).
A lot of interpreters don’t know what to do with so-called “apocalyptic literature.” The essay on this type of literature is strong, including a helpful chart delineating the differences between Jewish and Christian apocalyptic on pp. 309-10. John J. Collins’ helpful definition of this literature follows: “…an apocalypse is ‘intended to interpret present, earthly circumstances in the light of the supernatural world and of the future, and to influence both the understanding and the behavior of the audience by means of divine authority.’” (p. 311) Since much of the controversy in interpreting such works has been tied to trying to find the right template to fit all examples and the evidence to show this literature as growing out of one main source—either mantic wisdom (with its penchant for divining and interpreting dreams) or prophecy. The conclusion drawn here is one that I agree with. It doesn’t have to be either/or, it can be both/and. In other words, “diviners prophesy and prophets divine.” (p. 314)
This is a great little reference and idea book. It could serve as a textbook at a graduate level, but it is starting to age. I will be reading a similar, but newer, book on the subject in the future. Meanwhile, I’m glad I read this one. There are some outstanding essays to examine over and over again.
The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation is, after John Barton’s introductory pages, divided into two parts. The first division of the book is methodological in nature, surveying approaches to the text. It begins with Barton’s own summary of the historical-critical method and runs through nine (9) other essays including: linguistics approaches, feminist interpretations, political readings, literary approaches (including the place of rhetorical criticism), and sociological analysis. The second division of the book demonstrates how this montage of approaches/methodologies has been and is being used in nine (9) different sections of the Bible: Pentateuch, historical books, prophetic books, poetry and wisdom, synoptic gospels plus Acts, Johannine gospel and literature, Pauline letters, non-Pauline “epistles,” and apocalyptic literature. Each of the essays is written by a different scholar—usually one who has written prolifically in that area.
It would obviously be difficult to summarize a volume with such broad scope, so a few ideas will have to suffice. As one who teaches several liberal studies classes for a game development program, I very much enjoyed Hans-Georg Gadamer’s insights quoted in the “Biblical studies and theoretical hermeneutics” essay. Gadamer observes (thinking toward scripture but using a game analogy) that “The player experiences the game as a reality that surpasses him.” (p. 103) Gadamer continues, “There is such freedom that no game is ever played twice identically, and for all this variety it is still the one game.” (p. 104) So, Gadamer doesn’t worry about tackling the same text from different angles and methods.
A lot of people realize that Irenaeus insisted on the gematria of the number “four” to explain why there were four gospels (since “4” is a number representing creation since there are four winds, four zones, and four types of living creatures in the Bible) and joined this with four levels of interpretation: 1) literal, 2) allegorical, 3) moral (tropological), and 4) anagogical (using this world to represent eternal matters) (p. 160). But have you ever heard the comparison of pseudepigrapha (using respected names as the author in order to continue their thought or ministry) as “Somewhat like the tail of a comet, they tell us something about the comet itself.” (p. 277) James Dunn, who wrote the Pauline essay, surprised me with the observation that the Corinthian church might only have been about 40 people strong (p. 281).
A lot of interpreters don’t know what to do with so-called “apocalyptic literature.” The essay on this type of literature is strong, including a helpful chart delineating the differences between Jewish and Christian apocalyptic on pp. 309-10. John J. Collins’ helpful definition of this literature follows: “…an apocalypse is ‘intended to interpret present, earthly circumstances in the light of the supernatural world and of the future, and to influence both the understanding and the behavior of the audience by means of divine authority.’” (p. 311) Since much of the controversy in interpreting such works has been tied to trying to find the right template to fit all examples and the evidence to show this literature as growing out of one main source—either mantic wisdom (with its penchant for divining and interpreting dreams) or prophecy. The conclusion drawn here is one that I agree with. It doesn’t have to be either/or, it can be both/and. In other words, “diviners prophesy and prophets divine.” (p. 314)
This is a great little reference and idea book. It could serve as a textbook at a graduate level, but it is starting to age. I will be reading a similar, but newer, book on the subject in the future. Meanwhile, I’m glad I read this one. There are some outstanding essays to examine over and over again.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews