Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation

Series · 7 books · 1733-1991

By V. Philips Long, Moisés Silva, Royce Gordon Gruenler, and more

Books in series

Has the Church Misread the Bible? The History of Interpretation in the Light of Current Issues

1987

In this, the first volume of Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation, Moises Silva presents a unique and practical perspective on the history of interpretation. 'I do not intend to provide in this volume a full-blown history of biblical hermeneutics . . . (Rather,) my thesis is that this history is characterized by the church's appreciation, sometimes implicit rather than consciously formulated, that we face a series of difficult 'tensions' in our reading of Scripture ... The attempt to hold these seeming polarities in tension is the principle that brings unity to the great diversity of problems surrounding the history of biblical interpretation.' Some examples of these areas of tension are, 'To what extent should we understand the biblical language as being literal and to what extent as figurative?' 'The Bible is God's Word, yet what it has come to is through human beings and in human form.' 'The commands of God are absolute, yet the historical context of the writings appear to relativize certain elements.' 'God's message should be clear, yet many passages seem to be ambiguous.' By showing how the church in the past has dealt with these same issues, Silva provide the reader with a clearer insight into the contemporary problems of interpretation.

Meaning and Understanding

The Philosophical Framework for Biblical Interpretation

1991

Hermeneutics

Literary Approaches to Biblical Interpretation

1987

Paperback. Very good; previous owner's name, stamps, and dates within.

God, Language and Scripture

Reading the Bible in the Light of General Linguistics

1991

The primary aim of God, Language and Scripture is to provide guidance in the use of biblical languages. Secondarily this volume initiates the reader to the wonders and workings of language and points out how language is often misused, especially in regard to the Bible. This volume, however, in no way anticipates all the ways of mishandling language. Silva's emphasis is on "global" rather than detailed concerns (though selected specific examples are used) of how language is misused. The book includes an account of the birth and growth of modern linguistics, an appreciation of its interdisciplinary character, particularly its ties with literary criticism, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and science. It surveys all levels of language description, but emphasizes the semantic and stylistic aspects of grammar and syntax, vocabulary, and discourse. In addition, it considers the transmission of the Bible (textual criticism and translation) as a mode of linguistic communication and interpretive process.

Art of Biblical History, The

1733

A brilliant treatment of the relationship between history and the art of history-writing in the Old Testament in the light of modern hermeneutical debate. Deliberately echoing the titles of Robert Alter's seminal 'The art of biblical narrative' and 'The art of biblical poetry', Dr Long engages the issues of the nature of history, the importance of historicity, and modern disagreements over historicity at a conceptual level, and he then provides an extended case study on 'The Rise of Saul'.

science and Hermeneutics

1988

'Many years ago, upon reading Thomas S. Kuhn's work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, I was taken aback by the obvious parallels between the subject of that book and the field of biblical exegesis. It seemed strange then—and more so now after all these years—that no one had sought to draw out the implications of Kuhn's ideas for better understanding the conflicts that frequently arise over the interpretation of Scripture.' (from the preface) In this new volume of the Foundation of Contemporary Interpretation series, Vern Poythress gives an explanation of the conflicts that often arise between science and the interpretation of scripture. Novices and experts alike will be fascinated by the author's clear and perceptive account of the relationship between science and hermeneutics. Poythress' analysis will - help students of the Bible appreciate the origin and nature of interpretive disputes, - aid students in developing exegetical skills, and - allow students to examine opposing views.

The Study of Theology

1991

The Study of Theology address two major concerns—the place of biblical hermeneutics and practical theology. The author discusses the hermeneutical implications of biblical, historical, systematic, and practical theology and presents a case for the relationship between exegesis and the other theological disciplines. However, the relationship between hermeneutics and practical theology is also essential. According to the author, "the traditional forms of theology and preaching frequently fail the tests of exegesis and contemporary theologizing while, at the same time, most contemporary theology and exegesis fails to address directly the needs of the church." Muller presents a case for the structure of hermeneutics and argues that it is essential to the church because "theological training as a whole . . . ought to reflect the life of the church and be of value to the life of the church."Author Biography: Richard A. Muller (Ph.D., Duke) is professor of historical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI.

Authors

V. Philips Long

Author · 2 books

V. Phillips Long (Ph.D., Cambridge) is professor of Old Testament, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Moisés Silva

Author · 7 books

Moisés Silva (PhD, University of Manchester) has taught biblical studies at Westmont College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He lives in Litchfield, Michigan.

Royce Gordon Gruenler

Author · 1 books

Tremper Longman

Author · 34 books

Tremper Longman III (PhD, Yale University) is the Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Before coming to Westmont, he taught at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia for eighteen years. He has authored or coauthored numerous books, including An Introduction to the Old Testament, How to Read Proverbs, and commentaries on Daniel, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Jeremiah and Lamentations, and Song of Songs.

Vern Sheridan Poythress

Author · 28 books

Vern Sheridan Poythress was born in 1946 in Madera, California, where he lived with his parents Ransom H. Poythress and Carola N. Poythress and his older brother Kenneth R. Poythress. After teaching mathematics for a year at Fresno State College (now California State University at Fresno), he became a student at Westminster Theological Seminary, where he earned an M.Div. (1974) and a Th.M. in apologetics (1974). He received an M.Litt. in New Testament from University of Cambridge (1977) and a Th.D. in New Testament from the University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa (1981). He has been teaching in New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia since 1976. In 1981 he was ordained as a teaching elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church Evangelical Synod, which has now merged with the Presbyterian Church in America. More information about his teaching at Westminster can be found at the Westminster Seminary website. Dr. Poythress studied linguistics and Bible translation at the Summer Institute of Linguistics in Norman Oklahoma in 1971 and 1972, and taught linguistics at the Summer Institute of Linguistics in the summers of 1974, 1975, and 1977. He has published books on Christian philosophy of science, theological method, dispensationalism, biblical law, hermeneutics, Bible translation, and Revelation. A list of publications is found on this website. Dr. Poythress married his wife Diane in 1983, and they have two children, Ransom and Justin. He has side interests in science fiction, string figures, volleyball, and computers. The family lived on a farm until he was five years old. When he was nine years old he made a public commitment to Christ and was baptized in Chowchilla First Baptist Church, Chowchilla, California. The family later moved to Fresno, California, and he graduated from Bullard High School in Fresno. He earned a B.S. in mathematics from California Institute of Technology (1966) and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Harvard University (1970).