In this brief treatise, Vern Poythress offers a defense of reading the Bible from multiple perspectives. He effectively argues that we not only CAN, but SHOULD do so! The Word of God is rich and multi-faceted and we more fully appreciate its depth and wealth as we refuse to view it only from a single perspective with which we are most comfortable and familiar.
Poythress is careful to distinguish between gaining understanding through multiple perspectives and relativizing truth. Boundaries for interpretation DO exist but are often not as narrow as we would like to make them (tightly defined words/terms or a particular systematic theology). Reading Genesis from the perspective of the biblical theme of justice will naturally cause us to notice different truths than when we read it with a focus on imagery, or particular words, or a view to seeing Christ. The nearly infinite variety of perspectives from which we can legitimately approach the Scriptures (words, themes, motifs, organizing principles, morals, etc.), especially when those perspectives are then layered on top of and interwoven with each other, enriches our understanding and allows us to experience the depths of God's Truth in ways we otherwise might not!
A quick and fairly easy read.
4 comments:
I've been wanting to read this for a while. Maybe over Thanksgiving break, or a few Sundays I'll get it done.
It'll only take you a few hours...at the most! Do it! Not life-changing, but helpful.
Where did you hear of this? I'm just curious because you seem not only to read a lot but also to read from diverse genres. I would like to read this but would probably not run across it on my own. I am usually reading something for my kids. Christina McD
I heard about it from someone at church. Same with Trinity & Reality. I enjoy history, literature, biography, theology and poetry, so I mainly stay within those genres. My recommendations often come from friends, pastors, or authors I read regularly.
One day when you are no longer homeschooling, you'll have opportunities to broaden your horizons!
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