Reading the Sacred Text: An Introduction to Biblical Studies

✍ Scribed by V. George Shillington

• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 333
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

A comprehensive manual for anyone wishing to become competent in reading and understanding the Scriptures of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The chapters of this book introduce the reader to all aspects of biblical studies. They guide the reader through the maze, from 'Venturing In' to 'Negotiated Reading'. There are sections on, for example, considering the self-consciousness of the reader/interpreter, the interaction of the tradition with the text of Scripture through the ages, the various literary genres together with the principal forms within the larger biblical documents, ways of reading the text in the modern and post-modern periods, how the academic reading of Scripture and the church reading interact, the relation between competent reading of the sacred text and the preparation and delivery of the sermon, the place of dialogue in the interpretive process. The conclusion sums up the discussion throughout the book and focuses the issues for a competent reading of the Bible and related writings. Student-friendly features include, at the end of each chapter: --An Objective, summarizing the content and objective of the chapter 12-14 lead questions with act as in-depth study exercises--Full bibliography and suggestions for further reading

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 8
Abbreviations......Page 9
Preface......Page 10
1. Introduction......Page 12
Part I: VENTURING INTO BIBLICAL STUDIES......Page 20
2. A Place to Start......Page 23
3. Method Making Methods......Page 39
4. Aspects of Meaning......Page 56
5. Language, Speech and Text......Page 74
Part II: RESPECTING THE TRADITIONS REASONABLY......Page 92
6. Writing the Biblical Texts......Page 95
7. These Books as a Rule......Page 121
8. Behind the Printed Text......Page 148
9. In Other Words......Page 184
Part III: READING THE SCRIPTURES RESPONSIBLY......Page 214
10. The Inter-Act of Reading......Page 217
11. Modern Ways of Reading the Ancient Scriptures......Page 230
12. Other Ways of Reading the Same Scriptures......Page 255
13. Negotiated Reading......Page 287
14. Conclusion......Page 303
Bibliography......Page 308
Scripture References......Page 325
W......Page 328
G......Page 329
R......Page 330
W......Page 331
P......Page 332
T......Page 333