Digital Logos Edition
Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation seeks to identify and clarify the basic problems of interpretation that affect our reading of the Bible today. This unique volume provides a comprehensive and systematic coverage of the field of general hermeneutics. Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation examines the impact of specific academic disciplines on the interpretation of the Bible. Previously published as separate volumes, its various sections explore the interface between hermeneutics and literary criticism, linguistics, history, science, and theology.
“It may be useful, however, to point out that all of the contributors, committed as they are to the divine authority of Scripture, assume from the start that a right relationship with its divine author is the most fundamental prerequisite for proper biblical interpretation.” (Page 15)
“We must recall this basic principle: the richness and divine origin of the biblical message are not compromised by the naturalness and simplicity of the form in which God has chosen to communicate to us.” (Page 201)
“First, we must recognize that genre criticism is primarily a descriptive and not a prescriptive enterprise.” (Page 309)
“The main contribution of the Protestant Reformers to biblical hermeneutics is their insistence on the plain meaning of Scripture.” (Page 62)
“But then a reaction developed among a number of scholars who argued that the literary piece itself had an existence quite independent of its author. The meaning of the composition, therefore, could not be tied to the author’s intention.” (Page 21)
It leads students from the most fundamental building blocks of interpretation (including skills that most beginning students lack) through all the essential processes.
—Craig S. Keener, Professor of New Testament, Eastern Seminary
Moisés Silva taught biblical studies at Westmont College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Seminary. He is the author or coauthor of eight books, and the revising editor of the Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible.