Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics

by Jeannine K. Brown

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 2007

Overview

Is the Bible just a book of ancient Israelite and Christian history and practices to be read? Or are we engaging in a more interactive practice when we study God's word? Jeannine K. Brown believes that communication is at the heart of what we do when we open the Bible, that we are actively engaging God in a conversation that can be life changing. By learning about how Scripture communicates, modern readers can extract much more meaning out of the text than they could if simply reading the Bible as though it was a list of rules or a collection of stories. In Scripture as Communication, Brown offers professors, students, church leaders, and laity a basic guide to the theory and practice of biblical interpretation, helping them understand our engagement with Scriptures as primarily a communicative act.

In this basic guide to the theory and practice of biblical hermeneutics, Brown proposes a communication model as an effective approach to interpreting the Bible. Drawing upon thinkers such as Kevin Vanhoozer, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and Anthony Thiselton, she first explicates and then demonstrates how such a model can enhance our ability to understand Scripture. Brown's fresh, engaging voice comes through in this clearly written guide for professors, students, and church leaders.

Key Features

• Offers both theoretical and practical perspectives
• An excellent resource for students, church leaders, and laity
• Includes an index to guide your research

Contents

Top Highlights

“what is hermeneutics? The short answer is that hermeneutics is the study of the activity of interpretation.” (Page 20)

“Literary context is defined as the written material surrounding a text in question.” (Page 24)

“Meaning is what we are trying to grasp when we interpret.” (Page 22)

“Contextualization is the task of bringing a biblical author’s meaning to bear in other times and cultures. To shift the emphasis a bit, to contextualize is to hear Scripture’s meaning speak in new contexts.” (Page 25)

“The genre of a biblical text or book refers to its classification as a specific kind of literature.” (Page 24)

Praise for the Print Edition

This is a very well written and engaging book that should prove to be a very helpful aid to both instructors and students specializing in the field of biblical hermeneutics and communication theory.

—Tony Costa, Review of Biblical Literature

Product Details

• Title: Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics
• Author: Jeannine K. Brown
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Publication Date: 2007
• Pages: 320

About Jeannine K. Brown

Dr. Jeannine Brown has taught at Bethel Seminary for nearly two decades in the areas of New Testament, hermeneutics, and integration. Her books include Scripture as Communication, Becoming Whole and Holy: An Integrative Conversation about Christian Formation,and the forthcoming volume on Matthew in the Teach the Text Commentary series. She’s written various articles that have been published in Journal of Biblical Literature, New Testament Studies, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Journal of Psychology and Theology, and Journal of Psychology and Christianity. She’s also associate editor of the second edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.