Lesson 2 - Influences

Question 1

Describe the philosophical background of objectivism AND subjectivism in formal hermeneutics. What are some dangers of each approach?

Answer 1

Objectivism (Modernism)

• • Background: Enlightenment
• • Dangers: Can divorce the objective truth from subjective experience. Struggles bringing the truth into the heart and into life.

Subjectivism (Postmodernism)

• • Background: Gadamer’s Truth and Method (1960, 1975) breaks the modernist hold on hermeneutics in the academic world. All readings now fuse 2 horizons (the writer/community then AND the reader/community now). Do I speak to the bible?
• • Danger: Treats the Bible as an equal at best, at worse puts itself above the Bible. Emphasizes feelings and emotions over truth. Yes, we do dialogue, but it is an authority dialogue. We are not dialoguing with an equal, but with authority. We want to dialogue according to the authority’s rules.

Question 2

How do the conceptual (think), emotional (feel), and behavioral (do) dimensions of sanctification affect the interpretation of Scripture?

Answer 2

All things being equal, The more one is Sanctified the better they can interpret the Bible.

a. ) Think: The more our minds conform to Scripture, the better we intellectually understand Scripture (Rom 12:2, Eph 4:23, Col 3:10)
b. ) Feel: The more our emotions conform to Scripture, the better we “get” the correct emotional impact of the passage, along with other implications.
c. ) Do: The more we are acting on God’s commands; the better we understand and obey the Scriptures.

Question 3

How do gifting and callings affect our interpretation of Scripture? Why must we be aware of these influences upon hermeneutics?

Answer 3

1. ) Giftings: God has given sufficient gifts to his church (confidence/assurance), but each individual does not have all giftings/endowments (humility). Individuals have different giftings so we need the whole body of Christ past and present (macro/micro; poetry/logical, think/feel/do)
2. ) Callings: Depending on our calling (in church, home, & society), we sometimes will emphasize different aspects of the Scriptural meaning.

If we are not aware of these influences we will make our biases the standard. As pastor’s we need to have a ordered interpretation of Scripture, so we need to understanding both our weaknesses and strengths.

Question 4

In Pratt’s view, does “hermeneutics” include influences on the interpreter?

Answer 4

Yes, there are many influences on interpretation:

1. ) Sanctification (conceptual, emotional, behavioral)
2. ) Endowments - natural and supernatural gifts (hereditary, environment, etc.)
3. ) Calling (vocational roles/specific projects)

Question 5

Explain how the authority aspect of the “authority-dialogue model” produces a hermeneutical spiral, not simply a hermeneutical circle.

Answer 5

Dialoging with a non-authority never produces certainty, hence the circle.

Through the dialogue progress where the reader examines the Scriptures, interacts in community, and has individual Christian living, the hermeneutic progress looks like a spiral where the reader is getting deeper and deeper into the central meaning of the text.

Question 6

Give an example (not one of Cara’s) of how one’s personal sanctification might influence interpretation.

Answer 6

Rosaria Butterfield: homosexual relationship; didn’t understand the blessing of the promises of Jesus, until she gave up what was everything to her. “Who has given up house and home that won’t receive hundredfold.” She understands the joy of sacrificial living for Jesus because she has trusted and obeyed that promise. She has lived it.

Question 7

Why should a pastor be knowledgeable of his existential weaknesses?

Answer 7

A pastor needs to admit his existential (personal) weaknesses, but also work on elevating them to acceptable minimal standards.

• • Can’t just say, I stink at Poetry/Narrative, I’m never going to preach on them.
• • Can’t just say I don’t like to be around people, or I don’t like to teach the epistles, just the narratives.
• • Have to be able to preach the whole counsel of God.

Question 8

Give two ways that the Reformed Theology heritage covenant-community should positively affect Reformed pastors.

Answer 8

1. ) Heritage provides guidance by giving the interpreter possible answers to biblical questions.
2. ) Should help us during times of suffering, unbelief, lack of assurance, to look back and see the history of God’s faithfulness and perseverance to the church.

Question 9

Which of the following are not Reformed Theology schools or creeds? Dutch school, Scotch Confession, Council of Trent, Old Princeton, New Penn State, Thirty-Nine Articles?

Answer 9

1. ) Council of Trent

2. ) New Penn State