Whos community which interpretation

Others are technically right, but uninspired. Yet, others are judged to be masterful performances. There can be a plurality of performances that fall in this last category, each being different from each other, although they are faithful presentations of the same work Christians should enter into conversation with each other looking for commonalties instead of difference. This does not mean that distinctions are denied, or abolished, only relativized in importance. Convergence, however, is not the final arbiter of meaning.

Westphal ultimately wants to open readers to the voice of the divine Other that speaks through Scripture—revelation, in the Barthian sense. Word and Spirit. I think this book is especially timely for the Adventist community. Beyond this, this book has implications for our community at large, and our relationship to other Christians.

In assuming possession of the truth, we, ironically, shut ourselves off from the truth. Because the book is specifically about the interpretation of the Bible, assuming it to be a the?

The argument of this book raises important questions for Christians as they encounter religious communities that also appeal to different scriptures. What is the relation of Christian Scripture to other kinds of scripture? Several times in the book, Westphal uses the story of six blind men grasping at different parts of an elephant to illustrate the limited nature of human reasoning ; John Hick uses the same illustration to argue that respective religions are similarly perspectival.

Why or why not? Admittedly, this raises difficult questions about the nature of revelation and religious pluralism, and ones I will not attempt to address here, leaving the question open, hopefully, for discussion below.

Any thoughts on the material in these early chapters? Looking forward to part 2 Steve. Well done — the book looks compelling as you present it. How Westphal proposes that anchor to moor the reader reproduction is the key I think. Thanks for your work here. I thought he represented Gadamer alright — for the context, a brief and readable presentation, I think that part was nice.

But Hirsch — cheap caricature in my opinion. Derrida and Foucault, to try to soften deconstruction etc. The language is just over the edge, but more than that, its so emotional it made me uncomfortable.

For all the cheap shots, and even if you disagree with the review, the conservatives def. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. About the series: The Church and Postmodern Culture series features high-profile theorists in continental philosophy and contemporary theology writing for a broad, nonspecialist audience interested in the impact of postmodern theory on the faith and practice of the church.

With his customary clarity of analysis and style, the author debunks the common equation of interpretation with relativism, showing theologians, pastors, and laypeople what the church can learn from philosophical hermeneutics about reading and performing God's word.

Besides showing how 'Athens can be helpful to Jerusalem,' this book provides an excellent introduction to Gadamer's hermeneutics and to the most-central issues and thinkers surrounding interpretation theory, including the important aspects of community and politics. This book is a gift not only to the church but also to anyone looking for a clear and thoughtful introduction to contemporary interpretation theory.

The result is not only a judicious and correct theory of interpretation but also a striking demonstration of what such a humble and respectful hermeneutic looks like in practice. A faithful and learned churchman, Westphal here mines his deep philosophical learning but wears it lightly, enabling beginners to access important insights while inviting others to probe significant issues. This book deserves a wide readership. Gregory Jones, dean of the divinity school and professor of theology, Duke University Praise for the series: "The proposed series is not just a good idea; it is actually essential.

If mission, liturgy, and pastoral care are to be effective today, then churches need a better understanding of so-called postmodern culture as something to be reckoned with and sometimes resisted. Increasingly, there is an educated interest in religion, but there is also a need to be well-informed about postmodern thought and its very complex relation both to postmodern culture to which it is often actually hostile and to religion.

Again the need is for a critical appreciation--not dismissal and not empty adulation. This new series aims to provide this in an accessible manner. I am convinced that the main ideas of postmodernism are actually not as 'difficult' as people suppose and that a clear and simple presentation of them actually assists wider cultural discussion.

An additional purpose of the series is to introduce to a wider audience theologies that are already trying critically to assimilate the postmodern turn. Since some of these, for example Radical Orthodoxy, are intensely focused on the importance of 'church,' it is crucial that this occur. Although it is already happening, it needs to crystallize. This new series may be just the thing to bring it about.