A little blog from an upstart theologian that will do its best to exemplify Christ while sharing a thing or two along the way.
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| Preachin's Blog A little blog from an upstart theologian that will do its best to exemplify Christ while sharing a thing or two along the way. |
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Monday, April 19, 2004 Whose Intention?In confronting the matters of hermeneutics it is vital answer first whose intention it is that determines the meaning of a particular text. Christian scholarship has labored under the burdensome eye of the modern critique of Scripture for some time now. Under this view of Scripture it is possible to use various tools to approach the Scriptural text, open it up and find out, through some scientific method-style formula the one meaning of the text. This view, which has emerged since the Enlightenment, holds that sometimes the author's(') presuppositions and cultural conditions have gotten in the way of the true meaning of the text. The proponents of the modern critique of Scripture have assembled a vast array of tools and hermeneutical algorithms as they attempt to access the text's true meaning. The modern critique of Scripture has given way to many reactionary critical arguments, the blatant disregard for authorship, and a host of über-liberal assaults on the legitimacy of Scripture. The modernist proponent sees the text has holding a singularity of meaning in the text which can be accessed via the authorial intent, yet this intent is historically conditioned. The modernist attempts to say that they are getting into the text, finding the true meaning, through some oblique objective, neutral scholarship wherein they have no nasty presuppositions but can look at the text (through their "scientific" critical apparatus) and find that singular meaning. The problem is they cannot approach the text with a blank mind. Almost completely opposite of the modern critique of Scripture is the postmodern approach. Within this approach the reader of a text confronts the text suspiciously, and self-centeredly. The reader is the arbiter of "truth" in the text and the reader's interpretation is as justifiable as any other reader's interpretation. The major delineating factor in accepting a particular read for the postmodernist is taste. It has been suggested that there are an infinite number of interpretations for a text and only our particular taste conditions our reading of a text. The postmodernist uses methods of deconstruction in taking a text, tearing down the text to what the reader sees as its foundations, then rebuilding the text based upon that same reader's taste and personal presuppositions. A troubling vein of contemporary scholarship, postmodernist interpretations have lent the way for feminist, pro-homosexual, political, and sociological reads of text (amongst others) which are contrary to the true intent. A final category to examine as one approaches a text in the search for whose intention is the so called premodern interpretation, or the Ancient Christian Interpretative approach. This approach is a text centered approach which a generous (I would say a charitable) read and suggests that the author's intention(s) for the meaning(s) of a text are conditioned by the rule of faith. The rule of faith is what is in accordance to the apostolic teaching of the early church coupled with the character of the interpreter. It is a hard thing to allow a pornographer or a practicing homosexual to give a legitimate interpretation of a text when they can not meet the criteria of sound moral character. If a particular interpretation violates parts of Scripture, that interpretation has violated the rule faith. The context of the text is found canonically and though certainly there are presuppositions of the inspired author, these presuppositions are seen by the premodern interpreter as legitimate since the author was accorded the grace and anointing of God in his (or her) work of constructing the text. On the matter of meanings of a text, the premodern interpreter sees a great number of possible meanings so long as they meet the rule of faith and are in accordance with Scriptural teaching. As well the human author, because of his (or her) inspired state during the creation of the text, might have not thought of certain meanings of a text that they were penning (an example might be Isaiah 53) yet the Christological meaning is wholly legitimate and the divine authorial intent when seen in correlation with the rest of Scripture (particularly the New Testament accounts.) This said it is certainly worthwhile to gather that the author's intent is supreme. The intent is supreme and the intent is legitimate no matter the presuppositions or cultural situation of the author. Now it is notable that the author is not specified here yet, for it is my view that Scripture being wholly inspired by God is for the Christian's edification (2 Tim 3:16f; 2 Peter 1:19ff) and the human author's were given revelation from God that, when brought through their own language, personalities, and circumstances produced a work that is without any mixture of fallibility or misleading testimony. It is the intentions of the divine author, carried through by the human author, which are the true meaning(s) of a text. With texts having several interpretations it is understandable to have primary, subsquent, and derived meanings and uses of a text...so long as they meet the primary criterion of holding to the rule of faith. I have spoken far too much on this. I close with a quote from the great Christian scholar Augustine to stress my point even further: "But when from the same words of Scripture not just one, but two or more meanings may be extracted, even if you cannot tell which of them the writer intended, there is no risk if they can all be shown from other of the holy Scriptures to correspond with the truth. However, those who are engaged in searching the divine utterances must make every effort to arrive at the intention of the author through whom the Holy Spirit produced that portion of Scripture." De Doctrina Christiana Book III section 38 posted by Preachin Jesus | 4:14 PM | |
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