Sep

27

2011

Theological Interpretation of Scripture (TIS), a movement which seeks to reclaim the Bible as Scripture for the community of faith, comes as a breath of fresh air into biblical studies.

In Seized by Truth, Green adds his voice to an ongoing discussion about this recovery. He proposes a way of engaging Scripture which retains the insights of historical-critical methods yet which puts them in their appropriate place. Such tools are not goals in themselves but means to achieve the greater goal of leading the community of faith towards transformation and an encounter with Scripture’s ultimate Author. As such, readers can come under Scripture in a way which challenges and changes them, recognizing its immediacy, authority, unity and theological nature. Put succulently, the theological approach to Scripture Green proposes enables readers to be seized by God through his Word.

With this in mind, chapter one stresses “the best methods rightly used guarantee neither a Christian interpretation of the Bible nor a reading of the Bible as Christian Scripture” (10). In fact, critical methods have segregated contemporary and biblical faith, holding that the Bible must be studied objectively to avoid contaminating the evidence (12-16). Against this, Green argues that reading it as Scripture is a theological endeavor which “draws attention to the origin, role, and aim of these texts” (5) and renders more important than interpretive methods the formation of the interpreters who are seeking to perform Scripture.

Chapter two considers the aims, assumptions, commitments and allegiances we bring to the interpretive task. Green discusses “the immediacy of the Scriptures—that is, their capacity to speak clearly not only to their first audiences but also to later peoples faced with fresh challenges” (33). This leads to reflections on receiving the OT as Christian Scripture; the necessity of a ‘conversion’ of interpreters’ imaginations; and the fact that, as those in continuity with Scripture’s people of God and as “model readers,” we can receive Scripture as ‘our book.’

The resources for Green’s approach discussed in chapter three, while including historical-critical tools, are first of all ecclesial-fellowship, doctrine/creeds, multi-faceted critical engagement, and the Spirit’s imbuement; “critical analysis must take [its] place alongside other commitments rather than above them” (65). He rightly stresses “involvement in interpreting Scripture with others who share this posture of “standing under”” (66). Furthermore, by inviting the Spirit into the interpretive process we “deny our autonomy” and “affirm our dependence on the Spirit and on the [Spirit-generated community]” (94).

Chapter four examines the interpretive triad of behind / in / in front of the text. Green concludes all three have a role in interpretation, though he prioritizes the text as it is the “one stable factor in the equation” (124) and because it must be able to trump readers (141). Green then offers a number of suggestions for a close reading of the text while describing the interpretive task in terms of non-rigid “processing.”

Green concludes by discussing Scripture’s authority, identifying three ‘crises’ which contribute to today’s struggle with biblical authority: evangelicalism’s asserting of Scripture’s authority in terms of its propositional content and affirmations about its trustworthiness; the notion that there is an impasse between contemporary faith and biblical message; and the contemporary aversion to any authority external to oneself. Green calls for a renewal of biblical authority so as to “recover the freedom to engage with ancient texts as our texts, and with respect and expectancy, as those who thus might embrace Scripture’s theological vision and be molded according to its patterns of faith and life” (161).