Dr. Heiser asks the question of whether reader responses should guide the reading assigned to the Biblical text. He reminds interpreters of the assumptions and presuppositions that are always present in the analysis of Scripture. This gives the ability for Scripture to mean anything, dependent upon each reader’s response to the words.
All readers bring meaning to the text, whether it is conscious or unconscious. In the worldly field, Professional Theologists are faced with the need to be as exacting as possible in the interpretation of Scripture, with the removal of doctrinal and scholastic leanings that are inadequate and misleading, but fully representative of good scholarship and dogma that clearly reveals God’s Truth.
Dr. Heiser speaks of the “Reader Response Theory” that scholars developed into a ridiculous summation that the reader determines meaning of the text always. His account of one of his past professors silencing the author in favor of the response of his students as they read the writings, is a cautionary warning to interpreters that disregard the author’s intent under normal situations. However, interpretation of Scripture has two authors; God writes the words through human helpers. How much consideration should be given those human authors, compared to the important credit and analysis of all Scripture attributed to God, becomes a crucial point in Professional Theologists’ interpretations.
Meaning cannot be known through the analysis of readers’ responses. Many of the disagreements in Bible interpretation today are formed from these type of responses, especially with the issues of debate between conservative and liberal Christians. Professional Theologists can avoid many of these type of problems by:
1. Studying the entire Bible and connecting the Lord throughout each Book, with the realization that the different books of the Bible are not separate when placed within the Canon, but a full testament of Christ from Genesis to Revelation.
2. Adhering to strict standards of the interpretation of Scripture, without reliance upon their personal responses to the reading, but rather, seeking the Truth of God as it is specifically revealed and then finding the deeper meaning through study and scholastic proof and doctrine examination, rather than the easier way of stating of personal opinion by the reader.
3. Self-policing Scripture interpretation to ensure reader response is not a culprit that leads the meaning astray. (Because Professional Theologists are often on their own in the world pronouncing the meaning of the Word of God, it seems there is a critical need to support their professional integrity and skill by establishing a peer review process through the credentialing authority for authorized, licensed Professional Theologists performing those duties).
4. Studying all sides of the different modern-day debates to become informed of the places in Scripture interpretation that do not support a solid meaning base, and cautioning students to be aware of these places.
Professional Theology is a brand new field that prepares strong Christian leaders, both male and female, to fill the gap in the world that hungers for God’s Word, often outside the traditional church settings. As this field develops, the support of these Christian leaders toward a credentialing authority with peer review is critical to the integrity of this ministry effort.
Bibliography
Heiser, Michael S. BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources: LOGOS Bible Software.
Links
About the Author
Kathy L. McFarland is President and Founder of Becker Bible Ministries, Inc. and the Becker Professional Theology Academy. She is also a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, is on track for the Master of Divinity (Professional Ministries Track) degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary & Graduate School in 2016 and will be seeking a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Theology and Apologetics beginning in the fall of 2016. She is the originator of the newest theological movement to encourage Christian leaders to minister within the modern-day marketplace as Professional Theologists. She is also the Curriculum Developer for Becker Professional Theology Academy and a teaching faculty member. Kathy's favorite studies to teach include the connections between Old Testament exegesis, Christian Apologetics, and Bible typology and mysteries.
©2014-2015 Kathy L. McFarland. All Rights Reserved.