Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes

Author : E. Randolph Richards
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830863478
Total Pages : 241 pages
Book Rating : 4.71/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes written by E. Randolph Richards and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2012-07-31 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over 100,000 Copies Sold Worldwide! ECPA Bronze Sales Award Bookwi.se's Favorite Books of the Year What was clear to the original readers of Scripture is not always clear to us. Because of the cultural distance between the biblical world and our contemporary setting, we often bring modern Western biases to the text. For example: When Western readers hear Paul exhorting women to "dress modestly," we automatically think in terms of sexual modesty. But most women in that culture would never wear racy clothing. The context suggests that Paul is likely more concerned about economic modesty—that Christian women not flaunt their wealth through expensive clothes, braided hair and gold jewelry. Some readers might assume that Moses married "below himself" because his wife was a dark-skinned Cushite. Actually, Hebrews were the slave race, not the Cushites, who were highly respected. Aaron and Miriam probably thought Moses was being presumptuous by marrying "above himself." Western individualism leads us to assume that Mary and Joseph traveled alone to Bethlehem. What went without saying was that they were likely accompanied by a large entourage of extended family. Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own crosscultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways. Getting beyond our own cultural assumptions is increasingly important for being Christians in our interconnected and globalized world. Learn to read Scripture as a member of the global body of Christ.

Author : E. Randolph Richards
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830843795
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.94/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes written by E. Randolph Richards and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2020-10-13 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bible was written within collectivist cultures. When Westerners, immersed in individualism, read the Bible, it's easy to misinterpret important elements—or miss them altogether. In any culture, the most important things usually go without being said. So to read Scripture well we benefit when we uncover the unspoken social structures and values of its world. We need to recalibrate our vision. Combining the expertise of a biblical scholar and a missionary practitioner, Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes is an essential guidebook to the cultural background of the Bible and how it should inform our reading. E. Randolph Richards and Richard James explore deep social structures of the ancient Mediterranean—kinship, patronage, and brokerage—along with their key social tools—honor, shame, and boundaries—that the biblical authors lived in and lie below the surface of each text. From Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar to Peter's instructions to elders, the authors strip away individualist assumptions and bring the world of the biblical writers to life. Expanding on the popular Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, this book makes clear how understanding collectivism will help us better understand the Bible, which in turn will help us live more faithfully in an increasingly globalized world.

Author : E. Randolph Richards
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830873325
Total Pages : 229 pages
Book Rating : 4.26/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Paul Behaving Badly written by E. Randolph Richards and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2016-11-01 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The apostle Paul was kind of a jerk. He was arrogant and stubborn. He called his opponents derogatory, racist names. He legitimized slavery and silenced women. He was a moralistic, homophobic killjoy who imposed his narrow religious views on others. Or was he? Randolph Richards and Brandon O'Brien explore the complicated persona and teachings of the apostle Paul. Unpacking his personal history and cultural context, they show how Paul both offended Roman perspectives and scandalized Jewish sensibilities. His vision of Christian faith was deeply disturbing to those in his day and remains so in ours. Paul behaved badly, but not just in the ways we might think. Take another look at Paul and see why this "worst of sinners" dares to say, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

Author : Richard Schultz
Publisher : Baker Books
ISBN 13 : 1441238883
Total Pages : 188 pages
Book Rating : 4.87/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Out of Context written by Richard Schultz and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although 92% of American households own at least one Bible, their use of the Bible varies significantly. Only 59% of Americans read the Bible at least occasionally, and an even smaller percentage go beyond merely reading the Bible and actually study it. It is no wonder that even those who say they read the Scriptures often don't understand them. Veteran Bible professor Richard L. Schultz believes the misinterpretation and misapplication of biblical texts amounts to a crisis of "interpretive malpractice." In Out of Context he seeks to explain how biblical interpretation goes wrong and how to get it right. He introduces readers to the important concepts of context, word meaning, genre, and the differences between the world of the Bible and our own. Readers who delve into the fascinating world of biblical interpretation found in this book will find their Scripture reading enhanced and be enlightened by Schultz's powerful and ultimately positive message.

Author : David B. Capes
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830889027
Total Pages : 478 pages
Book Rating : 4.20/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Rediscovering Paul written by David B. Capes and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2017-11-21 with total page 478 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For some of us, the apostle Paul is intimidating, like a distant and difficult uncle. Maybe not someone you'd like to hang out with at a coffee shop on a rainy day. He'd make a scene, evangelize the barista, and arouse looks across the room. For a mid-morning latte, we'd prefer Jesus over Paul. But Paul is actually the guy who—from Ephesus to Athens—was the talk of the marketplace, the raconteur of the Parthenon. He knew everyone, founded emerging churches, loved the difficult people, and held his own against the intellectuals of his day. If you’re willing to give Paul a try, Rediscovering Paul is your reliable guide. This is a book that reacquaints us with Paul, as if for the first time. Drawing on the best of contemporary scholarship, and with language shaped by teaching and conversing with today's students, Rediscovering Paul is a textbook that has passed the test. Now in a reworked edition, it's better than ever. There are fresh discussions of Paul’s letter writing and how those letters were received in the churches, new considerations of pseudonymity and the authenticity of Paul’s letters, and updated coverage of recent developments in interpreting Paul. from Paul’s conversion and call to his ongoing impact on church and culture, this second edition of Rediscovering Paul comes enthusiastically recommended.

Author : Glenn R. Paauw
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830851240
Total Pages : 233 pages
Book Rating : 4.49/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Saving the Bible from Ourselves written by Glenn R. Paauw and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2016-03-30 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Has dividing the Bible into chapters and verses led to sampling Scripture rather than reading it deeply? According to author Glenn R. Paauw, misreading the Bible has divorced it from its context, leaving only a database of quick answers to life's questions. In these pages he introduces us to seven new understandings of Scripture to help us read and live the Bible well.

Author : Barbara M. Bowen
Publisher : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9780802815118
Total Pages : 132 pages
Book Rating : 4.11/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Strange Scriptures That Perplex the Western Mind written by Barbara M. Bowen and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 1943-04-30 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With fascinating insights into biblical customs and conditions--many of which exist today in the Middle East--Bowen clarifies over 100 scriptural texts and phrases that often puzzle Western readers unfamiliar with the culture of Bible times.

Author : Dan Kimball
Publisher : Zondervan
ISBN 13 : 0310113768
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.68/5 ( download)

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Download or read book How (Not) to Read the Bible written by Dan Kimball and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is Reading the Bible the Fastest Way to Lose Your Faith? For centuries, the Bible was called "the Good Book," a moral and religious text that guides us into a relationship with God and shows us the right way to live. Today, however, some people argue the Bible is outdated and harmful, with many Christians unaware of some of the odd and disturbing things the Bible says. Whether you are a Christian, a doubter, or someone exploring the Bible for the first time, bestselling author Dan Kimball guides you step-by-step in how to make sense of these difficult and disturbing Bible passages. Filled with stories, visual illustrations, and memes reflecting popular cultural objections, How (Not) to Read the Bible is a lifeline for individuals who are confused or discouraged with questions about the Bible. It also works great as a small-group study or sermon series.

Author : Gary Yamasaki
Publisher : James Clarke & Company
ISBN 13 : 0227901703
Total Pages : 163 pages
Book Rating : 4.00/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Perspective Criticism written by Gary Yamasaki and published by James Clarke & Company. This book was released on 2013-02-28 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perspective Criticism sets out a new and illuminating biblical methodology designed to help the reader of biblical narratives in which there is a character engaged in action but no explicit indication from the storyteller on how the action is to be evaluated. Gary Yamasaki argues that in these cases we are receiving cryptic guidance from the author through the narrative technique of point-of-view. In such cases the methodology of Perspective Criticism may be applied to reveal this abstruse guidance. Gary Yamasaki provides a series of frames of analysis within the theory of Perspective Criticism which may be applied to biblical stories: the spatial, psychological, informational, temporal, phraseological, and ideological perspectives. Because the majority of the point-of-view devices found in biblical narratives are also used in cinematic storytelling, the book includes accessible analyses of film scenes, providing pop-culture illustrations of the workings of the point-of-view perspective. Gary Yamasaki concludes by applying his method to two case studies: the New Testament story of Gamaliel, and the Old Testament story of Gideon. In his work Yamasaki creates a valuable foundation for the deeper understanding of biblical narrative, a gift to anyone who has struggled with the concealed messages that should be divined in biblical point-of-view narratives.

Author : Brad Vaughn
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
ISBN 13 : 0830873619
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.16/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes written by Brad Vaughn and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2019-06-11 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christianity Today's 2020 Book of the Year Award of Merit - Biblical Studies Biblical Foundations Award Finalist What does it mean to “read Romans with Eastern eyes”? Combining research from Asian scholars with his many years of experience living and working in East Asia, Brad Vaughn directs our attention to Paul's letter to the Romans. He argues that some traditional East Asian cultural values are closer to those of the first-century biblical world than common Western cultural values. In addition, he adds his voice to the scholarship engaging the values of honor and shame in particular and their influence on biblical interpretation. As readers, we bring our own cultural fluencies and values to the text. Our biases and background influence what we observe—and what we overlook. This book helps us consider ways we sometimes miss valuable insights because of widespread cultural blind spots. In Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, Vaughn demonstrates how paying attention to East Asian culture provides a helpful lens for interpreting Paul's most complex letter. When read this way, we see how honor and shame shape so much of Paul's message and mission.