At 50 something, like is starting to mean a lot of different things. What most boggles my mind, is how little i was taught.. how little my parents really knew, at ... it is endless....
I stumbled upon this book by accident, in a sense, but upon opening and reading the pages, found a wealth of knowledge I wish I had been given much earlier.
Here are some quotes....
"Gerkin asks, "Does the image of the person ... as a living human document open to us a possible way of ...."
The 5 questions
Who Am I? The Pre-Understanding of the Interpreter
What we know, how we feel, what we believe, and how we make decisions impact how we interpret new information. In what ways does interpreting the Bible and people start with an honest self-understanding?
What Is Pre-Understanding?
We don’t come to interpretation as blank slates. Our previous education and ex- periences affect how we interpret what see, hear, and read. Whether the document is written or human, our pre-understanding shapes our interpretation. In a very practical sense, interpretation begins with the interpreter in four areas:⁸
1. What I Know What information do I already possess about the subject I am interpreting? Is this a new area of study for which I have little or no information? In regards to biblical interpretation: Have I studied this Bible passage before? Am I familiar with this genre? Do I know the history and culture of the time? In regards to pastoral counseling: Have I counseled this person before or someone similar? Am I familiar with the general issue this person is facing? Is there any important information I need which I currently do not have?
2. How I Feel What are the feelings I have about the subject I am interpreting? In what ways will my mood (positively or negatively) impact my interpretation? Regarding biblical interpretation: Is this passage of Scripture exciting or a burden? Will this text cause unwanted reactions from the congregation? Is this a subject I preach on regularly because I am so passionate about it? With regard to pastoral counseling: How do I feel about the person I am counseling? Is the session interesting or boring, life- giving or annoying? Do I feel hurried, tired, restless, or frustrated for some reason?
3. What I Believe What theological, moral, political, or philosophical views do I possess that shape my interpretation? In what ways is my worldview predetermining how I read a text or person? In regards to biblical interpretation: Am I Calvinistic, Arminian, Dispensational, Covenantal, or Reformed? Am I a Cessationist or Continuationist? Am I Complementarian or Egalitarian? Regarding pastoral counseling: Is addiction to be considered a sin or a disease? How do people grieve properly? What do I be- lieve about marriage, divorce, and remarriage? What are my views on parenting or aging?
4. How I Decide What is my cognitive style? What is my methodology when it comes to thinking through issues? With regards to biblical interpretation: Am I inductive or deduc- tive? Am I linear or non-linear? Are the first questions I ask historical/scientific or literary/narrative? In regards to pastoral counseling: Is my process slower and rela- tional or more diagnostic and problem-solution oriented? Do I quote Scripture or try to draw Scripture from the people I am counseling? Do I see people as indi- viduals or as part of larger systems and families? Our pre-understanding is like a storehouse. We draw from it to know what to ask and what we need not ask. It guides our thinking process and shapes how we make sense of what we are learning.
Our pre-understanding is like a storehouse. We draw from it to know what to ask and what we need not ask. It guides our thinking process and shapes how we make sense of what we are learning.
Our pre-understanding comes from our education, but is also formed and shaped by our spiritual giftedness, personality, vocational experience, cultural background, family dynamics, religious upbringing, successes and failures, and a variety of other sources. We bring this storehouse to the interpretive act.
It is important to note that our pre-understanding should not be the basis for our interpretation. It is important and necessary, but also comes with its problems. “Our pre-understanding is our friend, not our enemy. It provides a set of under- standings by which we can make sense of what we read. The problem is that our pre-understanding too easily becomes prejudice . . . The reader’s background and ideas are important in the study of biblical truth; however, this must be used to study meaning rather than create meaning that is not there.”⁹
Is My Pre-Understanding Helping or Harming?
Our pre-understanding is like a reflex. When we read, see, or hear something, we
... As helpful as it often is, our pre-understanding can also lead us in the wrong direction.
I am reminded of an instance when I was working with a family dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. One day I got a call from the husband. His wife was suffering an episode and didn’t recognize him. I encouraged him to find their wedding photo album and try to convince her that they were married. Faithfully trusting his pastor, he followed my suggestions, but it didn’t help. His wife became increasingly frus- trated as more of my suggestions did little to help. I spoke with her over the phone and tried to talk her into believing he was her husband. It was futile. The problem was my pre-understanding. I had limited information about Alzheimer’s disease. After meeting privately with a social worker with expertise in this area and reading a Christian book on the subject, I learned that someone with Alzheimer’s simply can- not be talked out of an episode like this. There are other ways to help them, like focusing on their feelings, redirecting their attention, or reevaluating their medica- tions. This is what makes this disease so painful and exhausting for caregivers. A limited or flawed pre-understanding can result in ineffective and possibly harmful ministry.
Are You “Drawing from” or “Reading into”?
Are You Transferring Your Baggage?
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Main Ideas • We interpret life based on our previously held information, attitudes, ideology, and methodology. This is called our pre-understanding. • Our pre-understanding can be helpful or harmful. • We should seek to regularly inventory and enhance our storehouse of pre- understanding with facts, memories, and imagination. • Our automatic thoughts, emotions, and simple cues from our body are ways in which we can be aware that our pre-understanding is being triggered. • We should always be revisiting and revising our pre-understanding.
2 What Do You Mean?
Listening for Authorial Intention
Words, phrases, and ideas have different meanings to different people. How can we learn to listen to and understand what a text or person is trying to say rather than assuming we already know what they mean?
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1. Am I Honest with Myself? We must be honest about how easy it is for our ideas and intentions to become more important than the author’s. In regards to biblical interpretation: Can I admit that I am biased towards certain interpretations, views, and genres?
