Defining Hermeneutics, Identifying Hermeneutical Issues, and Suggesting a Response

Ok, so most of you know I am in classes at Tabor College finishing up my bachelor's degree. I want to keep up with my blog, but that gets tight when I'm already writing so much for class! Soooo.... I thought I would share some of my homework with all of you and see what you think. This post is on the wonders of Hermeneutics. It's a word that we've almost never heard, but it's something we do all of the time when it comes to reading Scripture. Hopefully, this will be enlightening!

Defining Hermeneutics as it pertains to the Bible is not a simple task. There are so many variables to take into account that it can be absolutely mind-boggling to make sense of all the potential definitions. However, in reading and researching, I believe that I have a definition of what hermeneutics is to me as it pertains to Scripture. Hermeneutics is the process of taking the original intent of a passage of Scripture (found by proper exegesis) and seeing how, or if, it applies to the time, place, and circumstances in which we live today.

Even with proper exegesis, we still come up against issues as we try to apply Scripture to our lives hermeneutically. While there are many, let us focus on three. The first of these is what Fee and Stuart call “The Basic Rule.” “a text cannot mean what it never could have meant to its author, or his or her readers…This rule does not always help one find out what a text means, but it does help set limits as to what it cannot mean. (Fee & Stuart, 74).”

The second focus issue is that of “Cultural Relativity”. This issue is particularly troublesome, due to the complete differences in cultures all across the globe. As Fee and Stuart put it, “The point is that it is extremely difficult to be consistent here, precisely because there is no such thing as a divinely ordained culture; cultures are in fact different, not only from the first to the twenty-first century, but in every conceivable way in the twenty-first century itself (81).”

The third issue has to do with the Biblical text being put in isolation. This approach attempts to detach the text from any and all external factors, including the author and the cultural setting. In doing so, it supposedly allows the text to say what it wants to any time, place, culture, or people. Jack K. Willsey of the Northwest Baptist Seminary says, “This approach assumes that meaning is a factor of written sentences, not the intention of the author nor the bias of the reader (NARBC Preaching Seminar, 2000).”

In response to the first focus issue, it is of the utmost importance that we do not allow our interpretation of Scripture to convey a meaning that it could not originally convey. First and foremost, our efforts should be to perform an exhaustive exegesis of the passage we intend to interpret. Only then can we get a solid idea of the author’s original intent. Once we know what the passage was trying to convey to those it was written to, we can begin the process of interpretation for our current place, time, culture, and people. By following “The Basic Rule”, we can assure ourselves of making less hermeneutical mistakes when interpreting Scripture.

Finding and Developing My Strengths in Life and Ministry

Have you ever really wondered what your strengths are? I never really did, until I got into my classes through the Tabor College Adult Degree Completion program. I hadn't ever really thought about "strengths" per say, but rather, had continually "done things' that turned out well, and so figured that there must be something more to it. Part of my first class module was focused on finding strengths. To that end, we went through Strengths Quest by Donald Clifton and Edward Anderson. The finds were very intriguing!

There are certain things all of us do that seem to be second nature. These things just come naturally, and require little to no effort. Call them gifts, talents, or quirks if you wish, but each of us have certain strengths of character that I believe are built into us as God knits us together in our mother's womb. These strengths, when harnessed, have the ability to produce success in life, learning, and ministry. After taking the Strengths Quest test online (www.strengthsquest.com), I discovered that my top five strengths are as follows: 1. Strategic, 2. Communication, 3. Belief, 4. Developer, 5. Responsibility. These five strengths, when used together, create an opportunity to greatly increase my ability to succeed.

The first strength in my list is Strategic. According to the StrengthsQuest book, I am able to "sort through clutter to find the best route... This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity (67)". I've seen this particular strength in my life from many sources. I've always been good at critical analysis, and coming up with a rock solid plan that turns chaos into calm isn't hard for me to do. People have given me the reputation of one that "just gets it done", and that ability has served me well.

In ministry, this particular strength comes in very handy when revamping current ministry events and creating new ones. When working with so many volunteers, it can be challenging to focus everyone's attention on a particular issue. By harnessing this strength, I am able to clearly identify what needs to be done, delegate those responsibilities, and see it through to completion.

The second strength in my list is Communication. From an early age, I learned how to clearly communicate ideas and opinions. Public speaking or performing hasn't been an issue for me at any point in recent memory, and when I have the opportunity to speak, I am excited and challenged to make it something that will stick in people's minds for a long while. I want my word pictures to "pique their interest, sharpen their world, and inspire them to act (Clifton/Anderson/Schreiner, 36)". As a minister, this strength is used on an almost daily basis, as I preach, teach, counsel, and shepherd my congregation. Communication is of utmost importance if I am to bring the Gospel to the masses in fresh, relevant, and relational ways.

The third strength in my list is Belief. My parents instilled a need to believe in something greater than myself from birth. They told me the stories of the Bible, showed me the wonders of God, and lived a lifestyle that exuded the essence of living as a Christ-follower. It is my belief in Jesus Christ that gives me the hope to face each day head-on, and that belief guides my thoughts, decisions, and actions each moment of each day. StrengthsQuest says that "When you live your life according to your deepest values and beliefs, you experience motivation, drive, and determination (34)". I find this to be absolutely true for me. It is in living my life for Jesus that I find the motivation to move forward in every aspect of life and ministry. My beliefs reach every corner of my being, and give me the desire to instill those beliefs in my children, my friends, and in those who walk through the doors of my church each week.

The fourth strength in my list is Developer. This is what I would call "shepherding" in ministry terms. This strength is what gives me the ability to see things in others, and the desire to bring it out of them. I was in bands for years, and it was always a joy to bring along players and watch their abilities grow. As a worship minister, it is part of my job to develop players and singers of all ages, so that they might work together for the glory of God and edification of the Body. The most important part of this development is not musical in nature; it is the spiritual aspect that is, in fact, the most essential. As StrengthsQuest says, "When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow (44)".

The fifth and final strength in my list is Responsibility. As I mentioned earlier, I'm the guy that gets labeled as one who "just gets it done". When I take something on, it is important to me that it get done correctly. I want it to be the absolute best it can be so that it can be as successful as possible! Unfortunately, I can be this way to a fault. StrengthsQuest says "With the responsibility you feel to the people who come to you and with the demands that each of them brings, you might feel overwhelmed and under pressure to perform (63)". In ministry, as someone with a strength in responsibility, it is very easy to take on too much and want it all to be too perfect. It's for God and His people, right? If so, then it HAS to be perfect! I must watch myself in this area constantly, or my strength of responsibility can become a weakness of taking on too much responsibility.

With these five strengths now being defined for me, I have the ability to harness each of them directly. It is my hope that this will make a positive impact on myself, my family, my congregation, and the world.