Class Arguments

I'm one to play devil's advocate in many arguments if I believe assumptions are being made, or standards being taught that aren't universal. I've had the opportunity to start a couple of these arguments in the first two days of classes. I've got plenty to say about the grading scale, about expository preaching, and about inductive and deductive styles to hermeneutics, but those might bore you, which means I'll maybe write about them some other night.

Instead, I'm going to talk about blind spots. We all bring approaches and assumptions to interpreting things we read. No matter what it is we are reading, we are affected, but I'm going to talk specifically about how we are affected by these assumptions when we read the Bible.

I call these assumptions blind spots, because most of them we do unconsciously and don't know that we do. They are in the blind spots of our minds, and we typically can't just look at them. Fortunately, we can find clarification from those looking at us, who see our blind spots clearly, as we see theirs, and both can benefit from mutual discussion.

Lets start with some examples. Some people feel that the small parts of the Bible need to be understood first to make the whole count. Do you take each verse or chapter separately? Do you view them as their own entity with their own specific meaning, or do you view them as a small part of a large whole? The second is those who feel you need to understand the large picture, and basic stories before you are capable of understanding the small parts of the text.

Do you seek to find comforting verses when struggling with scripture? If you come across something like Paul's writing that says we are saved by grace alone, do you refer to James to get faith without works is dead passages or vice versa to comfort yourself or do you allow scripture to continue to challenge you?

Do you assume things about the scriptures through assumptions about God? For example, some people assume redemptive movement in all cases of scripture. God is always redeeming, even if by process, people to himself. Thus all scripture needs to be read in that light. Or maybe you assume historical context is worthless. Is scripture time tested enough that the author's original meaning is less important than the meaning I derive, or do we need to focus solely on the author's original meaning?

We all come to scripture, and other readings, with certain assumptions and expectations. Some of them help us to clarify scripture more accurately, while others impede us from the process and progress that God would have us make.

I know that I make assumptions as I read. I'm looking now for people who can help me find them, and anyone who wants to discuss what a healthy list of "assumptions" or understandings would be to overlay in my mind as I read scripture.

Above all, I pray that the Holy Spirit's presence be more aware to us as we read scripture and that its influence reign above all of those assumptions.