Log In
Or create an account ->
Imperial Library
Home
About
News
Upload
Forum
Help
Login/SignUp
Index
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Foreword, by Amos Yong
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
What This Book Is Not
What Is Spirit Hermeneutics?
Insights from Global Pentecostal Emphases on the Spirit
Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Spirit Hermeneutics
The “Pentecostal” in “Pentecostal Hermeneutics”
Descriptive or Prescriptive?
A More Prescriptive Approach
The Wider Christian Hermeneutic of the Spirit
How Does Illumination Function?
The Wider Christian Tradition Affirms Illumination
Interdenominational Consensus
My Own Background
My Own Development in Thinking
A Legacy from Pentecostal Scholars
I. A Theological Reading Toward Praxis and Mission
1. Reading Experientially
Early Pentecostalism’s Missiological Reading of Acts 2
Looking to Biblical Narratives for Models
The Value in Reading Devotionally
Reading Biblically Is Reading Experientially
A Pentecostal Approach
Experiential Reading in Other Charismatic Hermeneutics
Experiential Reading Is Inevitable
Experiential Reading Is Desirable
Experiential Reading Is Biblical
One-time Events
Conclusion
2. Reading from the Vantage of Pentecost
Knowing God’s Heart
Reading Missionally
Reading from within Spirit-filled Experience
Reading with the Humble
An Eschatological Reading
On the Border of a New World
The Last Days of Acts 2:17
Pentecost and Its Subsequent Revivals
Noncessationist, or Continuationist, Reading
Conclusion
II. Global Readings
3. Global Reading: The Biblical Model of Pentecost
Reversal of Babel
Narrative Function of Tongues in Acts
Association with Baptism in the Spirit in Classical Pentecostal Interpretation
Tongues and Cross-cultural Mission
The Bicultural Hellenists (Acts 6)
Conclusion
4. Global Reading: Contextualization and Scripture
Introduction: Scripture and Context
Scripture as a Cross-cultural Canon
Insights on Scripture from Diverse Cultures
Cross-cultural Communication within Scripture: A Case Study
Contextualization within the Bible
Recontextualization for a New Context in Scripture
Conclusion
5. Needing Other Cultures’ Input
Contextualization Is Inevitable
Culture Shapes What We Think Is Cultural
Blind Spots
Prioritizing Texts
Bible Teaching and Cultural Imperialism
Hearing Today’s Global Church
Brief Excursus on Method
Conclusion
6. Some Valuable Majority World Insights
Case Study I: Spirits
Global Experiences concerning Spirits
Western Academic vs. Indigenous Interpretations
Witchcraft
Case Study II: Miracles
Sympathy vs. Antipathy
Widespread Experiences
Reading Miracles with the Global Church
Challenging Western Skepticism about Miracles
Conclusion
III. Connection With the Designed Sense
7. The Measuring Stick
The Shape of the Canonical Documents
Interpretive Goals Dictate Methods
Pentecostal Tradition and the Canon
Fundamental Truths
Charismatic Granola
The Purpose of Canon
Evaluating Other Revelations
Discernment
Biblical Spirit, Spirit-inspired Bible
Respecting Scripture Requires Respecting the First-inspired Sense
Spontaneity Is Not Identical to Inspiration
The Spirit Gives the Gift of Teaching
A Hermeneutical Circle
Basic Principles
The New Dynamic
Conclusion
8. Do Ancient Meanings Matter?
(Post)modern or Ancient Meanings?
Postmodern Pentecostal Hermeneutics?
Is Any Interpretation as Good as Any Other?
Polyvalence?
Potentially Ambiguous Nomenclature
Wrong-headed Rejection of Ancient Context
Texts’ Ancient Meaning
My Pentecostal Testimony for Ancient Context
Premodern as Well as Modern Way of Reading
Greco-Roman Antiquity
Reformation Interests
Conclusion
9. Room Left for Authors?
Authorial Intention Today?
Listening to Communication
Authorial Intention in Premodern Exegesis
The Hirsch Debate
Pentecostals and Authorial Intention
Implied Authors and Limits in Ascertaining Authorial Intention
Conclusion
10. Both-And
Both Literary and Historical Approaches
Need for Both Approaches
Approaches That Draw on Larger Contexts
Both Ancient and Modern Meanings
The Usual Consensus
Need for Ancient as Well as Modern Meanings
Some Readings Are More Helpful Than Others
Beyond the Ancient Meaning
Ancient Foundations for Newer Significance
Common Ground
Conclusion
IV. Epistemology and the Spirit
11. An Epistemology of Word and Spirit
Traditional Epistemic Approaches and Their Limitations
A Theocentric and Christocentric Epistemology
Christ Re-presented by the Spirit in the Gospel
Historical Particularity
Experiential and Testimonial Evidence in Kerygmatic Epistemology
Testimony and Experience in John’s Gospel
Revelation and Reception
Fallen Worldviews
Faith as an Epistemic Commitment
Some Examples of Faithful Reading
Then and Now: Culture
Reading Narrative
Interpreting Miracles
Worldviews under Judgment
12. Biblical Epistemology and Hermeneutics
Bold Claims to the Truth
Conflicting Views of Reality
Faith and Truth
The Spirit of Truth and Faith
Unbelief as a Worldview
Some Examples of Sin Darkening the Mind
Blindness on a Corporate Level
Degrees of Blindness
Examples of Hostile Bias
John’s Epistemic Dualism
Misunderstanding
Knowing through Encounter
Johannine Dualism Uses Ideal Types
Conclusion
13. Reading the Bible as Truth
Trusting Scripture
Truth Is Not a Genre
One Case Study
When Harmonizing Details Often Misses the Point
Old Testament Puzzles
What It Really Means to Have Faith in God’s Word
Faithful Imagination
Entering Narrative Worlds
Suspending Disbelief
Expectations
Conclusion
V. Intrabiblical Models for Reading Scripture
14. How Jesus Invites Us to Hear the Bible
Jesus Presupposes Context
Weightier Matters of the Law
Jesus Applied Scripture to His Day
More than the Law
The Kingdom Restores God’s Ideal
Outside the Box
Jesus’s Christological Interpretation
Conclusion
15. Reading the Torah as the Law of Faith
Two Ways of Reading
The Spirit of the Law: Continuing Principles, Adjusted Content
Both Different and the Same
Spirit of the Law in Ancient Israel
Applying Paul’s Principles
Interpreting Biblical Law
Comparing Israel’s Laws with Those of Her Neighbors
Differences from the Approaches of Israel’s Contemporaries
Concessions to Human Sinfulness
Understanding and Applying God’s Law Today
One Case Study: Tithing
Conclusion: The Old Testament God of Love
16. Christological Reading or Personal Application?
A Forced Choice
Stephen’s Christocentric Interpretation
Matthew’s Christocentric Reading
God’s Son and Israel
Isaiah’s Typological Model
Matthew’s Interpretive Interests
Other Analogies in the Gospels
Analogies and Application
Defining Terms
Application
Personal Applications Consistent with Scripture
The Spirit Speaks through Scripture
Models for Personal Application in Scripture
Reading Biblical Narratives for Models
Patterns for Us, Not Just Annals
Consistency in How We Apply Scripture
Letter and Spirit
The Ultimate Word
Conclusion
VI. Whose Charismatic Interpretation?
17. Naïve “Pentecostal” Readings vs. Biblically Sensitive Pentecostal Readings
Populist Approach
Problems with This Approach
The Wrong Kind of Experiential Reading
Some Examples of Misapplied, Popular Pentecostal Hermeneutics
Some Charismatic Television Preaching
Breaking Generational Curses?
Word of Faith Teachings
Genuine Models of Faith in the Bible
A Positive Example: Rereading Corinthians Experientially
Conclusion
18. Global Pentecostal Community as a Safety Net?
Community and Interpretation
Christian Community
Dangers in Appeals to Community
Apostolic Authority and Communities
Who Is the Pentecostal Community?
Making Charismatic Distinctiveness Superfluous
Charismatic Experience, Not Just Charismatic Doctrine
Conclusion: Scripture Speaking Personally—and Historically
The Thrust of This Book
Pentecostal Hermeneutics as a Christian Hermeneutic
The Spirit and Application
Appendix A: Some Theoretical Attempts to Bridge Understanding
Appendix B: Postcolonial Approaches
Appendix C: The Global Charismatic Scholarly Community
Notes
Bibliography of Sources Cited
Index of Authors
Index of Subjects
Index of Scripture References
Index of Ancient Sources
← Prev
Back
Next →
← Prev
Back
Next →