Beth Stovell On Bible Hermeneutics

VUSA: Can you give us a simple definition of hermeneutics and why they are important?

Beth Stovell: Hermeneutics, broadly speaking, is the study of interpretation coming from the Greek word hermeneuein, meaning “to interpret.” Hermeneutics has two key parts. First, hermeneutics involves the process of interpretation. Here we might say that we are describing the steps we take toward interpreting the Bible faithfully.

And hermeneutics also has a second aspect. It is the study of why we interpret Scripture the way we do, examining what factors are in play that shape our interpretation.

For example, I sometimes talk to my students about two potential interpreters. One is a Chinese man who is 65 years old. The other is a Latina woman who is 25 years old. We all will acknowledge that these two people will notice different things when they read the same biblical passage. We can say this is because of the differences in several factors: culture, age, gender. That’s not to say these interpreters will be reading the biblical text incorrectly, but instead they will simply notice some elements that already exist in the biblical text in a way the other person won’t.

Hermeneutics is important for several reasons. Using the first definition, it provides us with strategies for approaching the Bible in helpful ways. Gaining skills to read the Bible with greater accuracy and clarity is overall a great thing.

Using the second definition of hermeneutics, we can realize that we never read the Bible in a vacuum and are always in some way impacted by factors like culture, gender, age, and our past theological traditions and beliefs. I think this is very important, because it teaches us the deep need for reading Scripture as a community of believers rather than only as individuals. If you have access to some aspects of Scripture that I don’t notice, I can only learn about those if I listen to you, and you can only see those aspects in new ways if you listen to me. This is how we find the things we miss.

This is the beauty of being a Christian community, and it can help build up Christian unity while also teaching us how to appreciate diversity among different Christians.

It’s fair to say that we probably have at least two levels in which we can connect to Scripture. Every single person that reads Scripture is able to get something from it. It’s God’s word to us, right? So in that sense, you can say that every person has access to hermeneutics.

[bctt tweet=”Every person has the access to the ability to interpret Scripture.” quote=”Every person has the access to the ability to interpret Scripture.”]

I’ve taught classes in my church where I’ve had a person with an 8th-grade education sitting next to somebody with a PhD in Biblical Studies. In my mind, both of them gave us amazing insight when we were talking about Scripture. The person with less education gave it from her own experiences from life and her years of thinking about Scripture, and the PhD gave it from years of reading; thinking deeply about background, the structures of the Scripture itself. There’s a way in which we can value each other: to know that everyone brings their own interpretations and can apply their own experiences.

What is unique about Vineyard hermeneutics specifically?

I would say three key things make Vineyard hermeneutics unique. Vineyard hermeneutics is shaped by the fact that we are both evangelical and charismatic. This pairing creates a unique and fascinating blend of hermeneutics.

First, Vineyard hermeneutics are impacted by the fact that we are evangelicals. We have a strong belief in the centrality of the Bible as God’s word and authority in our lives. This in itself impacts what we think Scripture is and how it should be interpreted.

Second, Vineyard hermeneutics are also impacted by the fact that we are charismatic. We believe that God can do miraculous things like healing people, driving out demons, speaking to us in words and visions. This means that we don’t dismiss passages in the Bible that speak about the supernatural, and we don’t think of those passages as for some other time and not for us. We read Scripture expecting to do what we see being done by the disciples.

Being charismatic means that we believe in listening to the Spirit together and interpreting the Bible as a community. That can be seen in prayer ministry time. Being charismatic means that we believe that the Spirit speaks to us in new ways for our context today — but in ways that are also consistent with how God has worked in the past, based on what we see in Scripture.

Third, and perhaps most important, Vineyard hermeneutics are shaped by the core values that make us Vineyard in the first place.

[bctt tweet=”Vineyard hermeneutics are shaped by the core values that make us Vineyard. – Beth Stovell ” quote=”Vineyard hermeneutics are shaped by the core values that make us Vineyard in the first place.”]

In the Vineyard, we value kingdom theology in our beliefs and in our practices. This view of the kingdom as “already and not yet” also becomes an essential lens for biblical interpretation. We ask: “Where is the kingdom in this passage? How do I see God’s kingdom coming through?”

Another core value which affects our view of Scripture is the Vineyard value of experiencing God’s presence. Experiencing God’s presence in manifested ways impacts our interpretation of “what the Father is doing” and thus interpreting what Scripture means for us today. The authority of Scripture and its power to transform comes from its ability to push us toward God so that we are drawn into his presence again and again.

The core value of being culturally relevant in our mission is based on Vineyard’s interpretation of Scripture, but it also is facilitated by how we use Scripture. This core value demonstrates that within Vineyard hermeneutics, while we often see the message of the Gospel as being “for us,” we also understand the need for continuing reinterpretation of the message of Scripture for modern contexts.

Our Vineyard value of being a reconciling community comes directly out of Scripture, with passages showing Jesus as the one who breaks down dividing walls. But it also impacts how we read Scripture. In Vineyard, we have the goal of breaking down the walls that might divide us as we read Scripture together, with the goal that we would not only be reconciled among ourselves but also be a reconciling force for those around us.

The fifth core value is compassionate ministry. This ministry takes Jesus as the model for caring for the broken and the prophets’ role in proclaiming justice for the poor. Because of this understanding of Jesus’ example, those who focus on having a compassionate ministry within Vineyard often use this understanding as an interpretive lens to read Scripture with a focus on the needs of the poor, marginalized, and broken.

Ultimately, the DNA of Vineyard shapes how we interpret Scripture, how we value Scripture, and what we see when we look at the impact of Scripture on the life of the Church and in the world around us.

How might Vineyard pastors grow in their ability to interpret the Bible?

There are many tools that can help Vineyard pastors grow in their ability to interpret the Bible. I always encourage people to start by reading the biblical passage they are studying in at least three separate translations. This helps people to catch the differences in the translations, which reflect different aspects of the original languages.

There are also other practical tools for studying the Bible more deeply:

The Vineyard Institute provides courses that focus on tools for biblical interpretation and hermeneutics.

Books like Gordon Fee’s How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth provide a solid starting point for thinking about the questions related to interpretation.

Learning to use commentaries in effective ways can also be tremendous help to Vineyard pastors. I especially recommend series like the Story of God Bible Commentary series that Zondervan has just started publishing, and the NIV Application Commentary series. Both of these series provide a background to the biblical passages, show how themes in the biblical passage developed elsewhere in Scripture, and suggest ways to apply these passages for today.

Another helpful resource are the IVP Bible Dictionary Series (sometimes called the “Black Dictionary Series” due to their black covers). They are awesome resources to explore questions related to the background of the Bible, to themes in the Bible, and to specific biblical passages.

The Society of Vineyard Scholars website provides lists of some of these resources and book reviews for relevant books on these topics.

Lastly, seek God. The more we seek God, and the more we are honest and humble, the more we will grow in our ability to interpret Scripture. At the basic level, it’s not just about having great resources. It’s asking, “Where’s my heart? Am I allowing the Scriptures to shape me and change me?” That’s how we grow. That’s the whole point.

What are ways we could think better and more intentionally about our hermeneutics? How do we grow in thinking about thinking about Scripture, so to speak?

Along with using practical tools in their Bible reading, I also encourage Vineyard pastors to find ways to read the Bible together with others and to explore different ways of thinking about the passages. This might mean developing friendships with people from other denominations, from other cultures and ethnicities, from other age groups, etc.

Growing in our ability to interpret the Bible — to think hermeneutically — is often linked to our growth in connecting with others and seeking the Spirit together. It can be challenging. It makes us consider what we think about God and Scripture.

There are practical resources that can help with growing more aware about hermeneutics. Recently, many helpful books have been published exploring evangelical and charismatic hermeneutics. Reading books on these topics can help us think more carefully about our own hermeneutics.

Another good set of resources is multiple-view books on specific topics. Reading a variety of views on biblically related topics like baptism, the historical Adam, atonement, God and time, etc. can help us think more deeply about why we hold our particular views and what factors impacted our views. This helps us become more aware of our own hermeneutics.

Of course, anyone who wants more detail on Vineyard hermeneutics can also watch my Vimeo video from the Society of Vineyard Scholars Conference, “Read This Writing and Tell Me What It Means: Hermeneutics and Discernment in Scripture.”