My problem, as a reader of the Bible, is familiarity. My eyes move
over the page, but I'm not really reading; I'm remembering what the
story means (or rather, what I think it means).
Hermeneutic circle --> death spiral
One way out is to buy a new Bible and start over (with notetaking, I
mean). Or, if you're the teacher, assign a Bible that most students
have never heard of before. In my Bible as Literature class, I make
students buy the Jewish Study Bible. The translation and notes are
both different from what we're used to (I include myself in this), and
the result (I hope) is that we're able to read the text with fresh
eyes. Also, they get exposed to things (like source criticism) that I
don't emphasize.
--
Dr. David Wilson-Okamura http://virgil.org [log in to unmask]
English Department Virgil reception, discussion, documents, &c
East Carolina University Sparsa et neglecta coegi. -- Claude Fauchet
|