Based upon my last post in the series, I suggest the following diagram as indicative of a properly missional hermeneutical spiral: 1. We have to begin with preunderstanding. This includes whatever previous involvement in mission the interpreter may have, so I’m not trying to begin theoretically without praxis. “Step 1” is just the point atContinue reading “Missional Hermeneutics (Revisioning the Hermeneutical Spiral Missionally 2)”
Author Archives: Greg
The Forgotten Ways: Inro. and Ch. 1
Alan Hirsch is one of the leading missional church guys. The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church came out in 2006, a few years after his collaboration with Michael Frost on the big splash The Shaping of Things to Come. I read it over furlough, and now I’m working back through it chapter by chapter.Continue reading “The Forgotten Ways: Inro. and Ch. 1”
Missional Hermeneutics (Revisioning the Hermeneutical Spiral Missionally 1)
The missional hermeneutics conversation has articulated at least four emphases (Husberger, 2009): The Missional Direction of the Story The Missional Purpose of the Writings The Missional Locatedness of the Readers The Missional Engagement with Cultures George Husberger sums up his findings in this way: Finally then, our collective sense of a missional hermeneutic . .Continue reading “Missional Hermeneutics (Revisioning the Hermeneutical Spiral Missionally 1)”
The Death of “We”: How to Proceed Together?
I recently spoke with a friend who is writing a book, and he made an interesting comment. He said he is writing a book for a denominational publisher of a denomination that no longer exists—referring to the Churches of Christ. That it no longer exists, he contends, is evinced by the fact the CofC publishers are goingContinue reading “The Death of “We”: How to Proceed Together?”
Missional Hermeneutics (Grant Osborne’s Hermeneutical Spiral)
Grant Osborne published The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation nearly twenty years ago. It has become a standard textbook among evangelicals. I became aware of it quite some time ago but only had occasion to read a few chapters for a graduate class. It has been one of many books hovering onContinue reading “Missional Hermeneutics (Grant Osborne’s Hermeneutical Spiral)”
John 21
The final chapter of John is admittedly a little strange. Chapter 20 seems to provide the climax and the finality the story needs, and chapter 21’s focus on Peter feels almost too particular. There is a certain awkwardness to ending this way. (For a variety of reasons, many scholars doubt that ch. 21 is originalContinue reading “John 21”
John 20
John—if indeed John is the “other disciple” with Peter—was honest enough about his own experience of doubt to say that until the resurrection, he did not yet understand (20:9). This conflicts with the contrast that John presents to the Synoptic accounts, not least Mark, whereby revelation is much more blatant and conclusions are far moreContinue reading “John 20”
John 19
The duplicity of the Jewish authorities is on display in this chapter. Their motivation for crucifixion is that he has “made himself God’s son.” When Pilate is adamant that there is nothing against him in terms of Roman law, the crowd makes explicit his political bind by resorting to a different accusation: he claims toContinue reading “John 19”
John 18
This is not Jesus meek and mild. The YHWH theme continues as Jesus comes to meet his betrayer’s entourage, asks who they seek, and volunteers himself with two words that, quite impressively, knock them to the ground. I AM. Revelation is getting rawer now. The narrative seems to be spiraling into a rapid climax. TwoContinue reading “John 18”
John 17
A number of themes converge in Jesus’ prayer. Among them, five key ideas that have guided us throughout John now come together with a special intensity. They are glory, life, sending, word, and name. We might say that these are issues at the heart of Jesus’ view of what God is about. All of themContinue reading “John 17”
Scripture & Mission 