Is bible interpretation (since there are so many) best described as "bible theory"?

Answer 1

Well said.

So many people don't get that aside of the Douay Rheims, the Pishitta (which most have never even heard of) and the original Jerusalmen Bible (the original, of which Tolkein was a translator. Not the New Jerusalem which is trash) that bibles are not exact. They have been interpreted.

This means bible scholars have read the original scriptures and then tried to tell us what the bible means.

The bible is a love letter. No one can tell you what a letter from your beloved means. You need to read it and grasp it for yourself.

Yes, sometimes the words are difficult to understand. So you read them over and over again until the meaning becomes clear.

Good question.

Answer 2

I would not use theory to describe, as that implies that it can not be proven... There is a common belief that there is only one true interpretation. I believe this also. I also believe that we (Man) do interpret the teaching of the Bible differently... The many denominations of Christianity is evidence of our differing interpretations... That said, it is always a good Idea to pray for understanding before reading the scriptures.

Answer 3

Some portions of the bible use ancient instruments of rhetorical comparison, metaphors, and objective reporting of historical events.

One cannot take a few verses here and there and form an entire theology around them without understanding the systematic messages in the entire bible.

Unfortunately, some believers and non-believers will pick and choose their biblical verses to make a point, yet fail to synthesize the verse(s) with an overall thematic theological message.

So, to properly understand the bible you must first have a solid grounding in what is referred to as biblical hermeneutics. The term hermeneutics was derived from two words--the Greek verb hermeneuein, meaning to interpret, and the noun hermeneia, meaning interpretation.

**Hermeneutics is described as the development and study of theories and interpretation of the understanding of sacred texts.**

Some principles to keep in mind as you interpret the bible:

- Understanding the subject according to its social and historical context
- Assessing the historical social construction between the researcher and the subject
- Relating ideographic details to general theoretical concepts through abstraction and generalization
- Being sensitive to potential pre-conceptual theoretical contradictions between research design and actual findings
- Being aware of possible multiple interpretations among participants for a given sequence of events
- Being conscious of potential biases or systematic distortions in the subject’s narratives

For those who have studied hermeneutics formally or informally, it becomes easier to determine when metaphors or ancient instruments of rhetorical comparisons are being made in the scriptures. Hence when I train future clerics, church teachers, etc., they are equipped with the right tools to then expound to others.

Despite the difficulties in reading such a profound book, investigation will also reveal that there exists NO SINGLE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY that has been shown to prove error, factually or doctrinally, in the Bible. Yes, there is plenty of speculation and hypotheses, but not a single verifiable fact.

A good text to start with: "Principles of Biblical Interpretation", by Louis Berkhof

Start here:
http://www.bible-interpretation.com/
http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Hermeneutics/

Answer 4

It is called "hermeneutics", and it is a course of study at theological seminaries.

I prefer the plain meaning rule myself. I think that it is illogical that the writer was deliberately trying to be confusing or mysterious. He probably said what he meant, and meant what he said.

--------------------------
Hermeneutics may be described as the development and study of theories of the interpretation and understanding of texts. In contemporary usage in religious studies, hermeneutics often refers to study of the interpretation of Biblical texts. It is more broadly used in contemporary philosophy to denote the study of theories and methods of the interpretation of all texts and systems of meaning. The concept of "text" is here extended beyond written documents to any number of objects subject to interpretation, such as experiences. A hermeneutic is defined as a specific system or method for interpretation, or a specific theory of interpretation. However, the contemporary philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer has said that hermeneutics is an approach rather than a method and, further, that the Hermeneutic circle is the central problem of interpretation....

Answer 5

No because the term "interpretation" does not mean that there is only one. So Bible interpretation is a decent and usable term.

Answer 6

If you use God's interpretation, it's called "the Truth".

Answer 7

A theory should be testable. You can't test if your interpretation is valid, so no, it shouldn't be called that.