Here is a copy of the final paper I wrote for my Hermeneutics course. It was originally footnoted, but that doesn't translate to the blog. The prompt asked the student briefly address the source and purpose of language, basic principles for interpretation, and the role of the Holy Spirit in interpretation. Enjoy! There is a strange intruder dwelling within the human heart which one sage called “eternity” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). While most of us can agree that there is something “out there,” it is rather more complicated to agree on what exactly it is and what precisely it has to do with us. The Christian solution to this problem has historically been the belief that the Bible is the descriptive and prescriptive message of the One True God to all humanity. In light of this text-centered solution, the field of hermeneutics takes on special importance for the Church. A textually-directed community is a hermeneutically-designed community. Therefore, we employ a...
The writings and ramblings of Ben Callahan