POSTMODERNISM�S IMPACT UPON EVANGELICAL AND JUDICIAL HERMENEUTICS

© 2006 Andy Woods

I.                    Traditional hermeneutics

A.     Biblical interpretation

1.      Literal, grammatical, historical method

a.       Literal

b.      Grammatical

c.       Historical

2.      Philosophy

a.       Four dangers if not consistently applied

1.      Authority transfers from the text to the interpreter

2.      Scripture is not being interpreted

3.      No basis for testing the conclusions of the interpreter

4.      No mechanism for controlling the interpreter�s imagination

b.      Goal: dethrone the interpreter

B.     Legal interpretation

1.      Literal, grammatical, historical method

a.       Literal, grammatical

b.      Historical

2.      Goal: dethrone the interpreter

 

II.                 Modern hermeneutical trends in evangelical and constitutional interpretation

A.     Authority is transferred from text to interpreter

B.     Interpreter�s biases render authorial intent unknowable

C.     Movement away from studying original sources

D.     Texts are not static

E.      An overemphasis upon studying background literature in order to determine a text�s meaning