Interpreting the Truth: Changing the Paradigm of Biblical Studies
"Countryman’s Interpreting the Truth provides a challenge to the biblical scholar, the preacher, and the community to abandon all attempts for a final and complete biblical theology. Truth is a not an eternal possession but a dynamic discovery where the biblical scholar is connected and yet distinct from the community and where the community needs the scholarly interpretative for the eternal fact. He challenges the communities of faith to discard absolutism and the biblical scholar to abandon the claustophobic academy to converse and interact. Then both community of faith and the biblical scholar might discover together moments of grace and truth in engaging the biblical text."—Dr. Robert Gross, Webster University (Dr. Robert Gross)"INTERPRETING THE TRUTH offers at once a sophisticated and plain-spoken advocacy for the role of the interpreter in the hearing of biblical texts. In the dynamic relationship of text, interpreter and community each is seen to have its own integrity within a context of locality, complexity, diversity and incompleteness. Truth, still with its own incompleteness, can only be found in this "practice ofinterpretation", but, as Countryman splendidly shows, so an often surprising truth can emerge."—Bishop Frederick Houk Borsch, Professor of Anglican Studies, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (Bishop Frederick Houk Borsch)"Brimming with thoughtful insights and gentle wisdom, Bill Countryman's Interpreting the Truth critiques the current narrowing of biblical interpretation to a fragmented conversation between like-minded specialists by focussing attention on the social practice of interpretation. For him, interpretation as social practice requires a creative and dynamic interaction among three essential elements: the interpreter, the text, and the community for whom the text is being interpreted. Countryman insists on the real complexity of this process of interpretation, if it is to reflect the complexity of human cultures past and present. His laudable aim is to re-direct the work of biblical scholars to the faith communities and other interested publics who stand in need of their contributions. This book is a "must-read" for biblical interpreters and everyone for whom such work on the Bible is important."—Professor Mary Ann Tolbert, George H. Atkinson Professor of Biblical Studies, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA (Professor Mary Ann Tolbert)“There is much about this book to celebrate, including its insistence that the interpreter never masters the text, never controls it, and must always be ready to be surprised by it. And the author appeals to conservatives and liberals alike to be called to task by the text.” –Theology Today, 1/05“…[the] style is lively, clear, and nontechnical.… Synthesizing key insights of contemporary hermeneutical discussion, C. offers a valuable paradigm for those who want to envision biblical studies in a more integrated manner.” -The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 67, 2005“There are many fine insights and clever phrases, all of which have important implications for an understanding of these ancient texts…this treatise can be recommended on many accounts.” Religious Studies Review, April, July 2004 (Religious Studies Review)"Countryman seeks to redefine the task ofbiblical interpretation so that the basis for this relevance will be madeexplicit, fostering greater coherence in the discourse of academic criticismand greater affinity with similar interpretation discourse in faithcommunities. He devotes most of the book to pragmatic demonstrations of itsfruitfulness, giving wonderfully fresh interpretations of Jude, James, andRomans...Countryman shows that his approach can deliver what it promises...this bookcan greatly help biblical interpreters and other church members to betterunderstand our respective roles and responsibilities as we try to discern whatGod is revealing through the Scriptures." —AnglicanTheological Review(Anglican Theological Review)"Countryman’s Interpreting the Truth provides a challenge to the biblical scholar, the preacher, and the community to abandon all attempts for a final and complete biblical theology. Truth is a not an eternal possession but a dynamic discovery where the biblical scholar is connected and yet distinct from the community and where the community needs the scholarly interpretative for the eternal fact. He challenges the communities of faith to discard absolutism and the biblical scholar to abandon the claustophobic academy to converse and interact. Then both community of faith and the biblical scholar might discover together moments of grace and truth in engaging the biblical text."—Dr. Robert Gross, Webster University (Sanford Lakoff)"INTERPRETING THE TRUTH offers at once a sophisticated and plain-spoken advocacy for the role of the interpreter in the hearing of biblical texts. In the dynamic relationship of text, interpreter and community each is seen to have its own integrity within a context of locality, complexity, diversity and incompleteness. Truth, still with its own incompleteness, can only be found in this "practice ofinterpretation", but, as Countryman splendidly shows, so an often surprising truth can emerge."—Bishop Frederick Houk Borsch, Professor of Anglican Studies, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (Sanford Lakoff)"Brimming with thoughtful insights and gentle wisdom, Bill Countryman's Interpreting the Truth critiques the current narrowing of biblical interpretation to a fragmented conversation between like-minded specialists by focussing attention on the social practice of interpretation. For him, interpretation as social practice requires a creative and dynamic interaction among three essential elements: the interpreter, the text, and the community for whom the text is being interpreted. Countryman insists on the real complexity of this process of interpretation, if it is to reflect the complexity of human cultures past and present. His laudable aim is to re-direct the work of biblical scholars to the faith communities and other interested publics who stand in need of their contributions. This book is a "must-read" for biblical interpreters and everyone for whom such work on the Bible is important."—Professor Mary Ann Tolbert, George H. Atkinson Professor of Biblical Studies, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA (Sanford Lakoff)“Countryman seeks to redefine the task ofbiblical interpretation so that the basis for this relevance will be madeexplicit, fostering greater coherence in the discourse of academic criticismand greater affinity with similar interpretation discourse in faithcommunities. He devotes most of the book to pragmatic demonstrations of itsfruitfulness, giving wonderfully fresh interpretations of Jude, James, andRomans…Countryman shows that his approach can deliver what it promises…this bookcan greatly help biblical interpreters and other church members to betterunderstand our respective roles and responsibilities as we try to discern whatGod is revealing through the Scriptures.” –AnglicanTheological Review(Anglican Theological Review)