SEARCH Journal

MANY PEOPLE would say that the greatest thing about the Reformation and the accessibility to the Bible it brought, was that everyone could now hear from God. However, many others would say that the worst thing about the Reformation was that everyone could hear from God! This sacred text, so central to the Christian faith, that we call the Bible, has been used down the centuries to cause divides, schism, arguments - even wars. While academic theologians and philosophers like Paul Ricoeur and Rudolph Bultmann have developed highly sophisticated tools for biblical interpretation, or hermeneutics, these techniques are not for the everyday Bible reader; they serve rather to help serious theologians study at an advanced level. Instead, this article will attempt to help non-specialist readers navigate these sacred texts, so that our reading can be more informed, with an awareness of their original context.