Interpreting the Bible: A Handbook of Terms and Methods

From A minore ad majus to Zion, and from source criticism to deconstruction, this extended glossary clarifies approximately fifty methods of biblical interpretation along with the terminology they employ. No mere catalog of definitions, it clarifies the fundamental role of methodology in the interpretive process while giving readers an accessible resource for understanding the complex vocabulary that accompanies serious biblical studies.

• Provides an extensive catalog of terminology currently associated with reading the Bible as literature
• Clarifies the various methods Bible scholars use to study biblical texts, highlighting the important role that such methodologies play in the interpretive process
• Illuminates how different interpretive approaches can make a contribution to our understanding of the biblical texts
• Written with the non-specialist in mind

Nothing presently on the market is as comprehensive as Tate's work. Though a handful of textbooks and handbooks serve specific niches, they are usually limited in scope to the New Testament, the Old Testament, or to narrower areas of study. This accessible resource offers ready access to the full spectrum of interpretive method. Now readers no longer need to sift through a complex assortment of books and journals to grasp the terminologies and methodologies so essential for the serious biblical interpreter. This book will appeal to students, pastors, and scholars familiar with some interpretive methods but who need to explore others.

W. Randolph Tate is professor of humanities at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. He is the author of Reading Mark from the Outside: Eco and Iser Leave their Marks and Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach.