Text, Church, and World: Biblical Interpretation in Theological Perspective

Should biblical studies continue to exclude theological concerns from its agenda? What is the real significance of the new literary, canonical and feminist approaches that have established themselves as alternatives to the conventional historical-critical methodologies? These are questions of crucial importance for contemporary biblical studies.
Given that the primary location of the biblical text is the Christian community, the object of investigation must be the biblical text in its final, canonical form. Historical questions about its circumstances of origin are less significant than its role in furthering the process of theological reflection, reflection that must be informed by contemporary theological and hermeneutical thought. Dr Watson therefore engages critically with the work of, for example, Barth, Childs, Derrida, Frei, Lindbeck, McFadyen and Schussler Fiorenza. He also offers examples of a biblical interpretation that gives precedence to theological concerns, drawing on texts from both Old and New Testaments.
The intention of this book is to develop not only a new hermeneutical theory but the elements of a new interpretative practice. The outcome is a major challenge to the fundamental methodological assumptions of historical-critical biblical scholarship.

Dr Francis Watson teaches in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at King's College, University of London.