Israelite religion is characterized by manifold references (both prescriptive and descriptive) to the cult and its smaller building blocks, rituals. Utilizing a mainly diachronic and historical approach, past generations of theologians of the Hebrew Scriptures have often relegated these texts to the margin or an early primitive phase of the Hebrew religion or just simply ignored these texts altogether. However, with the renewed interest in ritual studies and a more balanced understanding of the importance of public (and also private) rituals in the context of the cultic experience of ancient Israel, more theological studies are at least including a section on ritual/cult. This study firstly reviews the treatment of cult/ritual in the discussion of recently published theologies, thus describing the status quo. Secondly, basic principles for the fruitful integration of results stemming from ritual text research into theological work of the Hebrew Scriptures will be outlined. Finally, in the form of a trial cut, several Pentateuchal texts describing altar construction rituals will be studied in terms of their theological significance and contribution.
Over the past 30 years, methods of hermeneutics in the context of biblical studies have diversified impressively. Even for the specialist it is often challenging to stay up-to-date in the labyrinth of new methodologies and proposals for biblical interpretation. Over the past decade, cultural criticism has become an important critical tool and has gained significant recognition. In the present study I seek, first, to define this hermeneutical phenomenon and describe its origins in the larger context of humanities. This is followed, second, by a summary of the methods, hermeneutical presuppositions and applications of cultural criticism by some of its more important practitioners. Third, I seek to evaluate how evangelical scholarship has reacted to and interacted with cultural criticism. Finally, some of the possible challenges of and benefits to a Bible-based hermeneutic are presented, including its missiological repercussions.
Over the past 30 years, methods of hermeneutics in the context of biblical studies have diversified impressively. Even for the specialist it is often challenging to stay up-to-date in the labyrinth of new methodologies and proposals for biblical interpretation. Over the past decade, cultural criticism has become an important critical tool and has gained significant recognition. In the present study I seek, first, to define this hermeneutical phenomenon and describe its origins in the larger context of humanities. This is followed, second, by a summary of the methods, hermeneutical presuppositions and applications of cultural criticism by some of its more important practitioners. Third, I seek to evaluate how evangelical scholarship has reacted to and interacted with cultural criticism. Finally, some of the possible challenges of and benefits to a Bible-based hermeneutic are presented, including its missiological repercussions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.