What is Hermeneutics?
Kevin Vanhoozer joins Kirk E. Miller to surface the question that quietly shapes every act of Bible reading: What does it mean to understand Scripture well?
Aiming to demystify the discipline, Kevin explores what hermeneutics is, what theological and metaphysical pre-commitments ought to inform our approach to Scripture, and why it matters for our Christian "reading cultures," the local church.
Episode outline:
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:40 Meet Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer
01:31 What is Hermeneutics?
07:06 The Importance of Hermeneutics in Christian Life
13:06 Hermeneutics and Other Theological Disciplines
20:13 The Role of Theological Pre-commitments
25:01 Understanding the Ontology and Teleology of Scripture
25:39 The Nature of Scripture: Human and Divine Discourse
28:33 Literal vs. Figural Readings of the Bible
34:39 The Meaning of Meaning in Biblical Texts
40:27 The Role of Hermeneutics in Addressing Interpretive Pluralism
41:49 The Importance of Interpretive Virtues
46:28 The Concept of Interpretive Communities
52:54 Practical Implications for Local Churches
53:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
