There are many different ways of reading and understanding the Bible - there always have been. Should it be interpreted literally word for word or symbolically and figuratively? In any case, it is an interpretation in which we are all more or less influenced by our time and our personal history. Therefore, it is interesting to take a closer look at different views of the Bible where one explains how the Bible is interpreted and why.

 

It is easy to think that before the Enlightenment there was only a literal interpretation. But way back in ancient times, around 1000 BC, philosophers were concerned with how religious texts should be understood. Hermeneutics - the theory of text understanding - has its roots in Greek philosophy where allegorical interpretation was common for e.g. Homer's Hymns. At the time of Jesus, there were Jewish philosophers who had an allegorical understanding of the Old Testament. It also had some of the earliest church fathers who were well schooled in Greek philosophy.

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Hermeneutics  has developed into the doctrine of how we understand, interpret, find meaning not only in texts, but in everything around us. The context in which we stand is essential for all understanding. The interpretation process is described as a spiral where one interprets a text or a phenomenon based on a prior understanding or horizon of understanding. As one begins to understand, understanding becomes part of the horizon. the horizon of understanding. https://etudie.no/den-hermeneutiske-spiral/

 

Here are some different ways to read and study the Bible:

• Allegorical
  The Bible is interpreted as parables, images, typologies and symbols. Allegorical interpretation of texts was common in antiquity. Origen (185-254) Read moreSNL* andwiki

• Historical-critical 
  Study the Bible using the same scientific methods that are used on historical texts.wiki

• Bible studies
  Studying biblical texts using scientific methods. Read more in SNL* Biblical studies

• Biblicism/ Fundamentalism
  A literal interpretation in which one takes a more or less distance from critical theological science. Read more in SNL* about Biblicism and Fundamentalism

• Conservatively
  Denotes a traditional, classical view of the Bible and the dogmas. The inerrancy of the Bible. Is against teaching adaptations and new interpretations in the light of modern science, social development and personal experience. Read more onwiki

• Liberally
  A liberal view of the Bible is normally historically-critical, and looks at The Bible as an authority in basic principles, but not in individual orders. Read more onwiki 

• Modernist
  Future- and change-oriented. Takes into account important currents of the time such as democracy, individual freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of belief etc. Criticism of the traditional and established.

• Literary
  Read the texts of the Bible based on their literary qualities

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I do not think that the different views necessarily stand in opposition to each other, many enrich each other. I distance myself from literal interpretation and think it is important to use scientific methods. There's a lot I don't understand and I don't need to either.

 

Several of these directions are in use and combined within various denominations.

View of the Bible and use of the Bible in various Norwegian religious communities**
Norwegian religious communities agree that Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible, and must be understood and interpreted based on that, and that our understanding of the Bible is characterized by our interpretation of the times in which we live.

• The Free Church
  The Free Church positions itself as evangelical, Lutheran and conservative in theology and biblical views. "The prophetic and apostolic writings in the Old and New Testaments (the Bible) are the word of God, and this word of God is the only rule and guideline for faith, teaching and life."

• The Catholic Church
  "Scripture is created in, defined by, handed down in, interpreted within and lived in the apostolic tradition of the Church. None of the parts exist separately from the others."
  http://www.katolsk.no/tro/tema/appenberging/artikler/gwh4

• The Norwegian church
  "The red thread in the Bible is God's love for people and the world. The most central content is what the Gospels tell about Jesus Christ".https://kirken.no/nb-NO/kristen-tro/kristen-tro/bibelen/ "Scripture is both the revealed word of God and at the same time words written by men"

• The Orthodox Church: "The Bible is the word of God spoken with human words." "The Bible is thus both divine and human. It bears the mark of the hand of men, which must both be interpreted and practically adapted as God's saving word. The Bible is mainly interpreted from the writings of the Church Fathers, which are among the most important sources of tradition, not by anyone and everyone, but of the church as community."

• The Methodist Church
  "Faith is revealed in the Bible, enlightened by tradition, quickened by experience, and confirmed by reason." The Bible is God's revelation and contains everything necessary for salvation, but it must be interpreted and understood in relation to our lives and experiences. The Bible is truly divine and truly human. It consists entirely of human words, but God meets us in them.
  Fcommon sense and experience can ask the Bible new questions, which means that we have to go into the biblical texts again and with different experiences and questions than before. It can often make us discover new perspectives in the Bible.

• The Salvation Army
  The 4 authorities: "The scriptures in the Bible, the tradition of the Christian church, the Christian experience and reason as an organizing and reflective element." "There is no point in producing correct translations of words if we do not get the words translated to life."

• The Pentecostal movement
  "We believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God. It is written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the supreme authority in faith, teaching, ethics and morality"

**) This is taken from the scriptureGod's living word which is published by The Christian Council of Norway. The Christian Council of Norwaywhich is a meeting place for Christian churches and religious communities, has published the documentGod's living wordabout different religious communities' view of the Bible and Bible use. Everyone agrees that Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible, and must be understood and interpreted on that basis. At the same time, our understanding of the Bible will be characterized by our interpretation of the times in which we live.

*)SNL = Large Norwegian Lexicon

SNL aboutThe Bible

Conservative modernityTheofilus No. 1 2017 

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