Abstract

In the West, the Bible is largely read and studied abstractly, without context. This is unfortunate since the meaning and value of Scripture are rooted, first, in the contextual situations of its readers. The West has much to learn from voices in places like Latin America, Africa, and Asia, where people are reading and studying the Bible in direct relation to the often trying circumstances of their daily lives.The Bible in a World Context is an engaging work that offers a fresh look at the subjects of Bible reading and hermeneutics from a global perspective. Three rising scholars representing three distinct geographical regions each contribute to the volume a programmatic essay on hermeneutics and a shorter Bible study on Luke 2:1-20, the account of Jesus' birth. In showing the role that context plays in interpretation, these chapters demonstrate a contextual hermeneutics that brings familiar biblical texts to life in new and important ways.