The picture above is from the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL after it was bombed in 1963. The stained glass originally depicted Christ "knocking on the door", but after the bombing Christ's face (almost allegorically) has been removed by the blast. In a video by Duke University on this very topic (and truly the inspiration for this post), Dr. Richard Hays speaks about this photo being connected to the Transfiguration of Christ. He starts around the 9 minute mark, but if you can watch the whole video I would highly recommend it. The interpretive method described reminds me of an approach adopted by many of the doctors of the Church, particularly St. Augustine. The North African Bishop had an incredible ability to solve the problems of the day by resorting to the Scriptures, as well as developing greater meaning of the scriptural texts by relating them to his life and the lives of those around him. These two techniques are what I call:
2. Eisegesis- interpreting the Scriptures with our lives
Exegesis
St. Jerome once said "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." In following this example, I wish to assert that Exegesis is the process of conforming the world to Christ through his Scriptures. In doing so, we seek to find answers to the questions that plague our lives and society in the sacred texts. Richard Hays' examples of such a process include TS Elliot's writings on the bombings of London during WWII (citing Pentecost), and the aforementioned 16th street Baptist Church bombing. From the greater tradition of the Church we see this particularly in Augustine's City of God, in which he answers accusations by the Romans and speaks on where true peace (ultimately, in Christ) is found. This technique of finding answers to contemporary questions in the wisdom of Christ as portrayed through his Apostles, as well as the rich history and wisdom of the people Israel found in the Old Testament, is unfortunately lost on modern scholarship. Too often Scriptural interpretation has descended from a saintly pursuit into a head trip of speculative textual analysis which has little meaning to the communion of the faithful. However, if we approach the Scriptures with an exegetical approach- seeking to find in them the Way, the Truth and the Life that we must follow, conform to, and live- our pursuits will again bear rich fruit as the Scriptures will again be a living word for the world.
Eisegesis
I recognize that the traditional usage of this word ("interpreting a text in such a way that it introduces one's own presuppositions, and/or biases into the text.") is extremely problematic, at best. With that being said, I wish to take the radical step of re-shaping the definition of this word to mean something more along the lines of bringing the culture and (almost more importantly) personal experience into the text. This allows the reader to relate to the stories portrayed and brings a revived richness to texts which, after thousands of years, has been misunderstood as "old" and "unrelatable". A good example of this is the part of the video in which Ellen Davis speaks of how the people of Sudan can very closely relate to the story of the Old Testament. This is not simply due to the cultural similarities between the Sudanese people and the Israelites, but also the formation of a people in the "crucible of suffering". St. Augustine also reflects this view of Eisegesis in his Confessions, when he not only unceasingly quotes the scriptures to relate it to his life, but mirrors the progression of his life on that of the Scriptures (fall, salvation, and redemption). This is an essential part of Scriptural Imagination because the Scriptures are remarkably human. In them we find murder, forgiveness, betrayal, joy, lust, song & dance, pride, justice, idolatry,and most importantly- love. The messages and lessons of the Bible transcend time, and speak to the very depths of the human soul. Consequently, the texts will always have a relevance in our lives which is unlike any other, and our experiences as human beings can always shed a greater light into its stories. Our humanity and our brokenness grants us an interpretive advantage, allowing us to not simply read the scriptures but to enter into the humanity and the brokenness of Abraham, David, Ruth, Paul, Mary and so many more. Such a unity across time can inspire greater devotion to God, which is (or should be) the ultimate goal of the Theologian.
When I visited Loyola Chicago last spring, and mentioned to one of the professors I met that only one Scripture course was required in the Theology major she said- "How can that be? You can't study Theology without knowing the Scriptures." It is not uncommon for Catholics, due to our rich and philosophical Tradition and History, to ignore the Scriptures on which this tradition is based. However, it is academically and spiritually irresponsible to speak on divine matters without going to the Holy Scriptures which God Himself revealed, the Holy Spirit inspired, and His saints and prophets wrote. Even the great scholars of the Church (such as St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Jerome, St. Anselm, St. Teresa of Avila, and many others), on whom this great Tradition relies, themselves relied on the Holy Scriptures. In following their example, we must do the same. If we are to evangelize to the world, we must know (and know well) the Christ, who has sent the message we seek to spread. Our most direct way to know Christ and to teach of His glory to others, is the sacred Scriptures. Ignoring these pivotal texts in our preaching of the Truth found in the Holy Catholic Church, does all who hear it a grave disservice. But when we read the Bible with the eyes of faith, relating it to our lives and relating our lives to it, our message becomes the light of the world and salt of the earth which we are all called to proclaim.
God Bless,
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