Biblical Battleship: When Have Different Hermeneutical Strategies Been Fruitful, and Why?

Professor Telford Work presented a seminar “Biblical Battleship: When Have Different Hermeneutical Strategies Been Fruitful, and Why?” to the student community on the 11 April 2023, 11:30am. He presented an overview and evaluation of different interpretive approaches the church historically and traditionally has used in reading her God-given Scriptures. He started with the early church’s Greco-Roman interpretive method which utilised in an overlapping manner ‘intensive reading’, ‘typology’ and ‘allegory’, with the result of the readings being a series of ‘hits’ and ‘misses’. Professor Work then presented a snapshot of Augustine’s reading strategy before turning to the medieval fourfold interpretive scheme. He ended his presentation by presenting the evaluation criteria for what forms a ‘hit’ or ‘miss’ according to the different theological movements (Reformation, Modern, etc.) Overall, professor Work treated us to a nuanced presentation of this topic, true to the nature of biblical interpretation.