Constructive biblical hermeneutics: history and its afterlife

Constructive theologians wrestle with the Bible’s authority in the life of faith and in their own work. While holding onto a central role for the Bible as a source for theology, they embrace the complexities of biblical interpretation, particularly attentive to the violence and exclusions such interpretations can yield. This article maps the history of constructive theological work with biblical texts in three modes—authority, liberation, and testimony. I suggest that there is a need for constructive theologians to register the ongoing presence of biblical authority with its decreasing visibility. I posit that future work lies in acknowledging the Bible’s formational power, approaching it as a repository of body memories, and conceiving of interpretation as postmemory work.Accepted manuscript2021-05-2

Focus 2019

A magazine for alumnae, alumni and friends of the Boston University School of Theology community