Identifications, Articulations and Proportions in Practical Theological Interpretation

The task of theological interpretation should be shaped and regulated by an awareness of the issues at stake in theological method, and the debates surrounding this. Biblical scholars attempting to interpret the Bible theologically can often be naïve to the methodological shift that is required if the task is to be undertaken responsibly, and can pay inadequate attention to the distinctive identifications of the object of study—e.g., as historical artefact or Word of God—that underlie the different methodologies of historical criticism(s) and theological interpretation(s). Biblical scholars who are principally trained in a historical-critical methodology focused on the justification or falsification of claims must understand that theological method is not merely concerned with truth and falsehood, but also with the architecture of theological claims, that is, matters of order, proportion, and articulation. At the same time, the biblical scholarly contribution cannot neglect the distinctive historical and creaturely identification of the biblical texts and their authors.