An important assumption of close reading, whether or not the text at hand is Scripture, is that every detail matters. Every detail can and should be subjected to scrutiny. One way we can subject details to scrutiny is by asking, “How else could it be said?” By asking this question we attempt to replicate the thinking that constructed the text.
Category Archives: Close Reading
How to Read Proverbs Effectively in English
If you do these things, reading either chapter-by-chapter or verse-by-verse, you will be on your way to a far more effective and enriching reading of the book of Proverbs than, I suspect, most people usually experience.
Focusing on the Problem Spots
Part of teaching the Church to love Bible Study is teaching them how to read the Bible closely. In that spirit, this is something I wrote a few months ago for my church’s blog: As I have been teaching Romans and Galatians on Sunday mornings these last several months, I have also had occasion toContinue reading “Focusing on the Problem Spots”
Genesis 1 as a Theological Litmus Test
The literal interpretation of Genesis 1:1-2:3 runs into serious problems on more than one level, not the least of which is how to understand the “firmament.”
