Psychological Hermeneutics For Biblical Themes And Text

An assessment of the development and achievements of the field of Psychological Hermeneutics.

For centuries scholars have been developing ways of studying the bible, through exegesis, historical critique, literary critique, form criticism, and narrative analysis. During the last half century new theoretical approaches have come to the fore. Psychological Hermeneutics takes as its starting point the text itself, and its context - the dynamics of the human document created, the person(s) who authored the text, the original audience for which it was intended, the subsequent audiences to which it spoke, and the factors that were at play behind, in, and in front of the text. The contributions to this volume examine the growth of Psychological Hermeneutics as a discipline within biblical studies. The book is structured in two parts. The first assesses the approach taken by Wayne G. Rollins, one of the pioneers of this field. The second provides applications of Rollins' approach. The result is a book which presents a state-of-the-art survey of the discipline and development of Psychological Hermeneutics over the last thirty years.

This volume provides an introduction to psychological interpretations of the Hebrew Bible -- with the Garden of Eden story as a test case. It approaches the text from Freudian, Jungian, and Developmental psychologies, comparing and contrasting the different methods while taking on the hermeneutical issues. Ricoeur's work is used to establish criteria for adequate interpretation. Genesis 3 presents a fruitful text for psychological interpretation given its importance in Western culture. Its themes of sexuality, guilt, consciousness, and alienation are issues of great concern for everyone in our society. Kille's aim is to locate psychological criticism within the field of biblical studies and to propose a hermeneutical framework for describing and evaluating psychological approaches. The second part is devoted to analysis of different evaluations of Genesis 3 from the three chosen psychological perspectives.

Foreword by Walter Wink In recent years theologians and biblical scholars have begun to delve into the insights that come from the application of psychology to biblical texts. While these methods continue to be useful and popular, nowhere have the "foundational" texts in the field been collected. Wayne Rollins and Andrew Kille, who have both published and taught widely in the area of psychological biblical criticism, have assembled an excellent guide for those interested in this fascinating topic. Included in this anthology are articles from across the landscape, spanning over one hundred years and including such authors as Franz Delitzsch, M. Scott Fletcher, Max Weber, Walter Wink, and many other scholars.

The concept of death, particularly violent death, is prevalent throughout the writings of Paul the Apostle. His letters in the New Testament address this topic from a variety of perspectives, some of which can appear to be almost contradictory. However, this need not be problematic. Paul and Death uses the method of psychological exegesis to show that the different attitudes toward death in Paul’s letters make for a much more coherent discourse if they are seen as an aid to individual and collective psychological coping. Taking the differences between each of Paul’s letters as its starting point, this study suggests that a variety of coping strategies in relation to death may be beneficial depending on the situation, the person, and the stage of the coping process. Drawing on psychologically-oriented hermeneutic theory, and theories about psychological coping in particular, the author argues that each case of psychological coping must be understood in its historical situation, and as strategies emanating from a specific person’s subjective appraisal. Combining theology and biblical studies with modern psychology, this book will be of particular interest to academics and students that are studying the relationship between Religion and notions of Death.

Relational Integration of Psychology and Christian Theology offers an in-depth, interdisciplinary relational framework that integrates theology, psychology, and clinical and other applications. Building on existing models and debates about the relationship between psychology and theology, the authors provide a much-needed examination of the actual interpersonal dynamics of integration and its implications for training and clinical practice. Case studies from a variety of clinical and educational contexts illustrate and support the authors’ model of relational integration. Using an approach that is sensitive to theological diversity and to social context, this book puts forward a theological and therapeutic framework that values diversity, the repairing of ruptures, and collaboration.

Can drugs be used intelligently and responsibly to expand human consciousness and heighten spirituality? This two-volume work presents objective scientific information and personal stories aiming to answer the question. The first of its kind, this intriguing two-volume set objectively reports on and assesses this modern psycho-social movement in world culture: the constructive medical use of entheogens and related mind-altering substances. Covering the use of substances such as ayahuasca, cannabis, LSD, peyote, and psilocybin, the work seeks to illuminate the topic in a scholarly and scientific fashion so as to lift the typical division between those who are supporters of research and exploration of entheogens and those who are strongly opposed to any such experimentation altogether. The volumes address the history and use of mind-altering drugs in medical research and religious practice in the endeavor to expand and heighten spirituality and the sense of the divine, providing unbiased coverage of the relevant arguments and controversies regarding the subject matter. Chapters include examinations of how psychoactive agents are used to achieve altered states in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism as well as in the rituals of shamanism and other less widely known faiths. This highly readable work will appeal to everyone from high school students to seasoned professors, in both the secular world and in devoted church groups and religious colleges.

In Jesus and Psychology, Fraser Watts presents new scholarship in the emerging field of psychology and biblical studies. This collaborative analysis, with essays by leading psychologists and theologians, shows how psychology can be used to illuminate the historical and modern portrayals of Jesus, the wisdom of his sayings, and the reasons people read and understand the Bible differently. Among the issues discussed are the potential contributions of a psychological study of the historical Jesus; modern portrayals of Jesus in the cinema; contemporary methods of psychological therapy; threads of psychological meaning in Jesus' teaching; the importance of the breaking of taboos as shown in the Gospels; and using cognitive and developmental psychology to illustrate how thought processes and personality type affect our readings of sacred texts. Jesus and Psychology concludes with an examination of virtue orientations: the value people give to virtue has significant implications on what is perceived as the central message of the scriptures and on how we view justice, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. By presenting multiple perspectives on psychology and the Bible, Jesus and Psychology advances the study of science and religion and deepens the understanding of the Gospels. Book jacket.