Different Cultures and their interpretation methods

I would like to know how Indigenous cultures in America interpret the text of the Bible. I am looking for something similar to Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley. I want to see how Indigenous cultures work to see the Bible in their own context. Any thoughts?

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

DMB

Being crude (over-generalizing), but 'the Bible' isn't the issue. It's the Christians' hypocritical behavior and their claimed deity.

The other problem is the missions' tremendous fear, native culture will mix in with the doctrine ... ignoring the doctrine is western culture.

Then there's the proper translations ... understanding the correct interpretation.

Have you considered, when Paul headed into central Asia, he was hard into 'indigenous' culture?

But good book you're reading! Logos' African volumes are also good.

Christian Alexander

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285843#Comment_1285843

So should everyone read the Bible the same? I recently read an article and it was indifferent to the topic.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285844#Comment_1285844

I guess my point might be salvation vs 'the Bible' ... the latter a cultural artifact.

MJ. Smith

Okay, I'll go out on a limb and say you have to read the classic Black Elk Speaks: The Complete Edition: Neihardt, John G., Deloria, Philip J., Deloria Jr., Vine: 9780803283916: Amazon.com: Books -- in the 60's "everyone" read this. Black Elk was a Christian of the Oglala Lakota tribe.

First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament (FNV) | Logos Bible Software should be somewhat helpful. The only other thing I find that is related in the Logos catalog is The Everlasting People: G. K. Chesterton and the First Nations (Hansen Lectureship Series) | Logos Bible Software which I have not seen.

That exhausts my knowledge on the topic.

Jan Krohn

Look up "Ethnologue". Sadly, it's not available in Logos, but it might be what you need.

Roger Pitot

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285846#Comment_1285846

DMB said:

I guess my point might be salvation vs 'the Bible' ... the latter a cultural artifact.

The Bible is a "cultural artifact"? Actually it's the Word of God!

Dr. Charles A. Wootten

This may be slightly off-topic, but I think it is somewhat related to the original query.

I have just finished reading When God Spoke Greek: The Septuagint and the Making of the Christian Bible where the author discusses how various people groups in the Middle and Near East read and interpreted the Bible while it was being formed.

Perhaps this may interest others as the replies to the original query interested me?

God bless

{charley}

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285948#Comment_1285948

DMB said:

I guess my point might be salvation vs 'the Bible' ... the latter a cultural artifact.

The Bible is a "cultural artifact"? Actually it's the Word of God!

Roger ... most conservatives reference the original ... not later copies of copies, and certainly not various translations ... ergo Logos slicing/dicing tools and yes, cultural bias.

Jeremy White

Here is another one you might like: Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible | Logos Bible Software

Jeremy White

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285974#Comment_1285974

And another one... Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church Is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology | Logos Bible Software

I realize that neither of these are specific to North American First Nations but there are some general principles that can be applied - even if you don't necessarily line up with some of the conclusions the authors arrive at.

I suspect even amongst different indigenous people groups in North America you might find quite a variation. You best source may be search in journals rather than specific books.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285948#Comment_1285948

The Bible is a "cultural artifact"? Actually it's the Word of God!

Unfortunately, this is a theological reaction against DMB's choice of language which is, as you know, not in compliance with the guidelines. I would normally ignore it as you rarely step over the line and did so politely. But a particular individual on the forums complains that rules are not consistently enforced, so I am demonstrating consistency rather than judgment.

Roger Pitot

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1285994#Comment_1285994

Understood, but I just couldn't help myself[:#]

Rosie Perera

Here are some more books:

Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys: A Native American Expression of the Jesus Way by Richard Twiss

The Bible and Native American Theology by Roy Wilson

Indigenous Theology and the Western World View by Randy S. Woodley

Native and Christian: Indigenous Voices on Religious Identity in the United States and Canada, edited by James Treat

Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization, edited by Steve Heinrichs (whom I got to know through his work as the Director of Indigenous Relations for Mennonite Church Canada)

That's What the Old Ones Say: Pre-Colonial Revelations of God to Native America by Chief Joseph RiverWind

An Indigenous Approach to the Bible: A First Nations Bible Study by Bizzy Feekes

I have a dear friend who is a fellow Regent College alumna and was one of the founders of NAIITS (North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies). They publish a Journal which is available through ATLA.

There's an entry on "Native American Interpretation of the Bible" in the Oxford Encyclopedias of the Bible (2022) but alas, I don't have access to it. Maybe you do through your university.

A Choctaw Professor from Cornell is engaged in research on Native American interpretations of the Bible which should result in a book in the future.

1Cor10 31

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1286120#Comment_1286120

Following this thread, the takeaway is that your interpretation could depend on your background. But the background in focus seems to be cultural. My question: How does professional background affect interpretation? I am a financial economist and when I read the Bible, I see benefit cost tradeoff all over the Bible, but most people (including my pastor) recoil at the very mention of the word "benefit". The way I think of it is that all truths are set by God (Calvin, Aquinas) and we human beings simply discover these truths and attach labels to them. Thus all the professional truths are truths set by God. Thus, your professional background should enable you to connect dots that others may not be able to.

Is there any book recommendation which argues that your professional background matters and what new truths you can discover from reading with a different lens?

Thank you

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1286139#Comment_1286139

Is there any book recommendation which argues that your professional background matters and what new truths you can discover from reading with a different lens?

I don't know of a book arguing in general about how your professional background affects your biblical lens, but there are various books about the Bible written by people from different professions, such as A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Medical Doctor Examines the Death and Resurrection of Christ, A Lawyer's Examination of the Bible, Psychological Biblical Criticism, In the Beginning: An Economist Reads the Book of Genesis, and so on.

1Cor10 31

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1286166#Comment_1286166

Thank you Rosie.

I was thinking of the Wesleyan "quadrilateral" and how experience can help interpret the Bible. Maybe, my idea of the Wesleyan quadrilateral is mistaken.

At any rate, I liked the last suggestion especially. Thank you.