Contextual Theological Interpretation: An Integrated Model for Reading the Bible

Today’s theological students, an increasingly diverse population, face the task of reading and interpreting the Bible in multicultural contexts, which leads them to ask somewhat different questions than students of previous generations. Students recognize that theology, exegesis, and sociocultural context are all important elements of biblical interpretation, and they often seek guidance in negotiating these fields in a constructive manner. This is especially true of students with evangelical and Trinitarian convictions and commitments.

Contextual Theological Interpretation by respected teacher and Old Testament scholar Bo Lim provides sustained, thoughtful engagement among the three disciplines of biblical studies, theology, and contextual interpretation. In this big-picture text, Lim argues for the need to bring together the strengths of each of these fields and provides a model for doing so for the sake of effective multicultural ministry. At the same time, he clarifies the field of contextual biblical interpretation, offering evaluation and critique to guide students through the vast diversity of available literature.

Bo H. Lim (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is professor of Old Testament at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington, where he served as university chaplain from 2014-2018. He teaches and writes on the topics of Old Testament prophetic literature, theological interpretation, and Asian American biblical interpretation. His publications include a commentary on Hosea and essays in The Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar, The Oxford Handbook of the Minor Prophets, and the T&T Clark Handbook to Asian American Biblical Hermeneutics. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Theological Interpretation.