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A Short Introduction to Hermeneutics

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Hermeneutics defines the rules used to search out the meaning of Scripture. Throughout church history, interpreters have approached biblical interpretation in different ways, using different tools and methods. This book conveniently and accessibly surveys major biblical interpreters and approaches to hermeneutics from the patristic period to the present days. It provides a theoretical basis for understanding the processes of hermeneutics in different faith traditions.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

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David Jasper

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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Ahmed Almawali.
630 reviews421 followers
April 15, 2014
شُكرا للصديقِ (عقل حر) على التوصية الرائعةِ لقراءةِ هذا الكتاب. في البدايةِ احتجت مَا يقارب ٥٠ صفحة لأفهمَ مصطلح الهرمينوقيطا تلك الكلمةُ المشتقةُ من اللفظة اليونانية (هرمس)، وتعني التفسيرَ أو الشرحَ، ليس هدفُ هذا الكتاب هو تقديم معلومات جاهزة ولا طريقة مبسطة لفهمِ النص وتشريحِه، وإنما طرحُ أسئلةٍ هدفها إيجادُ صراعٍ، صراع مع النص (الاحتكاك الخشن)، واستبطان النص بعيدا عن تفسيره، لننتجَ تغييرًا في طريقة التفكيرِ والقراءةِ.
استعرضَ دايڤيد جاسير التغيراتِ الجذريةَ والتحولات التي مرتْ بها الهرمينوطيقا، بدءا بما أسماه الهرمينوطيقا المبكرةِ بما مثلته من ثنائية مدرستي الحرفِ والرمز، من جانبٍ آخر فإنها تتأثرُ بالتقدمِ التكنولوجي والتقني (إختراع الطباعة) إلى أنْ وصَلت في عهد لوثر إلى اعتبارها (قراءة كريستولوجية ذاتية) خطاب من المسيح إلى القارئ، ثم توحد النص المقدس عند لوثر ، وبداية العقلانية مع ديكارت، وتقسيمها أي الهرمينوطيقا مع كلادينيوس واحدة للإنجيل وأخرى للكتبِ الأخرى، إلى أن وصلتْ إلى مرحلة (العلمنة). السؤالُ الأخيرُ المهم والملح الذي يطرحُه جاسير ما هو مستقبلُ الكتاب مع التشبع المعلوماتي الانترنتي؟ الجوابُ إننا (بحاجة إلى هرمينوطيقيا جديدة لاستعادةِ قدرتنا على الترجيح، الذي هو السبب الذي لأجله وجدت الهرمينوطيقا).
الكتابُ صعبٌ قليلا، لم أفهمْ إلا ما يقارب ٧٠٪ من مضمون الكتاب، وهذا الأمرُ كان في ذهنِ الكاتب ويؤكده مرارا فالقارئُ لا يرتاح هنا، لا يحصلُ معرفةٍ على طبق، هنا يفكر ويتعرفُ على تاريخِ الهرمينوطيقا، وإنَّه وان طبقها على الانجيلِ الا أنها عامة للكلمةِ المكتوبةِ.
Profile Image for Loisa Fenichell.
61 reviews
April 8, 2024
Love his use of exclamation points! The quotes he includes on how poetry is “holy� or what have you are also pretty sick 😎
Profile Image for Richard.
38 reviews
January 13, 2023
For all the talk of "openness" in hermeneutics, it's a pity that it is seemingly ontologically impossible for Catholic medievals to have participated in ("good") hermeneutics. So too, effectively claiming "Heidegger was a crucial hermeneut, but he's too hard to cover in this book!" while devoting much time to Coleridge seems... bold. What Geworfenheit!
(This text includes acid-free paper, which can be consumed by dogs. Do not bury it in the state of Oregon.)
Profile Image for Mohammed Yusuf.
336 reviews175 followers
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January 17, 2014
كتاب يقدم لك مقدمة شاملة و وافية ملئ بالمعلومات والمساءلات وإنفتاح جديد بالنسبة لي نحو النص والتفسير أو التأويل � بإعتبارات أخرى للغة , إلا أنه لا يجيب على الأسئلة بقدر ما يطرحه وإن كان هذا مقصد الكاتب حسب ما كرره بصورة غير ضرورية

كانت المقدمة خارج نسق الكتاب ولعلها تشي بنوع من الدعاية للمترجم , أثارت فيّ إفتراضاً قديماً في عملية الترجمة حول حياة المترجم وعلاقته بما يترجمه وكيف تؤثر مؤثراته الذاتية والإجتماعية على النص

إقتباسات :

المستحيل المرجح أفضل دائماً من الممكن غير المقنع

نحن أمام النص نقرأ ذاتنا

مات نيتشة وهو مجنون هل سيجعل هذا من كل قرائه مجانين
Profile Image for Jackson Wallace.
13 reviews3 followers
January 28, 2021
“Hermeneutics is a thoroughly theological enterprise, and even though we may live in an age when theology is regarded very differently from the way in which Augustine, Aquinas, or Luther regarded it, the effects of what they did still remain in all our reading as we continue to struggle with issues of the truth in writing, the inspiration of the text or its author, the origins of language, and so on.�
Profile Image for Kern Sus.
32 reviews
February 10, 2022
Good overview of the history of biblical interpretation. At the end of each chapter there is a summary and questions to be answered, which helps with providing a deeper understanding. The last few chapters regarding the postmodern theories are symplifying a bit to much though, and the author can be a bit too fast in his explanations of some subjects, leaving a lacking. But for the lenght and given that it's an introduction it serves its purpose with His engaging and simple writing style.
Profile Image for Neil Harmon.
170 reviews1 follower
August 7, 2016
This was a text for a class. Given the title, one might expect a dry theoretical book but this turned out to be an interesting history of how people read through time. It concentrated on the bible but most of the information applied equally to other significant texts. It was interesting to see how the way people interacted with important texts as we went through various periods (such as the age of reason). The complex "post modern" period that instructs us today is especially interesting to contrast with the past. While the book covered some esoteric material,it did it in a way that was very engaging.
Profile Image for Kilen Gray.
3 reviews
May 28, 2022
David Jasper’s work is a good primer on hermeneutics. His intention of briefly describing what he determines to be the significant points of interests along his historical journey of introduction works very well for both the hermeneutical neophyte as well as the veteran. Jasper’s is careful to employ accessible prose so as not to complicate his descriptions of the thinkers highlighted. This one is a resource that will be read and referenced again and again for those who are serious about hermeneutics in general and biblical interpretation methods in particular.
Profile Image for E..
Author1 book33 followers
February 12, 2010
I picked this book up yesterday after lunch at the bookstore when I went to get ashes for Ash Wednesday service, and I had finished it by the time I went to bed at 1 a.m. A very quick overview, but a really nice introduction.
Profile Image for Nate.
7 reviews3 followers
October 16, 2012


A brilliant and helpful little book. Great for an introductory course in hermeneutics. Especially relevant for those who have been dooped into thinking that orthodox interp. goes hand in hand with literalism.
Profile Image for Alyssa.
111 reviews
October 15, 2012
This is really a short history of how the Bible has been interpreted throughout church history. I thought his way of telling the story was engaging and helpful, though it does come from a mainline protestant perspective.
Profile Image for Bobby.
230 reviews26 followers
June 8, 2009
Good overview of history and themes that are important. Short, yet focused read. Offers a lot of good resources to continue study if one wishes.
Profile Image for Poupeh.
111 reviews40 followers
January 19, 2012
A great history of hermeneutics in simple language. great reference book and entry into this wild subject...
Profile Image for آلاء  بن سلمان.
224 reviews79 followers
October 14, 2013
لا حصل لاهوت ولا حصل هرمنيوطيقا
سيء ومع ذلك مقدمة المترجم جميلة جدًا
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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