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Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible

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Richards, E. Randolph
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English
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Over 100,000 Copies Sold Worldwide!
ECPA Bronze Sales Award
Bookwi.se's Favorite Books of the Year

What was clear to the original readers of Scripture is not always clear to us. Because of the cultural distance between the biblical world and our contemporary setting, we often bring modern Western biases to the text. For example:

  • When Western readers hear Paul exhorting women to "dress modestly," we automatically think in terms of sexual modesty. But most women in that culture would never wear racy clothing. The context suggests that Paul is likely more concerned about economic modesty—that Christian women not flaunt their wealth through expensive clothes, braided hair and gold jewelry.
  • Some readers might assume that Moses married "below himself" because his wife was a dark-skinned Cushite. Actually, Hebrews were the slave race, not the Cushites, who were highly respected. Aaron and Miriam probably thought Moses was being presumptuous by marrying "above himself."
  • Western individualism leads us to assume that Mary and Joseph traveled alone to Bethlehem. What went without saying was that they were likely accompanied by a large entourage of extended family.

    • Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own crosscultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways.

    Getting beyond our own cultural assumptions is increasingly important for being Christians in our interconnected and globalized world. Learn to read Scripture as a member of the global body of Christ.

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    Subjects
    Subjects
    Bible -- Study and teaching
    Christian life
    Exegesis
    History
    Nonfiction
    Religion
    Religion & Spirituality
    Religion -- History
    Sociology
    Study and teaching
    More Details
    Contributors:
    Parks, Tom,reader
    hoopla digital
    ISBN:
    9780830863471
    9798855506631
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    Grouping Information

    Grouped Work IDbd652a52-9808-bdb8-1453-10f94be7ca48
    Grouping Titlemisreading scripture with western eyes removing cultural blinders to better understand the bible
    Grouping Authore randolph richards
    Grouping Categorybook
    Grouping LanguageEnglish (eng)
    Last Grouping Update2024-04-19 02:10:42AM
    Last Indexed2024-04-19 02:27:24AM

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    Over 100,000 Copies Sold Worldwide!
    ECPA Bronze Sales Award
    Bookwi.se's Favorite Books of the Year

    What was clear to the original readers of Scripture is not always clear to us. Because of the cultural distance between the biblical world and our contemporary setting, we often bring modern Western biases to the text. For example:

  • When Western readers hear Paul exhorting women to "dress modestly," we automatically think in terms of sexual modesty. But most women in that culture would never wear racy clothing. The context suggests that Paul is likely more concerned about economic modesty—that Christian women not flaunt their wealth through expensive clothes, braided hair and gold jewelry.
  • Some readers might assume that Moses married "below himself" because his wife was a dark-skinned Cushite. Actually, Hebrews were the slave race, not the Cushites, who were highly respected. Aaron and Miriam probably thought Moses was being presumptuous by marrying "above himself."
  • Western individualism leads us to assume that Mary and Joseph traveled alone to Bethlehem. What went without saying was that they were likely accompanied by a large entourage of extended family.

    • Biblical scholars Brandon O'Brien and Randy Richards shed light on the ways that Western readers often misunderstand the cultural dynamics of the Bible. They identify nine key areas where modern Westerners have significantly different assumptions about what might be going on in a text. Drawing on their own crosscultural experience in global mission, O'Brien and Richards show how better self-awareness and understanding of cultural differences in language, time and social mores allow us to see the Bible in fresh and unexpected ways.

    Getting beyond our own cultural assumptions is increasingly important for being Christians in our interconnected and globalized world. Learn to read Scripture as a member of the global body of Christ.

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    2012
    2023
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    Tantor Media, Inc
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    grouped_work
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    Bible -- Study and teaching
    Christian life
    Exegesis
    Religion
    Religion -- History
    title_display
    Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible
    title_full
    Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes : Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible [electronic resource] / Brandon J. O'brien and E. Randolph Richards
    Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible
    title_short
    Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes
    title_sub
    Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible
    topic_facet
    Christian life
    Exegesis
    History
    Nonfiction
    Religion
    Religion & Spirituality
    Sociology
    Study and teaching

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