Jazzaneutic

Back to metaphors--this may be my favorite new metaphor for the Christian life -- jazz. I have really enjoyed reading the Jazz Theologian's blog.

Today he has a wonderful reflection on a jazz-style hermenutic. "Hermeneutics" is one of those fancy theological words that I paid big bucks to Vanderbilt Divinity school to teach me--and it means simply "biblical interpretation" or more accurately it is the way we interpret the Bible (and unlike what some claim--we all do interpret scripture based on our experiences, our culture, etc.) So applying the methaphor of jazz to this idea, our jazz theologian raises the following observations -- a balanced view of scripture includes the following things
...the art of knowing the scriptures by living them and experiencing them in community.
...the willingness to let the Bible interpret us not vice versa.
...seeing meaning not only in what is said but what is being done by the Biblical authors.

Now here is where the rubber hits the road--what this means for personal bible study is that we ask the following questions as we study scripture:

* What is the author saying? (this will take care of the study part)
* What is the author doing? (this will open our eyes to the off beats--syncopation)
* Can I do that with and for others? (this will lead to improvisation and call & response)

I love this approach because I think it fits well with a Wesleyan understanding of scripture that is influenced by traditon, reason and experience but also has that practical (or practicable) aspect of our tradition. What does this scripture mean for how I live my life?!