Review: Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes

Continuing on with the greatest hits tour I've started for this month, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O'Brien is a book that I highly recommend to Christians based on a topic that we don't always think about when reading the Bible—the cultural lens that we wear, especially as Westerners.

Please note that the authors do provide a bit of a caveat to the term "Western" at the beginning of the book. In recognizing how problematic it can be to oversimplify and broadly categorize general beliefs, they have taken the time to explain their rationale and how readers can see themselves within this description. They acknowledge the limitations of such constraints, while also detailing how these labels can help us to standardize language, ideology, and illustrations.

Book Synopsis

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 cross cultural 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.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

In terms of a book that addresses biblical interpretation and how cross-cultural differences can impact our reading of the Bible, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes accomplishes both in an accessible and eye-opening volume. If you've heard of Edward T. Hall's Cultural Iceberg Model, this book follows a similar structure in that the authors examine what is above the surface, just below the surface, and deep below the surface of the historical and cultural contexts that the biblical writers (and readers) would have found themselves living in when the Scriptures were written. The analogy of having cultural blinders on—namely the lens in which we view the world where certain aspects are emphasized and others are disregarded—makes complete sense when we think about how we approach life. We don't see the things that we are not necessarily looking for based on how we already view things. Unless we are given different lenses, we may remain unaware of what exists. Going through different concepts such as how we view language, time, relationships, and cultural mores (or norms), the authors share how easily we can read our culture into Scripture without knowing it.

One of the parts that I appreciated most was how the authors specify that the goal of better biblical interpretation is not just to have more knowledge. The outcome should be that we "live the Christian life more faithfully," which involves being aware of our cultural norms and whether they "can contradict Christian values." There are certain societal teachings or practices we have become so familiar with that we do not stop to examine them in the light of Scripture, regardless of what our cultural context may be. This call to pursue Jesus with the right understanding is evident throughout the book, illuminating the need to be teachable when it comes to reading God's Word. The questions that are provided with each chapter make this book a thought-provoking read that can be shared and discussed with others.

Book Summary

• Format of book: 📖
  
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Recommendation: 👍