Reviewed by Ted Esler, TedRead
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible, by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien. IVP Academic, 2012. 241 pages.
Not only do we have our own culture, but the Bible has its own as well. We must learn to understand the areas of our own cultural blinders and be able to see the Bible in its context. Simple enough, but rarely do I see this sort of analysis by Western theologians. This is a balanced, concise, and well-written treatment of the topic.
Richards served as a missionary in Indonesia, which colors the illustrations in a very helpful way, and O’Brien is an editor at Leadership Journal. They lead the reader through nine areas of caution in regard to understanding the Bible mono-culturally. The book is filled with excellent examples highlighting the arguments being made using both real-life experience and biblical texts.
» Read the rest of Esler’s review (which includes book notes and excerpts) and a related blog post, Read the Bible Like a Missionary.
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