II. Global Readings
Communities of interpretation have become prominent in hermeneutical and theological discussion, and many scholars who speak of Spirit hermeneutics emphasize the role of the community. Yet for Christians in general and especially various (and overlapping) Christians movements such as pentecostals, Catholics, and Anglicans, we belong to larger communities of interpretation today that are global. In Part II I will suggest that we may hear the Spirit’s voice more clearly when we critically listen to one another.
Chapter 3 suggests that the Pentecost narrative in Acts, which is paradigmatic for most Christian movements emphasizing the Spirit, also invites global readings. Chapter 4 argues that contextualization is biblical, is modeled for us in Scripture, and must begin with the biblical message. Indeed, because ancient texts reflect cultures different from our own, exegeting them properly requires cross-cultural sensitivity (including to their original cultures), and applying their message in our setting requires recontextualization. Chapter 5 emphasizes the value of insights from a range of global cultures for understanding the biblical text. Chapter 6, concluding this section, highlights two specific case studies of areas where the Western church, long afflicted by its syncretism with radical Enlightenment philosophy, can learn from Majority World believers, namely, regarding spirits and miracles.