A big discussion and great confusion that has been going on for years between hundreds of scholars is interpreting technique and what people are supposed to be looking for in the Bible. Homosexuality in the Bible has been a topic discussed by many scholars as well as Bible interpreters. The topic has become more and more relevant in the passing years as LGBT rights movements have gained support. With many people still rejecting homosexual relationships because of what the Testaments’ say about it, scholars have worked harder to understand what the Bible says about homosexuality. Scholars have also tried to understand the context of homosexuality in the Bible. The opinions of the scholars vary widely though. In Biblical Ethics and Homosexuality:
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Because of this belief it has become a primary task to find the one intended meaning the author put in the text. A problem of reading the Bible is whether we, as an audience, can find the one true meaning of the text being studied. A majority of Evangelical seminaries require students to learn about biblical languages, and learn about the authors’ internal and external life. By learning this the students learn the intended meaning of the text they are reading. But many scholars disagree with this way of teaching. Scholars think that people should be focusing more on the text than on the author. Hans-Georg Gadamer - whose book Method and Truth has inspired many philosophers - states in his book that “we [sometimes] read a text to learn about its author . . . [we] more typically read to learn about the subject matter . . . of the text, the natural, human, or divine realities the text is about” (Gadamer 23). Gadamer explains that even though humans could be looking at a text they can still get the meaning incorrect. Before reading a text someone could already have assumptions or have already chosen a side regarding the topic. With assumptions and stances in their minds, all the diverse people reading the text come up with different interpretations of what the true meaning is. While some scholars believe that interpretations of the Scriptures should vary not only from people but also generations. Other scholars think that there is only one intentional meaning behind the text and everyone should look to find
Because of this belief it has become a primary task to find the one intended meaning the author put in the text. A problem of reading the Bible is whether we, as an audience, can find the one true meaning of the text being studied. A majority of Evangelical seminaries require students to learn about biblical languages, and learn about the authors’ internal and external life. By learning this the students learn the intended meaning of the text they are reading. But many scholars disagree with this way of teaching. Scholars think that people should be focusing more on the text than on the author. Hans-Georg Gadamer - whose book Method and Truth has inspired many philosophers - states in his book that “we [sometimes] read a text to learn about its author . . . [we] more typically read to learn about the subject matter . . . of the text, the natural, human, or divine realities the text is about” (Gadamer 23). Gadamer explains that even though humans could be looking at a text they can still get the meaning incorrect. Before reading a text someone could already have assumptions or have already chosen a side regarding the topic. With assumptions and stances in their minds, all the diverse people reading the text come up with different interpretations of what the true meaning is. While some scholars believe that interpretations of the Scriptures should vary not only from people but also generations. Other scholars think that there is only one intentional meaning behind the text and everyone should look to find