Hermeneutical Audit assessment

Biblical Hermeneutics, MIN020X315A
Extract from your module specification:
Analysis and evaluation of hermeneutical practices within Bible settings in the student’s own ministry
context [40%] (1500 equivalent)
The second half of the hermeneutics module deals with the material for your second assignment.
This document explains further how to tackle this assignment.
Your material for this assignment should be based on specific examples taken from your own
ministry context, although other examples and theoretical perspectives may also be integrated. You
will want to evaluate these hermeneutical practices against the three main hermeneutical
approaches we studied in the first half of the module – behind, within and in front of the text –
remember to keep the focus on hermeneutics.
To encourage real congregational examples, I will not count such excerpts / quotations in the word
count (e.g. church documents, bible study extract, sermon extract). You should follow the guidance
given below, but please use ‘essay’ form for this assignment, possibly with subheadings for sections.
Introduction
 Briefly identify the tradition of your church – whether Baptist, Pentecostal, Anglican, Roman
Catholic, Methodist, United Reformed, Charismatic etc.
 Refer concisely to any extracts from official documents that state your church’s beliefs about
the Bible e.g. statement of faith, creeds
You should now go on to describe and analyse the different hermeneutical practices in your
congregation, based on the range of Bible uses. You should include Public Bible Use and one other
type of use given below. If you do not have Small Group or Personal Bible reading in your church,
then you will need to choose an alternative type of Bible use for your assignment (which must be
approved by the module tutor first).
Public Bible Use (required)
This section will probably be the longest given the potential range of Bible uses, but be sensible in
terms of word allocation. ‘Public’ means those uses of the Bible that take place during your main
church service.
Points to consider:
 What are the different ways the Bible is used in your public church services? E.g. prayers,
songs, sermons, liturgy, readings, banners, powerpoint, words of knowledge, prophecy,
testimony, service handouts.
 Comment on the hermeneutical approaches taken in some of these uses, e.g. prayers,
sermons, words of knowledge. Try to include some telling examples. What presuppositions
and processes can be identified?
 Are there any other aspects of public Bible use that may be significant for hermeneutics?
 How would you evaluate public Bible use in your congregation?
Small Group Bible Use (choose this or personal bible reading)
Points to consider:
 What form does small group Bible study take in your church?
 Are there common resources used, if so, what are they, and what hermeneutical approaches
are taken? What presuppositions and processes can be identified?
 If possible, include telling examples of hermeneutics in groups you have attended.
 Any other aspects of small group Bible study that may be significant for hermeneutics? E.g.
group dynamics.
 How would you evaluate small group Bible study in your congregation?
Personal Bible Reading (choose this or small group Bible use)
Points to consider:
 How does your church encourage people to read the Bible for themselves?
 Are there common resources used, if so, what are they, and what hermeneutical approaches
are taken? What presuppositions and processes can be identified?
 How would you evaluate personal Bible reading in your congregation?
Reflection and Action
This section identifies any key hermeneutical themes running throughout your congregation (which
may include its diversity!), including the main strengths and weaknesses. The focus of this section
should be on action – what action do you think needs to take place in order to enrich your
congregation’s hermeneutical practice? E.g. identifying suitable resources, running a course, setting
an example yourself.
Enjoy! I am looking forward to seeing how you get on.
Andrew
26/11/15

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