the Gospel and Our Culture Network

The Gospel and Our Culture Network Forum on Missional Hermeneutics extends a call for papers to be read at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in New Orleans, November 21-24, 2009. The Forum explores the intersections of missiology, ecclesiology, and biblical interpretation, focusing on hermeneutical issues that arise in view of the Church’s missional character.

 

In particular, presenters and participants at the Forum explore how faithful interpretation of Scripture needs to pay attention to these interlocking realities in the text: (1) The ways in which the biblical text renders the identity of the missio Dei, the God who is engaged in mission to the whole creation; (2) The ways in which the biblical text is shaped for the purpose of forming a people of God who are called to participate in God’s mission to the creation; (3) The ways in which the biblical text evokes and challenges a missionally located community's interpretive readings and questions; and (4) The ways in which the biblical text relates the received tradition to a particular context in light of the good news of the reign of God in Jesus Christ.

 

In 2009, the specific focus for papers is Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Proposals are invited (in the form of one-page abstracts) which engage the letter, or specific passages within it, within the framework identified above, and which test the extent to which such a missional approach to the text illumines and opens the text to faithful understanding and ecclesial practice. Proposals are to be submitted to Michael Barram, Saint Mary’s College of California (mbarram@stmarys-ca.edu) and must be received by May 15, 2009. For further information and to access some of the papers presented in previous sessions of the Forum, go to gocn.org, especially to the recent eSeries (No. 2) Newsletter.