The Bible was written for collectivist cultures. When Westerners, immersed in an individualistic culture, read the Bible, it is easy for them to misinterpret it. In every culture, the most important realities go without saying. This book shows how to identify the implicit social structures of the biblical world and helps to better understand the Scriptures and engage in dialogue with people from non-Western cultures.
Combining the expertise of a biblical scholar and a missionary practitioner, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes is an essential work to guide us into the cultural context of the Bible. E. Randolph Richards and Richard James explore the deep social structures of the Mediterranean world—kinship, patronage, and mediation—as well as their essential social tools—honor, shame, and boundaries—amidst which the biblical authors lived and which are present beneath the surface of the text.
ISBN: 9782940650255