oral exegesis – OralityTalks

From Silence to Sign: Emotional Exegesis and Oral Hermeneutics in Pakistan Sign Language

Salas Rashid — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:10:00 +0000

This paper explores the intersection of emotion, sign language, and oral hermeneutics within the Pakistani Deaf community, highlighting the integral role of emotional expression in interpreting Scripture through Pakistan Sign Language (PSL). Drawing on personal experience and emerging scholarship, the study argues that sign language is not merely a visual form of communication, but a fully embodied oral-visual language rich in emotional and theological meaning. It highlights the role of emotional and linguistic markers, facial expressions, and body movements in conveying biblical narratives, emphasizing the concept of “emotional exegesis,” which involves interpreting Scripture through the lens of emotional expression. The paper also examines emotional triggers and their role in making biblical stories resonate personally with Deaf audiences. By applying oral hermeneutics and embracing multisensory communication, the research advocates for more inclusive and effective ministry practices that honor the lived experiences and linguistic realities of Deaf communities. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how Scripture can be faithfully and powerfully communicated in a non-written, emotion-centered modality.

The Bible in Culture: Reading the Bible With All the World Using Ethnohermeneutics

Josafá Correia — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:09:59 +0000

Ethnohermeneutics is a discipline born of necessity as Caldwell’s students in the Philippines struggled to grasp the Western grammatic-historical method of Bible interpretation. This book is the result of more than four decades of experience, including teaching hermeneutics and Caldwell’s research at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he earned his PhD in 1990. It addresses the challenge of interpreting the Bible while respecting the diverse cultures of the world and raises a critical question: Why can we no longer assume that our way is the best or only way?

Caldwell, L. (2025). The Bible in Culture: Reading the Bible With All the World Using Ethnohermeneutics. William Carey Publishing. ISBN 978 1 6450 8658 1.

Exegeting Orality: Interpreting the Inspired Words of Scripture in Light of Their Oral Traditional Origins

Janet Stahl — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:35:27 +0000

Nick Acker, an OT scholar, explores new discoveries in oral traditions and identifies several commonly used rhetorical features, such as repetition of themes, catchwords, patterns, and activation. He then demonstrates the recognition of these features in a text to help in the interpretation of portions of Judges, Habbakuk, the synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John, and portions of Paul’s epistle to the Romans.

Acker, N. (2024). Exegeting orality: Interpreting the inspired words of scripture in light of their oral traditional origins. Wipf & Stock. ISBN 978 1 6203 2942 9.