Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes

“We can easily forget that Scripture is a foreign land and that reading the Bible is a crosscultural experience. To open the Word of God is to step into a strange world where things are very unlike our own. Most of us don’t speak the languages. We don’t know the geography or the customs… When we miss what went without being said for them and substitute what goes without being said for us, we are at risk of misreading scripture.” pp. 11,13 . This book. I have referenced it so many times in real life conversations. It needs to be read. . The more I learn to think outside “the way it’s always been”, the more I see how we’ve done things incorrectly. Interpreted badly. Jumped to conclusions. Used the wrong word in translation and skewed the meaning for the rest of us. . So much of our world has been opened in the last century as we interact with other cultures daily. We are learning their way of life and seeing how different it is from ours. That has to be taken into account —- and this book does an amazing job showing parts of The Bible through the eyes of the original audience. . As authors who have lived in other countries, they have seen first hand how other people groups interpret The Word differently. First hand. Not just theoretical. . Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes dives into cultural differences in the Eastern culture like their collective mindset, views on time, cultural mores… Fascinating. It needs to be reread and discussed. Their other book is in my wish list too. . I’d love to hear other books or podcasts along this mindset. History flows through so much! Integrate it all ❤️ . . @reclaimingwonders Thanks @hharvey01 for the rec!