The Clarity of Scripture: History Theology & Contemporary Literary Studies

IS SCRIPTURE CLEAR? IF IT IS WHY DO PORTIONS OF IT SEEM SO OBSCURE? IF IT ISNT WHY HAVE THEOLOGIANS SPENT SO MUCH TIME DEFENDING THE NOTION OF ITS CLARITY? AND MORE IMPORTANT ARE CHRISTIANS ENGAGED IN A FUTILE EFFORT IN TRYING TO READ AND UNDERSTAND IT? JAMES CALLAHAN OFFERS VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE COMPLEX NOTION of biblical perspicuity. He sets the issues within the history of the church and traces how the Bibles clarity has been understood practically and theologically over time. With precision and care he clarifies the role of historical context authorial intent and reader response in a constructive articulation of how we come to understand Scriptures meaning. Contemporary literary studies inform his discussion and suggest the importance of intertextuality and intratextuality in the reading of Scripture. Ultimately Callahan argues Scripture must be viewed as a privileged text within a privileged community. Nevertheless it must be read not arrogantly but with humility under the searching glance of the God who caused it to be written.