Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05

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B I B L E I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

Video Segment 1 Outline

I. Overview of the “Genre” Concept

A. Definitions

1. “A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content” ( American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language )

2. Biblical genres = “Those different types and kinds of writing found within the books of the Bible, each sharing their common source and inspiration in God, but revealing truth and his will in different, yet complimentary modes of communication”

3. “Genre” is the literary term for a type or kind of writing . . . “A literary approach to the Bible is based on the awareness that literature itself is a genre” (Leland Ryken).

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4. “A class or category of artistics endeavor having a particular form, content, and technique” ( Webster’s Unabridged )

5. A biblical genre is a particular kind of literary form which communicates truth and must be interpreted according to the rules of that form.

B. Basic assumptions

1. The Bible is literature: each book of the Bible is carefully constructed by the divine and human authors.