The Letter and Spirit of Biblical Interpretation: From the Early Church to Modern Practice

For the better part of fifteen centuries, Christians read Scripture on two complementary levels, the literal and the spiritual. In the modern period, the spiritual sense gradually became marginalized in favor of the literal sense. The Bible came to be read and interpreted like any other book. This brief, accessible introduction to the history of biblical interpretation examines key turning points and figures and argues for a retrieval of the premodern spiritual habits of reading Scripture.


About the Author
Keith D. Stanglin (PhD, Calvin Theological Seminary) is executive director of the Center for Christian Studies in Austin, Texas. He previously taught at Heritage Christian University, Austin Graduate School of Theology, and Harding University. Stanglin is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including The Reformation to the Modern Church.