by Larry W. Caldwell

How to Read and Interpret Scripture Across Cultures

How can believers across cultures faithfully read and apply Scripture in a way that honors both the biblical text and their unique cultural contexts? In The Bible in Culture, Larry Caldwell introduces ethnohermeneutics—a revolutionary yet biblical approach to reading Scripture with, rather than for, the world.

Drawing from decades of experience living overseas, Caldwell demonstrates that every culture has its own tools for understanding meaning and shows how God uses these to communicate the truth of his word. This approach is rooted in observing how Jesus, Paul, and others in the early church interpreted Scripture and in following their examples. Through real-life illustrations, interactive activities, and case studies, readers will discover how they can also read and interpret God’s word in their own cultures. This book will challenge your assumptions about the interpretive task, encouraging and equipping you to rethink how the Bible can be understood across every people group in various cross-cultural, multicultural, and multigenerational contexts.

by Nick Acker

Foreword by Paul R. Eddy

For too long, critical biblical studies have applied modern textual assumptions to ancient oral cultures. Exegeting Orality challenges many of these modern approaches, distilling decades of studies in oral traditions to redirect pastors and scholars toward a more accurate narrative of biblical origins, identity, and meaning. Many works in the area of orality, textuality, performance criticism, and media studies focus on critical issues. Exegeting Orality guides pastors and scholars through a brief introduction to these fields, emphasizing biblical inspiration, interpretation, and proclamation. This work honors the rich oral traditional foundations of the inspired canon, urging a transformative shift in how we interpret the Bible. The stories we believe define us. The Bible is not just a text to be studied but a record of voices from the past who performed our definitive stories. The Bible is a tradition to be reproclaimed and reenacted in the community of faith. Let us not recast these ancient voices into modern epistemological molds without letting them speak from within their own cultural realities. Their voices still call out to us through the abiding Holy Spirit who connects us all to the story of Jesus. May we live out that ancient story today together.