The Plainly Revealed Word of God?: Baptist Hermeneutics in Theory and Practice

In January 2009, an international group of Baptist theologians met in Cardiff, UK, for a colloquium to explore the theory and practice of Baptist hermeneutics. Drawing primarily from the British Baptist community, the group’s work was enhanced by insights from participants from the USA and Eastern Europe. Participants brought a diversity of scholarly and pastoral interests to the colloquium, and through presentation and discussion explored together the nature of Baptist hermeneutics. The resulting volume addresses five core thematic areas: the way in which Baptists have engaged with the Bible both in their early history and more recent past; some specific examples of Baptist hermeneutics in practice; theoretical approaches to the hermeneutical task in Baptist contexts; negotiating interpretative difference within Baptist reading communities; and the concluding responses from two non-Baptist theologians who want all to consider the wider implications for contemporary Baptist life.