Friday, October 16, 2020

Rammona Siddoway on the Importance of Knowing the Historical/Cultural Context of Scripture

One was pleased to find the following in a recently-released popular-level work, wherein the importance of historical-culture context and exegesis is emphasised:

 

LOOKING THROUGH THE PROPER LENS

 

One of the temptations is to look at ancient or historical events and scriptures through the lens of current times, demographics, and belief systems. Some become perplexed and even heated at directives and choices made by individuals living in an entirely different time period and set of circumstances. Society often attempts to white-wash history, wanting to forget that current culture and more came out of the past, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

It must be remembered that context is king; that historical and cultural perspectives must be taken into account for greater and clearer understanding. People are not, and never were, perfect. Societal progress, including Latter-day Saint traditions, isn’t perfect, but it helps to understand why things happened in the culture of that time period.

 

We don’t have to agree with decisions and choices made at the time. We just need to understand the context in which they were made. This is often done with scripture. A European-based culture took a repeatedly translated scripture (the Bible) and covered it with a heavy film to view it through. The original Hebrew roots and culture that the biblical scripture was originally dictated into is often misunderstood or ignored. Latter-day Saints already recognize that belief in the Bible is predicated upon the correctness of its translation.

 

The narrative of Adam and Eve is no exception. Much of mainstream Christianity, from the earliest of times, has superimposed cultural views of women (and the role of a wife) onto the account, interpreting biblical consequences as it could fit into already established ideas, lifestyle, and stereotypes. The history of Adam and Eve is as much shaped and created by past—and contemporary—culture as current culture has been shaped by varied theological interpretations. (Rammona Siddoway, We Are Adam: The Partnership of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and What it Mean For You [Springville, Utah: CFI, 2020], 23-24)