In the introduction to his work Mormon Hermeneutics, Protestant Jeffrey S. Krohn wrote that
Despite implicit and explicit
claims by the LDS to the contrary, their uses of the Bible focus on the modern
horizon of the interpreter to the neglect of the ancient horizon of the text. .
. . (Jeffrey S. Krohn, Mormon Hermeneutics: Five Approaches to the Bible by
the LDS Church [Eugene, Oreg.: Pickwick Publications, 2022], xix)
Notwithstanding, Krohn is forced to admit that Protestants also
are a victim of this approach to the Bible:
It is axiomatic that “that which
is new is always exciting, and there is an inevitable tendency for its
importance to be overestimated” (Neill and Wright, Interpretation, 161).
This is frequently illustrated in Bible interpretation, with modern application
overriding ancient meaning. It is seen in several traditions, e.g., the
conservative evangelical tradition, as well as the Mormon church. At the
outset, it is important to note that the Mormons are not the only tradition
that seems to ignore the ancient horizon of the biblical text.
For instance, the conservative
evangelical tradition (my own tradition), at times tends to neglect the ancient
meaning. First Samuel 17 is taught to merely encourage us “to fight the giants
in our lives” (lesson from David and Goliath). The only reason for the story of
Peter and the waves Matt 14:30) seems to be a reminder to “keep our eyes on
Jesus in the storms of life.” Do we look to Scripture only to extract analogies
for memorable Sunday School lessons? Is this the extent of out Bible
interpretation? Is this an appropriate response given the depth and richness of
Scripture? Stuart Allen writes that there has emerged “a type of believer whose
only interest in the Bible is what he gets out of it for himself and his own
comfort . . . His aim is self and his own particular experience . . . In a
subtle way it keeps this sort of person pre-occupied with himself,
instead of being occupied with Christ and God’s great and glorious redemptive
plan” (Allen in Thiselton, New Horizons, 193, emphasis added). While the
biblical text must be seen as relevant to the modern church . . . this
relevance cannot be at the expense of ancient meaning. (Ibid., xx-xxi)
