Orality and Context in a Hermeneutical Key
Toward a Latina/o–Canadian Pentecostal Life-Narrative Hermeneutics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/ptcs.v14i1.97Keywords:
Life Hermeneutics, Latina/o Canadian Pentecostals, Orality, NarrativeAbstract
This paper shows that pentecostal hermeneutics (Latina/o–Canadian hermeneutics specifically), is fluid, dynamic, and participatory, and follows a narratival approach to the reading of the biblical text. Instead of perceiving the Bible as containing a foreign story, for pentecostals the Bible narrates their own journey of faith, as they seek communion with God. As an expression of the popular character of pentecostalism, this paper highlights the elements of orality, participation, experiential contextuality, and scriptural pneumatology as key hermeneutical principles in engaging the biblical text. I argue that for pentecostals reading the Bible is not a mere exercise, but rather it is a sacramental space of the Spirit by which people listen to the message of good news. Pentecostal hermeneutics can be better understood as a conversation with the text so as to tease out the divine voice and its relevance for Christian living. In order to show how these elements are interwoven, I will engage the Latina/o–Canadian pentecostalism, as a example of the complex and fluid character of pentecostal hermeneutics.
References
Álvarez, C. E. 1992. Pentecostalismo y liberación: Una experiencia latinoamericana. San José, Costa Rica: Departamento Ecuménico de Investigaciones.
—. 1992. “Lo popular: Clave hermenéutica del movimiento pentecostal.” In Álvarez, Pentecostalismo y liberación: 89–100.
Archer, K. J. 2004. A Pentecostal Hermeneutic for the Twenty-First Century: Spirit, Scripture, and Community. Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplement Series. London, UK: T. & T. Clark.
Arrington, F. L. 1994. “Use of the Bible by Pentecostals. Pentecostal Hermeneutics.” Pneuma 16: 101–08. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00085
Campos, B. L. 1992. “Lo testimonial: Un caso de teología oral y narrativa.” In Álvarez, Pentecostalismo y liberación: 125–46.
Cantón Delgado, M. 1992. “Lo sagrado y lo político entre los pentecostales guatemaltecos: Vivencia y significación.” Gazeta de Antropología 9: 1–16. Available at www.ugr. es/~pwlac/G09_14Manuela_Canton_Delgado.html (accessed October 20, 2014).
Cox, H. 1995. Fire from Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the Twenty-First Century. Reading, MA: Perseus Books.
David Johns, J. 1999. “Yielding to the Spirit: The Dynamics of a Pentecostal Model of Praxis.” In Dempster et al., The Globalization of Pentecostalism: 70–84.
Dempster, M. W., B. D. Klaus, and D. Petersen (eds). 1999. The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel. Oxford: Regnum Books International.
Ellington, S. A. 1996. “Pentecostalism and the Authority of Scripture.” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 9: 16–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699600400902
Ervin, H. M. 1981. “Hermeneutics: A Pentecostal Option.” Pneuma 3: 11–25. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007481X00098
Frei, H. W. 1974. The Eclipse of Biblical Narrative: A Study in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Hermeneutics. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Freire, P. 1978. Paulo Freire: A Revolutionary Dilemma for the Adult Educator, ed. S. M. Grabowski. Occasional Papers. New York: Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education and Eric Clearinghouse on Adult Education.
Gadamer, H.-G. 1975. Truth and Method, trans. G. Barden and J. Cumming. New York: Seabury Press.
Ginieniewicz, J. and D. Schugurensky (eds). 2006. Ruptures, Continuities and Re-learning: The Political Participation of Latin Americans in Canada. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
González, J. L. 1990. Ma-ana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
—. 1996. Santa Biblia: The Bible through Hispanic Eyes. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
—. 2000. “Worship and Fiesta.” In D. W. Vogel (ed.), Primary Sources of Liturgical Theology. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press: 225–60.
Guardiola-Sáenz, L. 2006. “Scriptures.” In M. De La Torre and E. Aponte (eds), Handbook of Latina/o Theologies. St Louis, MO: Chalice Press: 75–81.
Harrington, H. K. and R. Patten. 1994. “Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Postmodern Literary Theory.” Pneuma 16: 112–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00094
Hollenweger, W. J. 1976. El pentecostalismo: Historia y doctrina. Buenos Aires: Editorial La Aurora.
Johnston, R. K. 1994. “Pentecostal and Theological Hermeneutics: Evangelical Options.” Pneuma 16: 51–66.
Land, S. 1993. Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Maduro, O. 2009. “Becoming Pastora: Latina Pentecostal Women’s Stories from Newark (NJ).” Paper presented at Recent Research on Immigrant Christianity in North America, American Academy of Religion, World Christianity Group, Montreal.
McKay, J. 1994. “When the Veil is Taken Away: The Impact of Prophetic Experience on Biblical Interpretation.” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 5: 17–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699400200503
McRobert, I. 1988. The Black Roots and White Racism of Early Pentecostalism in the USA. New York: St Martin’s Press.
Medina, N. 2011. “Discerning the Spirit in Culture: Toward Pentecostal Interculturality.” Canadian Journal of Pentecostal–Charismatic Christianity 2: 131–65.
—. 2013. “Rethinking Liberation: Toward a Canadian Latin@ Theology.” In T. Cooper (ed.), The Reemergence of Liberation Theologies: Models for the Twenty-First Century. New Approaches to Religion and Power. New York: Palgrave Macmillan: 77–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9781137311825.
—. Forthcoming. “Latinas/os, Latin Americans and Everything In Between: Toward Understanding the Impact of Culture on Religious Faith.” In R. Gerloff and A. Triebel (eds), Dialogische Existenz Die Religion und die Vielfalt Moderner Gesellschaften, vol. 5. Beiträge Zur Sozialwissenschaftlichen Analyse Interkultureller Beziehungen. Berlin: Sozialwissenschaftlicher Studienkreis für Interkulturelle Perspektiven.
—. Forthcoming. “Migration, Latina/o Pentecostals and Being Church.” In S. Snyder, J., J. Saunders, and E. Fiddian-Qasmiyeh (eds), Moving Body: The Church in Migration Around the World. Religion and Global Migration Series. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mira, R. and L. Ann Lorentzen. 2002. “Women, Migration, and the Pentecostal Experience.” Peace Review 14.4: 421–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1040265022000039204
Míguez Bonino, J. 1995. Rostros del protestantismo latinoamericano. Grand Rapids, MI: Nueva Creación.
Neumann, P. D. 2012. Pentecostal Experience: An Ecumenical Encounter. Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications.
Patten, R. and H. K. Harrington. 1994. “Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Postmodern Literary Theory.” Pneuma 16: 109–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00094
Pinnock, C. H. 1993. “The Work of the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics.” Pneuma: The Journal of the Society of Pentecostal Studies 2: 3–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699300100201
Ricoeur, P. 1980. Essays on Biblical Interpretation, intro. L. S. Mudge. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
—. 1976. Interpretation Theory, Discourse and the Surplus of Meaning. Forth Worth, TX: Texas Christian University Press.
Ruiz, J.-P. 2011. Reading from the Edges: The Bible and People on the Move. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Santos, J. L. 2012. Evangelicalism and Masculinity: Faith and Gender in El Salvador. Plymouth: Lexington Books.
Segundo, J. L. 1979. Liberation of Theology, trans. J. Drury. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis.
Sepúlveda, J. 2006. “Future Perspectives for Latin American Pentecostalism.” International Review of Mission 87.345: 189–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-6631.1998.tb00077.x
Sheppard, G. T. 1999. “Pentecostals, Globalization, and Postmodern Hermeneutics: Implications for the Politics of Scriptural Interpretation.” In Dempster et al., The Globalization of Pentecostalism: 289–312.
—. 1994. “Biblical Interpretation After Gadamer.” Pneuma 16: 121–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00111
Soliván, S. 1996. “Sources of a Hispanic/Latino American Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective.” In A. M. Isasi-Díaz and F. F. Segovia (eds), Hispanic/Latino Theology: Challenge and Promise. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press: 134–50.
Szmulewicz, E, M. López, and D. Ramos. 2007. “How is Canada Looking at the LatinAmerican Immigration: A Brackgrounder.” Unpublished report. Toronto: Hispanic Development Council.
Thomas, J. C. 1994. “Women, Pentecostals and the Bible: An Experiment in Pentecostal Hermeneutics.” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 5: 41–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699400200504
Vanhoozer, K. J. 2003. First Theology: God, Scripture and Hermeneutics. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Villafa-e, E. 1993. The Liberating Spirit: Toward an Hispanic American Pentecostal Social Ethic. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Vondey, W. 2010. Beyond Pentecostalism: The Crisis of Global Christianity and the Renewal of the Theological Agenda. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Yong, A. 2005. Spirit–Word–Community: Theological Hermeneutics in Trinitarian Perspective. Aldershot: Ashgate.
—. 1992. “Lo popular: Clave hermenéutica del movimiento pentecostal.” In Álvarez, Pentecostalismo y liberación: 89–100.
Archer, K. J. 2004. A Pentecostal Hermeneutic for the Twenty-First Century: Spirit, Scripture, and Community. Journal of Pentecostal Theology Supplement Series. London, UK: T. & T. Clark.
Arrington, F. L. 1994. “Use of the Bible by Pentecostals. Pentecostal Hermeneutics.” Pneuma 16: 101–08. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00085
Campos, B. L. 1992. “Lo testimonial: Un caso de teología oral y narrativa.” In Álvarez, Pentecostalismo y liberación: 125–46.
Cantón Delgado, M. 1992. “Lo sagrado y lo político entre los pentecostales guatemaltecos: Vivencia y significación.” Gazeta de Antropología 9: 1–16. Available at www.ugr. es/~pwlac/G09_14Manuela_Canton_Delgado.html (accessed October 20, 2014).
Cox, H. 1995. Fire from Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the Twenty-First Century. Reading, MA: Perseus Books.
David Johns, J. 1999. “Yielding to the Spirit: The Dynamics of a Pentecostal Model of Praxis.” In Dempster et al., The Globalization of Pentecostalism: 70–84.
Dempster, M. W., B. D. Klaus, and D. Petersen (eds). 1999. The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel. Oxford: Regnum Books International.
Ellington, S. A. 1996. “Pentecostalism and the Authority of Scripture.” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 9: 16–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699600400902
Ervin, H. M. 1981. “Hermeneutics: A Pentecostal Option.” Pneuma 3: 11–25. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007481X00098
Frei, H. W. 1974. The Eclipse of Biblical Narrative: A Study in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Hermeneutics. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Freire, P. 1978. Paulo Freire: A Revolutionary Dilemma for the Adult Educator, ed. S. M. Grabowski. Occasional Papers. New York: Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education and Eric Clearinghouse on Adult Education.
Gadamer, H.-G. 1975. Truth and Method, trans. G. Barden and J. Cumming. New York: Seabury Press.
Ginieniewicz, J. and D. Schugurensky (eds). 2006. Ruptures, Continuities and Re-learning: The Political Participation of Latin Americans in Canada. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
González, J. L. 1990. Ma-ana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
—. 1996. Santa Biblia: The Bible through Hispanic Eyes. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
—. 2000. “Worship and Fiesta.” In D. W. Vogel (ed.), Primary Sources of Liturgical Theology. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press: 225–60.
Guardiola-Sáenz, L. 2006. “Scriptures.” In M. De La Torre and E. Aponte (eds), Handbook of Latina/o Theologies. St Louis, MO: Chalice Press: 75–81.
Harrington, H. K. and R. Patten. 1994. “Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Postmodern Literary Theory.” Pneuma 16: 112–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00094
Hollenweger, W. J. 1976. El pentecostalismo: Historia y doctrina. Buenos Aires: Editorial La Aurora.
Johnston, R. K. 1994. “Pentecostal and Theological Hermeneutics: Evangelical Options.” Pneuma 16: 51–66.
Land, S. 1993. Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Maduro, O. 2009. “Becoming Pastora: Latina Pentecostal Women’s Stories from Newark (NJ).” Paper presented at Recent Research on Immigrant Christianity in North America, American Academy of Religion, World Christianity Group, Montreal.
McKay, J. 1994. “When the Veil is Taken Away: The Impact of Prophetic Experience on Biblical Interpretation.” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 5: 17–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699400200503
McRobert, I. 1988. The Black Roots and White Racism of Early Pentecostalism in the USA. New York: St Martin’s Press.
Medina, N. 2011. “Discerning the Spirit in Culture: Toward Pentecostal Interculturality.” Canadian Journal of Pentecostal–Charismatic Christianity 2: 131–65.
—. 2013. “Rethinking Liberation: Toward a Canadian Latin@ Theology.” In T. Cooper (ed.), The Reemergence of Liberation Theologies: Models for the Twenty-First Century. New Approaches to Religion and Power. New York: Palgrave Macmillan: 77–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9781137311825.
—. Forthcoming. “Latinas/os, Latin Americans and Everything In Between: Toward Understanding the Impact of Culture on Religious Faith.” In R. Gerloff and A. Triebel (eds), Dialogische Existenz Die Religion und die Vielfalt Moderner Gesellschaften, vol. 5. Beiträge Zur Sozialwissenschaftlichen Analyse Interkultureller Beziehungen. Berlin: Sozialwissenschaftlicher Studienkreis für Interkulturelle Perspektiven.
—. Forthcoming. “Migration, Latina/o Pentecostals and Being Church.” In S. Snyder, J., J. Saunders, and E. Fiddian-Qasmiyeh (eds), Moving Body: The Church in Migration Around the World. Religion and Global Migration Series. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mira, R. and L. Ann Lorentzen. 2002. “Women, Migration, and the Pentecostal Experience.” Peace Review 14.4: 421–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1040265022000039204
Míguez Bonino, J. 1995. Rostros del protestantismo latinoamericano. Grand Rapids, MI: Nueva Creación.
Neumann, P. D. 2012. Pentecostal Experience: An Ecumenical Encounter. Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications.
Patten, R. and H. K. Harrington. 1994. “Pentecostal Hermeneutics and Postmodern Literary Theory.” Pneuma 16: 109–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00094
Pinnock, C. H. 1993. “The Work of the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics.” Pneuma: The Journal of the Society of Pentecostal Studies 2: 3–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699300100201
Ricoeur, P. 1980. Essays on Biblical Interpretation, intro. L. S. Mudge. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
—. 1976. Interpretation Theory, Discourse and the Surplus of Meaning. Forth Worth, TX: Texas Christian University Press.
Ruiz, J.-P. 2011. Reading from the Edges: The Bible and People on the Move. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Santos, J. L. 2012. Evangelicalism and Masculinity: Faith and Gender in El Salvador. Plymouth: Lexington Books.
Segundo, J. L. 1979. Liberation of Theology, trans. J. Drury. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis.
Sepúlveda, J. 2006. “Future Perspectives for Latin American Pentecostalism.” International Review of Mission 87.345: 189–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-6631.1998.tb00077.x
Sheppard, G. T. 1999. “Pentecostals, Globalization, and Postmodern Hermeneutics: Implications for the Politics of Scriptural Interpretation.” In Dempster et al., The Globalization of Pentecostalism: 289–312.
—. 1994. “Biblical Interpretation After Gadamer.” Pneuma 16: 121–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157007494X00111
Soliván, S. 1996. “Sources of a Hispanic/Latino American Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective.” In A. M. Isasi-Díaz and F. F. Segovia (eds), Hispanic/Latino Theology: Challenge and Promise. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press: 134–50.
Szmulewicz, E, M. López, and D. Ramos. 2007. “How is Canada Looking at the LatinAmerican Immigration: A Brackgrounder.” Unpublished report. Toronto: Hispanic Development Council.
Thomas, J. C. 1994. “Women, Pentecostals and the Bible: An Experiment in Pentecostal Hermeneutics.” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 5: 41–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/096673699400200504
Vanhoozer, K. J. 2003. First Theology: God, Scripture and Hermeneutics. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Villafa-e, E. 1993. The Liberating Spirit: Toward an Hispanic American Pentecostal Social Ethic. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Vondey, W. 2010. Beyond Pentecostalism: The Crisis of Global Christianity and the Renewal of the Theological Agenda. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
Yong, A. 2005. Spirit–Word–Community: Theological Hermeneutics in Trinitarian Perspective. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Published
2015-02-17
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Medina, N. (2015). Orality and Context in a Hermeneutical Key: Toward a Latina/o–Canadian Pentecostal Life-Narrative Hermeneutics. PentecoStudies, 14(1), 97-123. https://doi.org/10.1558/ptcs.v14i1.97
