Barth and Pentecostal Hermeneutics

Abstract

This thesis contends that in the search of a Pentecostal hermeneutic, Karl Barth's approach to Scripture should be considered as it shares many values with the Pentecostal views of Scripture. Additionally, it further asserts that Barth's hermeneutic has more in common with Pentecostal values than historical-grammatical and post-modern proposals. After a brief survey of different hermeneutic proposals made by Pentecostals, this thesis identifies three distinct aspects of a Pentecostal approach to Scripture: 1) reading Scripture as an encounter with God; 2) presumed access to the apostolic experience; and 3) an emphasis on transformation. This thesis employs a conceptual analysis of three hermeneutic proposals using the aforementioned aspects as a measurement of Pentecostal values. The three hermeneutic proposals considered are a historical-grammatical proposal by Roger Stonstad, a reader-response proposal by Kenneth Archer, and a proposal from Barth described in this thesis as an analogical hermeneutic. It concludes with a theoretical conversation between these three authors that highlights the contrasts and affinities of their proposals.