Stories, Hermeneutics, and Maturation in Christian Life
Keywords:
Christian life, character formation, Hermeneutics, Maturation, conversionAbstract
In Christian life, many texts that have come down to us in the traditions act upon us in the same ways: they take us to the heart of the action. They transport us into their world so we can take part in what the text is all about. This is not to suggest that the Christian texts are fiction, as I described story-telling above. But, fiction or not, texts in general – and the dynamics that play out in the life of the individual and community when reading them – hold many things in common. Texts play a central role in the development of Christian life, conversion, and character formation since these texts bring us to absorb a world of values and actions that reflect the long-standing wisdom of the Christian traditions and our relationship with God. This article explains, from a textual hermeneutical perspective, why and how “reading” texts and stories of all kinds contribute to the personal spiritual-human development and, in turn, character formation in Christian life.
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