Biblical Interpretation and the Virtue of Humility in Late-16th-Century England

What is it about?

The theologian Richard Hooker (1554?-1600) is one of the architects of the religious tradition that has come to be known as Anglicanism. Writing in defense of the forms of worship and institutional structures of the English Church, Hooker put forward a theory of biblical interpretation (a hermeneutic) based on dialogue. Central to Hooker’s hermeneutic was the virtue of humility, but not exactly the type of humility people might think of today. In Hooker’s time, humility could be an assertive virtue. A humble person would recognize that they were fallible, but also know that other people are fallible as well. A rightly, moderately humble person would put forward their interpretations and the reasons that support them and then listen carefully to the arguments put forward by those who interpret differently before drawing conclusions regarding the meaning of complex books like the Bible. Hooker argues that when all persons involved in seeking the best interpretation of difficult texts allow their own views to be enriched by the insights of others while also contributing their own insights to enrich the ideas of others, real progress can be made toward reasonable and mutually acceptable interpretations. The article concludes by comparing Hooker’s perspectives on humility to those expressed by Shakespeare in King Lear

Featured Image

Photo by Stephen Radford on Unsplash

Photo by Stephen Radford on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Divisions often grow out of conflicting interpretations of foundational texts. In the modern American political context, application of Hooker’s assertively humble approach to interpretation of documents like the Constitution could provide a way forward for citizens tired of partisan divisions and ready to look for common ground.

Perspectives