Literary Criticism and Biblical Hermeneutics: A Critique of Formalist Approaches

Twentieth-century literary criticism and Protestant theologies share a cultural sensibility, a number of presuppositions, and several analogous difficulties. Lynn M. Poland critically examines these common elements, assessing the promise and limit of the “literary turn” in the interpretation of biblical texts. Drawing on the writings of Crossan, Via, Frei, and Ricoeur, she develops a model of contextual inquiry necessary for the adaptation of literary criticism for theological hermeneutics.