SCRIPTURE IN TRADITION: THE BIBLE AND ITS INTERPRETATION IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

The Bible was born and shaped in a community of faith. They understood Scripture to be an essential element of Holy Tradition: the apostolic witness passed down and developed into what would become the body of Orthodox doctrine. It begins with a discussion of the aims and methods of biblical interpretation as they were developed among the Greek Fathers. The second section introduces the reader to the ancient literary form known as “chiasmus” and emphasizes the importance of a proper “chiastic” reading to reveal the “literal” meaning of the text. The final section raises crucial issues regarding doctrines of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, from the perspectives of the divisive question of the filioque and the relevance of the Nicene Creed.