LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Book Critique:
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Barriers to Better Understand the
Bible
By: Randolph E. Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien
Submitted to Dr. James Joseph in partial fulfillment
of the requirement for the completion of the course
NBST 610 – D03
Hermeneutics
Introduction
In this Book critique the student author will provide a summary and analysis of the book
Misreading Scripture with Western Eye: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the
Bible by Randolph E. Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien. The student author will highlight major
themes presented by the authors and will evaluate the work of the authors by analyzing the
effectiveness of presenting their thesis as well as the application that was provided.
Summary
In the book authors Richards and O’Brien seek to bring an awareness to the presence of
western world cultural assumptions and the effect that it has on the misinterpretation of
Scripture. Through missionary experience in Indonesia and his insights into the contrasting
cultural norms of the west against other parts of the world the authors are able to identify nine
areas in which interpretive issues commonly take place.
The first three chapter consists in the first section of the book address the cultural
differences as those “above the surface.” The authors identify these cultural differences as mores,
race/ethnicity and language. Mores is described as, “the social conventions that dictate which
behaviors are considered appropriate or inappropriate.”1 Race and ethnicity are addressed as
biblical prejudices which may remain unexamined in failing to identify personal assumptions
about race and ethnicity keeping some from grasping the important aspects of biblical teachings.2
Language is described as, “ the tip of the iceberg, the part of worldview that is clearly visible.”3
The second section of the book addresses the issues that are described as “just below the
1 Randolph E. Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural
Blinder to Better Understand the Bible (Downer Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2012), na.
2 Ibid., na.
3 Ibid, na.
surface,” meaning they are less obvious issues that are possibly more dangerous than those right
above the surface and easier to identify. In this section the authors touch on individualism and
collectivism, honor/shame, and time. Richards and O’Brien analyze the differences between the
culture of Western individualistic societies and the collectivist cultures of Eastern societies. In an
individualistic culture, the individual person is the most important entity in establishing a
person’s identity. In collectivist culture rather than the individual the most important entity is the
community- the family, tribe or the country. Identity of the collectivist culture is rooted in one’s
place in supporting the community. Richards gives an example of Indonesian elders who
considered banning a young couple from the church because they decided to elope. Through the
individualist western lens this may seem ridiculous and foreign. However, in the collectivist
culture the decision to marry is considered to be a collective decision of the community to
decide.4 The next chapter is devoted to exploring the honor-shame culture of predominantly
Eastern Asian cultures. The authors explain people in honor/shame cultures are more likely to
choose right behavior determined by what society expects of them. In the book honor/shame
societies are compared to cultural examples in the Bible and is contrasted against the individual
internal conscience of guilt in the West.5
In the last section the authors address cultural issues that are “deep below the surface.”
These are the issues that are less obvious and are the most dangerous. These issues are identified
as rule of relationships, virtues and vices and the self at the center of Western culture. Because of
a Western understanding of relationships in terms of rules and laws there is a common tendency
4 Ibid, na.
5 Ibid, na.
to correlate those terms and rules to ancient relationship that are discovered in Scripture.6 This
can lead to misreading of the biblical text and an inaccurate understanding of the Scripture.
In conclusion of the book the authors end by offering “three easy steps for removing our cultural
blinders.” In this, five suggestions are given as follows: embrace complexity, beware of
overcorrection, be teachable, embrace error, and read together.
Analysis
The intent of the book was to draw analyze Western cultural issues in which the potential
for misreading Scripture exists. The authors were able to achieve this through the thorough
examination of three levels in which the cultural differences were classified by their level of
dangerousness in misinterpreting the Scriptures. The authors are able to provide a point of view
that understood the complexities of the Western culture and the blinders that have the potential to
cloud the biblical approaches to interpreting Scripture. The bulk of the book’s examples were
derived from the experiences of Richards in Indonesia. This was beneficial in grasping concepts
that were presented and achieved an awareness of the cultural deficit that often exists among the
Western mindset. However, the correlation of biblical culture did not always translate over in
terms of the concepts that were being presented through Indonesian culture. The Indonesian
examples were so prevalent throughout the book. It would have been more rounded with other
references to other cultures outside of the Indonesian culture which is unique in many aspects.
The book contained some exegetical weaknesses. Because of this the correlations of certain
principles and concepts that were barely applicable because of this. In the honor/shame section it
is implied that King David’s actions were governed by an honor/shame culture that right/wrong
implication of guilt were not a factor in the passage.7 This is essentially implying that the
6 Ibid., na.
7 Ibid., na.
presence of honor and shame automatically excludes the existence of right/wrong and those
concepts are not completely mutually exclusive. This type of application may be misleading for
new believers or those who are able to utilize the book for understanding the importance of
removing cultural blinder which is an issue worthy of attention. The “three easy steps for
removing cultural blinders” at the end of the book were a little hard to follow as five applications
were presented but it was a helpful practical touch to the conclusion of the book. The charge to
read together and learn from different cultures was an encouraging challenge to end the book
with. Continuing the pressing theme of the importance of identifying and understanding cultural
boundaries to interpreting the Scriptures.
Conclusion
The argument and purpose of the book was clear, and the authors’ goal to get the reader
to become aware of cultural issues among Western interpreters of the Scriptures were consistent
throughout. Without recognizing that this is an actual Western issue in interpreting the Scripture,
one cannot fully grasp and seek to better understand the text in the way that the original audience
and those in other cultures do so more naturally. The book would have been strengthened if the
exegetical applications provided were revised and not as loosely correlated to the concepts
presented. Although the correlation of biblical culture did not always translate over in terms of
the concepts that were being presented through Indonesian culture, the use of personal examples
were helpful illustrations to describe the concepts presented. It would have been even more
effective if the illustration were more rounded in other exampled from other cultures to further
strengthen the argument for a further look into the cultural difference and issues in Western
Culture. Overall the book was able to convey the awareness of way in which Western cultural
influencers affect the interpretation of Scripture.
