Triplex Usus Lectionis or On Reading the Bible Theologically, Philologically, and Spiritually

This survey, reflecting two and a half centuries of biblical criticism, proposes three distinct modes of reading the Bible, each determined by the reader’s role: theological reading, practiced by conscious members of faith communities whose group and personal identities are shaped by the Bible and tradition; philological reading, employed by scholars using biblical criticism to analyze the Bible as literature; and spiritual reading, undertaken by individuals seeking personal guidance. The varied strategies inherent in these modes, and their interrelationships, are explored.