Art of biblical words – session 2

In this session, I realized that reading the Bible is, at its core, a cross-cultural experience. It’s not just a book in my own language. It’s a translation of words born in an entirely different world, shaped by ancient Israel’s language, time, and culture. That gap isn’t a problem to hide

I connected with the idea of “defamiliarization” which is the process of stepping back from what I think I already know so I can see the text as foreign before I make it familiar again.

It struck me that my own background shapes how I read, just as much as someone from another culture. Communities with diverse backgrounds have a natural advantage here; they’ve learned to compare, question, and adapt meanings. Those in monocultural spaces need intentional work to develop this skill.

The phrase “Bible as a book by others for others” hit me hard. It reframed Scripture as something not demanding I fit into a box, but something written from a place of difference, inviting me to listen, adapt, and grow.

If I let it, the Bible can make me more open-minded.