Critical Book Review of Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes

By: Pastor Joe Moore, Graduate Student, Liberty University Theological Seminary

Introduction

Kaiser and Silva assert, “the Bible is a divine book, and so we require special training to understand it.[1] Part of understanding Scripture demands awareness of the cultural lenses a reader brings to the text. In Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien argue that modern Western Christians unknowingly filter biblical interpretation through individualistic, rationalistic, and egalitarian assumptions that distort the text’s meaning. Their central thesis asserts that proper interpretation must account not only for biblical culture but the culture of the reader, particularly the Western worldview that values personal autonomy, linear thought, efficiency, and privacy. In fact, the authors imply, “the primary goal is to help us learn to read ourselves.”[2] This critique will summarize the book’s major themes, analyze the authors’ argumentative structure, assess the sufficiency of their examples, and evaluate the work’s contribution to hermeneutical discourse. Ultimately, while Richards and O’Brien occasionally overgeneralize, their work provides an excellent entry point for addressing cultural bias in biblical interpretation.

Summary

Richards and O’Brien contend that Western Christians often approach Scripture with blinders formed by modern values rather than first-century social realities. Their motive in writing is pastoral and practical: without cultural awareness, the church risks inadvertently misunderstanding and misapplying the message of Scripture.[3] They organize their work around nine misreadings, moving from surface-level assumptions (individualism, race, language) to deeper, unconscious values (honor/shame, patronage, collectivism).

The authors first address how the community we are raised in influence our cultural mores, and we should be aware of these to live more faithful Christian lives.[4] Similarly, Western readers assume egalitarianism, flattening ancient social hierarchies the text assumes. Another key theme is race and ethnicity, where modern assumptions about skin color are read back into a world that categorized identity according to lineage, geography, and religion.[5]

As the book progresses, the authors explore more profound cultural differences. The ancient world prioritized honor and shame, not guilt and innocence. Biblical hospitality thus becomes a matter of public virtue, not private convenience. Likewise, ancient societies embraced patron-client relationships, a system foreign to Western meritocracy. From reading genealogies to interpreting parables, ignoring these implicit dynamics results in misapplication.

Finally, the book examines how Western time-orientation and rule-based ethics distort the relational nature of ancient morality. For Richards and O’Brien, Scripture must be read with sensitivity to collectivism, reciprocity, and communal identity. Their conclusion encourages humility, reminding readers that biblical interpretation is not merely linguistic, but profoundly cultural.

Analysis

Richards and O’Brien write from an explicitly “white,” evangelical perspective, assuming biblical authority while critiquing common interpretive habits.[6] Their perspective is implicitly get beyond culture to finding the true, theological meaning of Scripture. This approach is advantageous for clergy and students who are hesitant to engage with critical scholarship; the authors speak their “church language” and thus open a space for cultural self-evaluation.

Clarity and Logical Flow

The argument progresses logically from visible cultural assumptions to deeper conceptual frameworks. Each chapter follows a consistent pattern: a cultural assumption, a biblical example, and pastoral application. This consistency improves readability, particularly for undergraduate or ministry contexts. Their thesis, that Western values distort biblical interpretation, is stated clearly and defended consistently throughout. The authors observe, “habits have histories, and we will try to point out not only what we assume when we read the Bible but also why we assume these things.”[7]

However, the authors occasionally risk oversimplification. Not every Western reader is individualistic to the same degree, and collectivist assumptions survive in many subcultures. Likewise, describing “Western culture” broadly may unintentionally exclude diverse immigrant expressions within Western churches. Acknowledging the complexity of “the West” would strengthen their argument.

Use of Evidence

Richards and O’Brien support claims with illustrations drawn from their missionary and pastoral experience. These anecdotes are vivid and relatable, though occasionally more descriptive than analytic. For example, their discussion of collectivism relies heavily on narrative observation without engaging sociological data.[8] While this conversational approach benefits general readers, academic audiences may desire deeper engagement with anthropological research.

Their discussion of honor and shame is effectively presented. Richards and O’Brien insert, “because Westerners – especially Americans – assume we should be internally motivated to do the right thing, we also believe we will be internally punished if we don’t.”[9] However, honor and shame mean different things in different cultures. Their use of biblical narrative, particularly David and Uriah’s story, illustrates how cultural honor can often conflicts with God’s system of honor.

Where the book occasionally struggles is in its discussion of race. While I understand the authors’ reminder that there is ultimately only one “human race,” they make a compelling case that ancient societies did not define identity by skin color but by ethnicity. They further note that many of these ethnic distinctions occurred even within a single tribe. A modern parallel can be seen in the differences among Christian denominations today, such as immersion versus sprinkling in baptism, the practice or non-practice of speaking in tongues, or differing perspectives on predestination. Richards and O’Brien add, “failing to come to terms with our assumptions about race and ethnicity will keep us blind to important aspects of biblical teaching.”[10]

Cultural Self-Awareness

One of the book’s greatest contributions is its insistence that hermeneutics requires self-diagnosis. Richards and O’Brien effectively communicate, “people who speak one language, which is most Americans, often assume that there is a one-to-one relationship between languages.”[11] By illustrating how collectivist societies read Scripture differently, the authors demonstrate that the Western reader is not default.

Their most powerful point is that cultural blind spots are often invisible to those who possess them. This insight aligns with the broader hermeneutical tradition that recognizes pre-understanding as unavoidable. Klein, Bloomberg, and Hubbard state, “No one comes to the task of understanding as an objective observer. All interpreters bring their own presuppositions and agendas, and these affect the ways they understand as well as the conclusions they draw.”[12]

Potential Limitations

The authors sometimes present collectivism as inherently closer to biblical culture, implying that Western individualism represents a fall from theological virtue. While collectivism certainly aligns in some respects with ancient thought, it can also enable unhealthy forms of conformity, control, or suppression. A more balanced comparative critique would acknowledge that both cultural systems have redemptive and problematic potentials.

Consistency and Coherence

The argument remains coherent throughout, with the final chapter capturing the overall themes of embracing complexity, being aware of overcorrections, being teachable and embracing errors and differences.[13] Overall, the work succeeds as an accessible introduction to cultural hermeneutics.

Theological and Hermeneutical Contribution

Richards and O’Brien offer significant value to biblical interpretation and pastoral practice. Their pastoral tone makes cultural hermeneutics approachable for church leaders intimidated by academic theory. They illustrate that historical-grammatical exegesis alone is insufficient; the reader’s cultural assumptions must also be interrogated. As they state, “the presuppositions we carry to the Bible influence the way we read it is commonplace in both academic and popular conversations about biblical interpretation.”[14]

Their contribution intersects with ongoing conversations about global Christianity. As the demographic center of Christianity moves toward the global South, Western churches must recognize that their interpretive traditions are not universal. This book helps Western readers understand why African, Latin American, and Asian believers read texts differently, and why those differences are not necessarily incorrect.

Practical Implications

Pastors who read this book may find themselves reconsidering preaching strategies that target personal application while neglecting communal transformation. Seminary students will benefit by learning to slow down, ask cultural questions, and seek non-Western commentary. Missionaries may use this book to avoid exporting Western expectations disguised as gospel mandates. Similarly, small-group leaders may rethink assumptions about hospitality, conflict, and leadership roles. As Duvall and Hays state, “Along with knowing about the writer’s background and ministry, you will also want to understand more about the specific relationship between the writer and the people he was addressing.”[15]

Conclusion

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes significantly enriches the conversation on cultural hermeneutics. Its strength lies in making the reader aware of the water they swim in, values so normal they seem invisible. While the authors occasionally generalize, their clarity, pastoral tone, and narrative examples render the work accessible and persuasive. This book would be helpful for pastors, seminary students, missionaries, and church leaders seeking to interpret Scripture faithfully in a globalizing world. It adds a crucial dimension to hermeneutics by moving beyond historical background to self-examination.

Ultimately, Richards and O’Brien remind the Western church that humility is not merely a virtue but a hermeneutical necessity. Recognizing cultural blind spots is not an academic luxury; it is essential for hearing Scripture as its authors intended. Gentry and Wellum imply, “given that Scripture is God’s Word through human authors, we discover God’s intent by reading what the biblical authors say; hence the expression, what God says, Scripture says (i.e. the biblical authors), and vice versa.”[16]

Bibliography

Duvall, Scott J. and Hays, Daniel J., Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to

Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, Fourth Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020, 114.

Gentry, Peter J. and Wellum, Stephen J., God’s Kingdom Through God’s Covenants.

Wheaton, ILL: Crossway, 2015, 27.

Kaiser, Walter C. and Silva, Moises, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for

Meaning. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2007, 17.

Klein, William W., Blomberg, Craig L., and Hubbard, Robert L. Jr., Introduction to Biblical

Interpretation, Third Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017, 45.

Richards, E. Randolph and O’Brien, Brandon J., Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes:

Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 15-17, 19, 20, 49, 52-68, 76, 97, 115, 212-216.

[1] Walter C. Kaiser and Moises Silva, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics: The Search for Meaning. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2007), 17.

[2] E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 16.

[3] Richards and O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, 17.

[4] Ibid., 49.

[5] Ibid., 52-68.

[6] Richards and O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, 20.

[7] Ibid., 19.

[8] Richards and O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, 97.

[9] Ibid., 115.

[10] Richards and O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, 68.

[11] Ibid., 76.

[12] William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Third Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 45.

[13] Richards and O’Brien. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes, 212-216.