What question did this study set out to answer?

To propose and analyze three distinct modes of reading the Bible based on the reader's role and context.

January 17, 2026Open Access

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

Key Points

To propose and analyze three distinct modes of reading the Bible based on the reader's role and context.
Conducted a historical survey of biblical criticism over two and a half centuries.
Identified and defined three modes of reading: theological, philological, and spiritual.
Explored the interrelationships between these reading modes.
Theological reading shapes faith community identities through Bible and tradition.
Philological reading analyzes the Bible as a literary text using critical techniques.
Spiritual reading is focused on personal guidance and interpretation.

Abstract

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.

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