Interpretation of Scripture

This volume contains Hugh of St. Victor's Didascalicon, On Sacred Scripture and its Authors and The Diligent Examiner, and On the Sacraments; Godfrey of St. Victor's Fountain of Philosophy; Andrew of St. Victor's Prologues to Select Commentaries; and selections from the following: Richard of St. Victor's Book of Notes and On the Apocalypse of John; Robert of Melun's Sentences, and the anonymous Speculum on the Mysteries of the Church.

Starting from the theory of scriptural interpretation elaborated by Hugh of St. Victor, the Augustinian Canons of twelfth-century St. Victor in Paris were leading theorists and practitioners of scriptural exegesis. This volume contains complete translations of the exegetical theories elaborated in Hugh of St. Victor's (d. 1141) Didascalicon, On Sacred Scripture and its Authors, and The Diligent Examiner as well as Godfrey of St. Victor's Fountain of Philosophy. It has excerpts from Hugh's On the Sacraments, Andrew of St. Victor's (d. 1175) commentaries, Richard of St. Victor's (d. 1173) Book of Notes and Apocalypse commentary, Robert of Melun's Sentences, and the anonymous Speculum on the Mysteries of the Church.

This work is the third volume of a series that offers translations and introductions of texts by authors who resided or were formed at the Abbey of Saint Victor in Paris in the twelfth century. This volume deals with methods of reading and Scriptural interpretation by including texts that introduce readers to basic concerns such as the names, numbers, and authors of biblical books....While one could always criticize a book such as this for including or not including such-and-such a text, every text is well translated and introduced, although few introductions go beyond summarizing contents and manuscripts. Once volume six of this series is published (to be titled, Interpretation of Scripture: Practice) this volume will become more useful. The work effectively demonstrates how the Victorines were interested in both historical and spiritual exegesis, and it will be of interest to graduate students and specialists involved in hermeneutics or twelfth century theology.

Devlin McGuire,
Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ, USA

"For specialists of the theology of the Middle Ages this volume will prove enticing, even exciting. For the ordinary reader, of which I am definitely one, the subject matter feels remote from the more pressing tasks of Christian living in the 21st century. I have read sufficiently of this volume however to know that this is a false premise. Take this from Hugh of St Victor on humility: "Humility is the beginning of discipline. Whereas the lessons of humility are many; these three are particularly pertinent to the student: first, he should consider no knowledge and no written works worthless; second he should not be ashamed to learn from anyone; and third, when he has become learned he should not hold others in contempt." Perhaps in time someone will make these Fathers of the Church, their lives and writings, more accessible. There is much here we need to hear."

David Ford
Good News Bookstall

Read full review at The Good Book Reviews The surfeit of translations of patristic and medieval commentaries on the Bible is changing not only how the Bible is interpreted today but also how theologians use the Bible. Interpretation of Scripture offers a judicious selection of writings from sophisticated thinkers who addressed the hermeneutics of biblical interpretation. This rich and substantive volume puts to flight the clichés about medieval exegesis and gives biblical scholars as well as theologians much to ponder.

Robert Louis Wilken,
William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of the History of Christianity, Emeritus, University of Virginia

This volume will guide even seasoned scholars in the ongoing analysis of the Victorine legacy. The contributors include known experts in Victorine studies such as Hugh Feiss, OSB, and Franklin Harkins and Frans van Liere are among the most diligent and best of the new generation of Victorine scholars.

E. Ann Matter,
William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania