If recent hermeneutical thought has taught us anything, it is that biblical interpretation must proceed in keeping with the given genre of a particular text. It occurs to me that if this is true with regard to the interpretation of biblical passages, it is true also with regard to—blogs!
What is the genre of “blog,” then? My admittedly random research on this subject (i.e. the unscientific perusal of a variety of blogs over the past year or so) indicates that there is little writing on the subject. In fact, the present blog may be the first effort to deal precisely with this subject.
If anything authoritative can be said about the subject, it is that there is no discernible uniform pattern as to the genre of “blog.” Here is the way in which some, almost entirely on an implicit level, seem to conceive of what blogging is all about—for them:
- Diary: various entries that reveal private information in a rather public manner; there is no hard and fast line between this genre and the next one, that of “journal”; technically, journals are intended for wider circulation, while diaries are more private in nature
- Journal: many blogs take the form of personal notes, of travels, insights from Bible study, and so on, on the assumption that what a given individual found helpful might help others as well
- Academic paper: in some cases, people may post a researched piece, including footnotes and technical material, though this is less frequent
- Editorial: this is the way I conceive of some of my entries; it is my opinion on a subject of contemporary relevance
- Sermon or homily: not infrequent is what Scripture calls a “word of exhortation” (Acts 13:15; Heb 13:22), that is, a message designed to challenge others to integrity, commitment, or other virtues
- Panel discussion: some essentially perceive of their blog as a forum for discussion where they toss out ideas and enjoy stimulating interchange with other like-minded individuals
- Treatise or essay: this is similar to academic paper, but less rigorous in documentation; it tends to be a rather lengthy exposition of a person’s views on a given subject
The purpose of this piece is not to adjudicate which is the “right” or “wrong” way to conceive of a blog. Clearly, there is more than one legitimate way in which to blog. However, it may be helpful to raise our consciousness as to how we conceive of our own blogs and, what is equally important, how we read and interact with the blogs of others.
I have previously posted on why I blog. I do not consider blogging as a substitute for scholarly work but as a distribution mechanism by which some at times more technical material can be simplified, condensed, and presented in a more accessible format. This is an outflow of my commitment to make scholarship subservient to the church at large. It is also a modest expression of my commitment to help feed the hungry and provide for at least a few needy children.*
It occurs to me that some of us are not very good listeners or readers of others’ blogs. Much would be gained if we were to intuit the proper genre of another’s blog and critique that blog in keeping with the authorially intended genre. For example, if someone writes a blog editorial-style, is it fair to critique his piece as if it were intended as an academic paper? Should we respond to a journal-type blog as we would to an essay? Neither would be in keeping with sound principles of interpretation or communication. But I have seen quite a few examples of genre-misidentification with resultant communication breakdown in the blogosphere.
Internet etiquette is important, especially for Christians. Wisdom and spiritual maturity ought to be the primary pursuit and heart’s desire of every Christian blogger. But my topic today is more narrow. What I would encourage all of us to refine and hone is our ability to reflect intelligently, and to develop skills in, is to identify properly which genre a given blog represents and to respond accordingly. That way we won’t try to drive a square peg into a round hole but rather write blogs that resemble well-driven nails (Eccl 12:11) and in our responses speak words that are apt and refresh rather than hurt and offend (Prov 25:11).
*My own.
Technorati Tags: interpretation, blogging, Kostenberger, internet etiquette
Excellent topic!
The hermeneutics of blogging: What a subject!
It occurs to me that my blog takes on almost everyone of the above noted characteristics of
blog genre.
I have felt for quite some time that the internet could completely change academics and scholarship as we know it. For example, why submit an academic work to a publisher who will probably suggest changes that may not suit the author, and then take the time to run it through the presses and promote and distribute the work – and on top of it charge a very tidy sum of cash?
With the internet academic works can be submited at the touch of a button and available for anyone to digest – all for free. The author can then receive feedback and interact with reactions to the work.
Most academics don’t realize the impact their ideas can have. Scot McKnight and Doug Groothuis are a couple of names that come to mind: academics who become blogging rockstars almost overnight based on their previous credentials.
[...] Andreas Kostenberger has a few thoughts on interpreting and responding to the blogosphere. Biblical Foundations » Hermeneutics in the Blogosphere: The Genre of “Blog” [...]
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[...] Andreas Kostenberger with some astute observations on “The Genre of ‘Blog’” [...]
I was just wondering how our conscious perception of September 11 has affected hermeneutics in recent days. It seems there has been a new intensity if not renewed interest in the matter. Also, we cannot say for certain but a revival of awareness has accompanied the apparent increase in writing on the subject. Although there is still a divergence of opinion, one cannot emphatically deny some progress has been made even though it is difficult to define and determine the direction.