S11:E12 Contextual Theological Interpretation: An Integrated Model for Reading the Bible with Dr. Bo H. Lim

Why does the Bible so often feel disconnected from real life—and what would it take to close that gap?

David Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Old Testament scholar Bo Lim to explore his book Contextual Theological Interpretation. Together, they tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing the church today: how to faithfully interpret Scripture across cultures, contexts, and competing theological frameworks.

Lim argues that biblical interpretation cannot live in silos. Historical-critical study, theological tradition, and cultural context must be held together in a dynamic, ongoing dialogue. When any one of these dominates, the Bible either becomes irrelevant, weaponized, or detached from lived reality.

Drawing from years of scholarship, teaching, and lived experience as a Korean American theologian, Lim offers a vision for reading Scripture that is both faithful to the text and responsive to the complexities of our world.

🎙️ In This Episode:

• Why there is a growing “gap” between biblical studies and real-world ministry
• The limits of historical-critical interpretation alone
• How theological interpretation reclaims Scripture for the life of the church
• What contextual interpretation brings—and where it can go too far
• Why all theology is already shaped by culture (even when we pretend it’s not)
• How to hold text, theology, and context together without collapsing into relativism
• Why multicultural ministry demands a new way of reading Scripture

📌 Key Moments:

• [00:04:00] The “gap” between Scripture and contemporary life
• [00:09:00] Historical criticism vs. theological interpretation
• [00:17:00] What contextual interpretation actually means
• [00:22:00] Why theological traditions are always culturally shaped
• [00:27:00] The hidden biases in biblical commentaries and scholarship
• [00:33:00] Liberation vs. post-colonial readings of Scripture
• [00:38:00] Why no single method is sufficient on its own

Faithful biblical interpretation is not about choosing between text, theology, or context. It's about learning to listen to all three in conversation. When we do, we begin to hear God’s voice not just in the past, but in the present realities of the communities we serve.