Santa Biblia, The Bible Through Hispanic Eyes By Justo L. Gonzalez

In review of the book “Santa Biblia, The Bible through Hispanic Eyes”, written by Justo L. Gonzalez. The main point to this book is how Gonzalez’s use of the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” offers a renewed understanding in Christianity. This is important for the reader to understand because it allows the reader to view biblical texts threw their own context and perspective. To see our own perspective, Gonzalez states that reading the Bible is a “dialogue, which the text speaks and the reader listens, then asks questions” (13). By understanding biblical texts threw their own perspective, it will allow them to understand others’ perspectives. Gonzalez explains how people have created division between each other by being closed-minded and how this needs

It is used to support Gonzalez’s argument which is stated “The Bible is inerrant, but the same cannot be said for any interpretation of the Bible. The error is not in the Bible, but in its interpreters, who often confuse their own words with the Word of God” (12). While focusing on the first chapter, Gonzalez’s use of Marginality is to show the four main points in the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” which includes: Scripture (we need to be able to find insight and instruction into life in Christ word), Experience (both personal experiences of hearing God’s voice and stepping out in faith, and communal experience of living together in Christian community provide Christians with guides for life in Christ), Tradition (By observing faithful followers who have sought to live out Christ’s good news, we can be enlightened to God’s will. We trust the foundation of the forefathers and mothers of the faith and build on their examples.), and Reason (to use the brains that God gave us to discern, think, interpret, weigh out, and explore life in God.). First, with Scripture, Gonzalez states that “we read the Bible as a source of strength, and often seeking an explanation for our painful experiences” (35). For an example from actual scripture, Gonzalez shows how Hispanics look at the story of Abrahams sacrifice as an

The landscape is the same for all of us. Yet each one sees it from a different perspective, and will thus describe it differently” (17). Christians need to see that it is crucial to have a perspective because it cannot be avoided and it enriches everyone’s understanding of the “landscape” (Bible) itself. Two crucial themes for Gonzalez is one being “The Center” and second, one being “The Margins.” The center, which is things that characterize people. So for an example it would be the dominant culture (The most powerful, widespread, or influential culture within a social or political space.) The margins, which is different ways that human beings are “marginalized.” So for an example, marginal cultures sometimes have a persistent sense of being outsiders. Gonzalez explains “the reading from a perspective of marginality tells us to bring those in the margins to the center” (55). However, he states before that “those in the center are those who are wrong in God’s community.” He explains this new understanding not to contradict what he had said before, but to show a new way that Christians need to take their new understanding of the Bible and go to the center to direct the people into what has enlightened them of the