Hermeneutics: Reformed Principles of Interpretation

1. Lectures Listen to the lectures in order. Those marked supplementary are optional.

   • Hermeneutics 1-49 Vern S. Poythress 49 lectures, about 44.6 h Open source Doctrinal Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), OPC minister; Westminster Media
   • The Presence of God Qualifying Our Notions of Grammatical-Historical Interpretation (ETS paper, audio) Vern S. Poythress (Westminster Theological Seminary; Presbyterian, Westminster Standards) Open source Doctrinal frame-poythress.org
   • Hermeneutics in Light of the Divine Author of Scripture (Christ the Center episode 356) Vern S. Poythress with the Reformed Forum panel Open source Doctrinal Reformed Forum
   • He Gave Us Scripture: Foundations of Interpretation (video course) Third Millennium Ministries (Richard L. Pratt Jr., PCA, host; forum segments by multiple contributors) 11 lessons Open source Supplementary Third Millennium Ministries Host Richard Pratt is PCA and the lesson scripts are Reformed, but the inserted 'forum' interview clips include non-confessional evangelicals (e.g. Craig Keener, continuationist; John Oswalt, Wesleyan; Darrell Bock, dispensational). Thirdmill also lets lessons be used across traditions, so canon and inspiration are...

2. Reading Read in the order given. Public-domain and free texts are linked; purchases are optional and never required.

   • Principles of Biblical Interpretation: Sacred Hermeneutics Louis Berkhof (Christian Reformed Church; Calvin Theological Seminary) Open source Doctrinal 1950. Public domain
   • An Exposition of the Confession of Faith of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, ch. 1 Robert Shaw Open source Doctrinal 1850. Public domain
   • Calvin, Institutes I.7-I.9 (Scripture and the Spirit) John Calvin Open source Doctrinal 1845. Public domain Both are historians/editors in a denomination that now admits women to office (contrary to the historic reading of 1 Tim. 2-3 assumed by the Church Order of Dort and the Form of Church Government). Their items here are historical and editorial, not doctrinal instruction, and neither is known for teaching against the...

3. Assignment Write a research paper of 10-20 pages on a topic drawn from the lectures and readings of this course. Argue from Scripture, the Westminster Standards (1647 text) and the Three Forms of Unity, cite the primary sources you read, and state the points on which the sources differ.

   Open the assignment

4. In Spanish (supplementary) Spanish-language lectures and readings, supplementary. The English lectures above remain the core; strong English lectures are translated rather than replaced by weaker Spanish ones.

   • Hermeneutica biblica (13 MP3 lectures, 7 slide decks; Vimeo album 1846462) Larry Trotter (Lawrence C. Trotter N., Ph.D.) 13 audio lectures (Hermeneutica-1 to -13); durations not printed Open source Supplementary Seminario Reformado Guadalajara; Trotter is pastor of Florida Coast Church (PCA) and adjunct at Knox Theological Seminary PCA minister (confirmed on floridacoastchurch.org: 'Florida Coast Church (PCA)'), so a Westminster subscriber on the 1788 American text; the seminary serves the Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de Mexico (Presbiterio del Bajio), which also uses the American 23.3. His lectures on WCF chs. 20, 23 and 31 are therefore...
   • Hermeneutica biblica: descripcion del curso y apuntes (PDF) Larry Trotter (Lawrence C. Trotter N., Ph.D.) 13 pages (pdfinfo) Open source Supplementary Free PCA minister (confirmed on floridacoastchurch.org: 'Florida Coast Church (PCA)'), so a Westminster subscriber on the 1788 American text; the seminary serves the Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de Mexico (Presbiterio del Bajio), which also uses the American 23.3. His lectures on WCF chs. 20, 23 and 31 are therefore...
   • Exegesis y exposicion (PDF) Francisco Orozco 138 pages (pdfinfo) Open source Supplementary Free Author's church and confessional standard not confirmed this session (the web-search budget was exhausted); the text cites Albert N. Martin, which suggests a Reformed Baptist setting. Keep supplementary. Confirm affiliation in phase 2; if non-subscribing, re-role to primary-source-studied.
   • La predicacion cristocentrica desde toda la Biblia (PDF 'PredicacionCristocentrica.pdf' on the course page) Edmund P. Clowney Open source Supplementary Free

Every lecture and reading carries its role. "Under review" means the teacher's subscription to the Westminster Standards or the Three Forms of Unity is not yet established; "Read as comparison" means the material teaches the 1788 American text of WCF 20.4, 23 or 31 or of Larger Catechism Q.109, which the school reads beside the 1647 text. Nothing has been removed.