The politics of interpetation: Carter, Dunn, and Mao Tse Tung
St. Peter famously observed that St. Paul’s writings contained many things “that are hard to understand.” Yet twenty centuries of Christians (ordinary people and clergy) have nevertheless assumed the right and responsibility of interpreting Paul for themselves, without Paul’s help. God expects us to act as though we, the audience, have access to Paul’s meaning, even though we are not Paul himself. The same is true of less authoritative figures, like politicians and public speakers…



