0swald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1969. This book takes aim at the hermeneutics of dispensationalism and is a classic of Reformed writing.

James Barr, The Semantics of Biblical Language. London: Oxford University Press, 1961. Moises Silva had me read this back in the 70s in college. Barr critiques unsound linguistic principles of the neo-orthodox "Biblical theology" school and the use of illegitimate totality transfer of meaning. He is good on showing what was wrong with the early volumes of the TDNT masterpiece by Kittel et. al.

Louis Berkhof, Principles of Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1950. A reliable, if somewhat uninspiring Reformed text. This one is availble from Doxa software real cheap.

Gerald Bray, Biblical Interpretation Past and Present. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1996. 608 pages. What a great detailed survey of the history and scope of biblical interpretation over the ages. This is a must read from an evangelical perspective. He covers the history AND offers little bio pieces on major figures.

Donald A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984. Don Carson has been my favorite exegete for some time. This one deals with many of the grammatical, logical, and historical fallacies. My favorite is his debunking of the "where two or three are gathered" misuse of scripture.

Millard J. Erickson, Evangelical Interpretation: Perspectives on Hermeneutical Issues. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993. This one is not a beginner's text. It deals with special issues and the kinds of problems Jacob loves to deal with in the PB. I especially appreciated the discussion of the principle of "authorial intent." Erickson raises evangelical doubts about the consistent use of the principle in terms of the OT, in light of the typological exegesis practiced in the New Testament.

Patrick Fairbairn, The Typology of Scripture: Viewed in Connection with the Whole Series of the Divine Dispensations. 5th ed. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1870. 2 vols. Reprinted Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1989. A major treatise on typological interpretation. Old, but vintage. Fairbairn exercised monumental scholarship. And, you can find it in PDF form on the net.

Patrick Fairbairn, Hermeneutical Manual: or, Introduction to the Exegetical Study of the Scriptures of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1858.

Gordon D. Fee, New Testament exegesis: a handbook for students and pastors. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993. A guide for New Testament historical-critical exegesis written for students who know Greek, but with much of the guide accessible to students without knowledge of Greek. Don't let the Assembies of God author scare you off of this one. Fee is a fine exegete and a reliable guide, even if you don't agree with everything.

Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding the Bible. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993. 265 pages. Actually they have a new edition out now. It takes a popular tact in moving from interpretation to application. The authors tend to be evangelical feminists.

Norman L. Geisler, Explaining Hermeneutics: A Commentary on the Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics. Oakland, California: International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, 1983. OK, OK, I know what he thinks about Calvinism. But, it is still worth reading.

E.D. Hirsch Jr., Validity in Interpretation. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1967. An introduction to general hermeneutics (principles that apply to the interpretation of any work of literature) as distinguished from the "special" hermeneutics of Biblical studies. While Hirsch is not a biblical scholar, the principles are quite important, especially with respect to authorial intent.

Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979. Here is where you get to beat up on us historical pre-mills from the standpoint of Calvinistic amillennialism.

Walter C. Kaiser, Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981.

Walter C. Kaiser and Moisés Silva, An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994. 302 pages. ISBN: 0310530903. Some reviews have found it more interestng than informative. My old prof, Moises Silva was my first Calvinist teacher. He has a great chapter on Calvinistic Hermeneutics (chapter 14). It stands opposed to the "neutral" inductive approach and admits that "proper exegesis should be informed by theological reflection. To put it in the most shocking way possible: my theological system should tell me how to exegete" (p. 261).

Walter C. Kaiser, The Uses of the Old Testament in the New. Chicago: Moody Press, 1985. ISBN: 0802490859. I don't always agree with Kaiser, but appeciate his writings greatly. His handling of senus plenior is of note.

William W. Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Dallas: Word Publishing, 1993. This has also appeared in an updated form (I'm just too lazy to go get the latest biblio info out of my library). It is a VERY comprehensive and well-organized introduction, intended for evangelicals. Don't confuse "evangelical" with conservative. They adopt redaction criticism, allow for some use of liberation theology, and take a variety of controversial stands. It is a goldmine, however.

V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, Moises Silva, and Vern Sheridan Poythress. Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation. Six volumes in one. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996. 668 pages. ISBN: 0310208289. One of my former profs and a current big gun at my college alma mater offer a discussion of linguistics, literary studies, science, and theology as they impinge upon contemporary hermeneutics.

Robertson McQuilkin, Understanding and Applying the Bible. Revised ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1992. This one will give you a simple beginning approach.

A. Berkeley Mickelsen, Interpreting the Bible. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1963. 425 pages. A comprehensive presentation of hermeneutics, it has been supplanted by Hubbard and Klein. Mickelsen and his wife were strong egalitarians, although this does not appear to impact this book very much.

Roger Nicole, "New Testament Use of the Old Testament," in Revelation and the Bible: Contemporary Evangelical Thought, ed. by Carl F.H. Henry (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1958), pp. 135-51. It can be found in one of the Ages Software PDF collections "Contemporary Evangelical Thought").

Grant R. Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1991. 499 pages. Osborne writes for the seminarian and deals with sermon prep too. Some of his presuppositions are not too agreeable for PB readers.

James I. Packer, "In Quest of Canonical Interpretation" in Robert K. Johnston, ed., The Use of the Bible in Theology: Evangelical Options. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1985.

James I. Packer, "Infallible Scripture and the Role of Hermeneutics," in Scripture and Truth, ed. by D.A. Carson and J.D. Woodbridge. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.

Earl D. Radmacher and Robert D. Preus, eds. Hermeneutics, Inerrancy and the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984. 921 pages. This collection of nearly 50 papers presented at the 1982 International Council on Biblical Inerrancy conference in Chicago is quite worthwhile, including the appendices.

Bernard Ramm, Protestant Biblical Interpretation: A Textbook of Hermeneutics for Conservative Protestants. Chicago: Moody Press, 1953. 2nd ed. 1957. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1970. American Baptist Ramm started out conservative and kept moving left. I remember taking a lay course from him on the creeds back in the 60s when I was a sophomore in high school.

Moisés Silva, Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.

Moisés Silva, God, Language, and Scripture: Reading the Bible in the light of general linguistics. Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation 4. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.

Moisés Silva, "Has the Church Misread the Bible? The history of interpretation in the light of current issues." Foundations of Contemporary Interpretation 1. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987. Everything my old teacher writes is worth reading! My wife had Moises for her two years of Greek.

R. C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1977. 125 pages. You already mentioned this one. It is, as all of his writings are, easy-to-read and practical in its handling of interpretation from a Reformed perspective.

Douglas K. Stuart, Old Testament Exegesis: a Primer for Students and Pastors. 2nd ed., revised and enlarged. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1984. A step-by-step guide to OT exegesis with an emphasis on the goal of preaching and teaching in the context of the church.

Robert A. Traina, Methodical Bible Study - A New Approach to Hermeneutics. Wilmore, Kentucky: Robert Traina, 1952. A detailed guide to inductive Bible study, by a conservative Methodist. Pretty boring but still helpful for the inductive method.

Henry A. Virkler, Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981. 263 pages. This is quite simple but VERY helpful to get you thinking about the issues facing the interpreter. I would begin with this one.

__________________
Dennis E. McFadden, Ex Mainline Baptist (in Remission)
Atherton Baptist Homes, CEO
First Baptist Church of Alhambra, Member, Transformation Ministries (CA)

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