📘 Lexicon Entry: Primitive Biblicism

Short Definition
Epistemological mutation that demands absolute interpretive certainty, reducing Scripture to tribal boundary maintenance tool while eliminating mystery, community discernment, and analogical complexity essential to authentic biblical interpretation
Definition
A theological distortion that transforms biblical interpretation from communal discernment within the mystery of divine revelation into individual or group claims to infallible comprehension. This mutation represents what David Bentley Hart identifies as "epistemological idolatry" that replaces divine mystery with human certainty claims, creating "self-sustaining delusional ecosystems" where interpretation becomes a "universe of indubitable absolutes." Primitive Biblicism departs from traditional Christian hermeneutics that embraced interpretive complexity through community, tradition, and acknowledgment of human limitations before divine transcendence. The mutation eliminates the analogical distance between divine revelation and human comprehension, reducing faith from trust in divine mystery to intellectual assent to predetermined interpretations. This approach contradicts Scripture’s own witness to interpretive complexity, as seen in the Ethiopian eunuch’s need for guidance and Peter’s acknowledgment that Paul’s letters contain "some things hard to understand." Contemporary manifestations include fundamentalist resistance to historical-critical scholarship and the use of biblical interpretation to support political ideologies while ignoring Scripture’s consistent boundary-crossing witness.
Category
Theological Mutation
Keywords
fundamentalism, biblical literalism, epistemological certainty, hermeneutics, biblical interpretation, theological mutation, fundamentalist epistemology, interpretive community, analogical reading
Citation Guide
APA: Geevarghese-Uffman, C. (2025). Primitive Biblicism. Political Theology Lexicon. Common Life Politics. https://www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon
Chicago: Geevarghese-Uffman, Craig. “Primitive Biblicism.” Political Theology Lexicon. Accessed [date]. https://www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon.
MLA: Geevarghese-Uffman, Craig. “Primitive Biblicism.” Political Theology Lexicon, 2025, www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon.
Theological: Geevarghese-Uffman, Craig. “Primitive Biblicism.” In Political Theology Lexicon. Digital theological resource. https://www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon (accessed [date]).
Orthodox Position
Traditional Christian hermeneutics recognizes Scripture as divine revelation requiring communal interpretation within the analogical framework that maintains transcendence-immanence tension rather than collapsing divine mystery into human comprehension
Hart’s analysis validates historical Christian epistemology where “faith and reason complement rather than compete” through medieval synthesis integrating intellectual rigor with mystical tradition that embraced “apophatic tradition’s embrace of unknowing as path to knowledge”
Authentic biblical authority emerges through community discernment guided by tradition and Spirit rather than individual claims to infallible interpretation, following patristic principle that “Scripture interprets Scripture within community of faith”
Chicago-Lambeth Scripture principle demonstrates Anglican via media approach recognizing Scripture as “containing all things necessary to salvation” while requiring interpretive community and traditional wisdom for authentic understanding
Key Characteristics
Epistemological Certainty Demand: Claims to absolute interpretive accuracy that eliminate mystery and complexity from biblical interpretation
Individual or Sectarian Authority: Rejection of communal discernment and traditional hermeneutical wisdom in favor of personal or group certainty
Analogical Collapse: Reduction of transcendence-immanence tension to simple one-to-one correspondence between text and meaning
Tribal Boundary Maintenance: Use of biblical interpretation to protect group identity rather than serve truth-seeking and universal justice
Anti-Intellectual Resistance: Rejection of historical-critical scholarship and academic engagement with biblical complexity
Historical Development
Modern fundamentalist movement (late 19th/early 20th century) departing from traditional Christian embrace of interpretive complexity and mystery
Reaction to historical-critical biblical scholarship that ironically adopted Enlightenment epistemological certainty rather than maintaining traditional apophatic humility
Development through American evangelicalism’s anti-intellectual tradition documented by Mark Noll’s analysis of evangelical resistance to scholarly engagement
Contemporary expression through political appropriation of biblical interpretation serving nationalist and tribal identity rather than universal Christian witness
Biblical Misinterpretation
Ignores Acts 8:30-31 demonstration that biblical interpretation requires guidance and community rather than individual certainty
Contradicts 2 Peter 3:16 acknowledgment that Scripture contains "some things hard to understand" requiring careful interpretation
Misuses 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to claim individual interpretive infallibility while ignoring its emphasis on Scripture’s formative purpose within community
Reduces 1 Corinthians 13:12 epistemological humility ("we see through a mirror, dimly") to false certainty claims
MAGA Expression
Hart’s analysis reveals how Primitive Biblicism enables MAGA Christianism by providing “biblical” justification for nationalist ideology through selective interpretation that contradicts Christianity’s “anti-autochthonous” character
Use of isolated biblical passages to support border walls and cultural exclusion while ignoring Scripture’s consistent boundary-crossing witness and hospitality commands
Biblical interpretation serving American exceptionalism that contradicts Hart’s insight that Christianity represents “perpetual rejection of blood and soil” and proper places as ultimate loyalties
Reduction of prophetic biblical tradition to support for political strongman leadership while eliminating Scripture’s consistent critique of earthly power and empire
Providential Expression
Claims to biblical mandate for American divine election that contradict Scripture’s universal scope and critique of ethnic or national privilege
Use of covenant theology to support cultural supremacy while ignoring biblical trajectory toward inclusion of all nations and peoples
Interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures to justify contemporary land claims and exclusionary practices contradicting prophetic emphasis on justice for stranger and sojourner
Biblical justification for providential nationalism that eliminates tension between particular identity and universal gospel witness
Cultural Impact
Hart’s “fish metaphor” explains how primitive biblicist interpretations create “entirely alternative reality with its own ecology” when communities prioritize certainty over truth-seeking
Contributes to Christian anti-intellectualism that undermines theological education and scholarly engagement with biblical complexity
Enables biblical justification for political positions that contradict central Christian teachings about hospitality, justice, and universal redemption
Creates “self-sustaining delusional ecosystems” where biblical interpretation serves tribal identity maintenance rather than spiritual formation and truth-seeking
Last Updated
2025-06-01
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*This entry is part of the Theological Lexicon, accessible exclusively to subscribers. View the complete lexicon to explore related concepts and the full theoretical framework.*
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