© The Author(s) 2016 315
K.J. Archer, L.W. Oliverio, Jr. (eds.), Constructive
Pneumatological Hermeneutics in Pentecostal Christianity,
DOI 10.1057/978-1-137-58561-5
A FTERWORD: ON THE FUTURE
OF PENTECOSTAL HERMENEUTICS
Kenneth J. Archer
Pentecostal scholars are generating a wealth of academic literature on
various subjects. Hermeneutics is addressed regularly; however, the dis-
cussion of hermeneutics is almost always related to biblical interpretation. 1
Pentecostal hermeneutics has matured over the past 20 years. 2 The com-
pilation of essays in this volume is a testimony to the growing reality that
hermeneutics is an essential aspect of any discipline and should not be
limited only to discussions concerning biblical interpretation, even though
this is paramount for Christian communities. Hermeneutics is related to
all academic disciplines, in the sense that, at its core is the concern for
proper interpretation—coming to a “true” or “correct” or “legitimate”
or “accurate” or “fair” understanding of the subject being observed or
investigated. Hermeneutics is interdisciplinary because it is a routine func-
tion of human interaction with reality, and necessary for human fl ourish-
ing. 3 Bill and I hope this volume signals a concern to be more intentional
about hermeneutics and its contribution to biblical, theological and vari-
ous other academic disciplines.
The future of Pentecostal hermeneutics will require scholars to engage
with previous pentecostal–charismatic articulations of hermeneutics by
K. J. Archer
Southeastern University, Lakeland , FL , USA