Exegetics

/ˌɛksɪˈdʒɛtɪks/ noun

Definition

The practice, art, or study of exegesis; the discipline of interpreting and explaining texts, especially those that are religious or historically significant.

Etymology

From 'exegetic' plus the disciplinary suffix '-ics,' making it parallel to other fields like 'linguistics' or 'hermeneutics.' This usage frames interpretation as a formal academic field.

Kelly Says

Exegetics became a formal academic discipline partly because religious scholars realized they needed rules and methods—otherwise everyone would just interpret the Bible however they wanted, leading to chaos (which, ironically, happened anyway).

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