The main theme of this episode concerns the ubiquity of interpretation or hermeneutics. As Oliver and Ante stress in the beginning, there is no dimension of being in the world that does not have an interpretive dimension to it, ranging from ordinary acts of orientation and judgments on a daily basis to broader considerations about the meaning of texts, societal events, and life in general. In developing this topic, they consider some important thinkers that have shaped our understanding of these issues, including the towering figure of Hans Georg Gadamer. In the process of doing so, they consider the following questions: What is the relationship between philosophical and biblical hermeneutics? What factors orient us to perceive the world in a certain way? How do we navigate between theological interpretations that aim at closure and biblical texts that seem to have a surplus of meaning? Are there moral imperatives to consider the finality of texts in some circumstances?...CONNECT WITH USEmailWebsite* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations on life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show title points out, we approach these things "in the middle of things" by grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. Concerning "about us," we are friends and verbal sparring partners who also happen to be colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič