ABSTRACT
The preceding chapters have examined how individual differences shape the way that ordinary readers interpret the Bible. There remains another possible influence on interpretation that has been widely discussed in literary circles, and this is the effect of interpretative communities. This idea stems from the suggestion that reading is not always an isolated, individual process, but one that can be linked to a community of like-minded readers. This is especially true for sacred texts because these are the products of faith communities and their reproduction and interpretation is often guarded by those same communities. In the history of the Christian church, errant interpretations of scripture have earned the wrath of the community, with sometimes dire consequences for those bold enough to go against the majority understanding. Indeed, one of the signs of this displeasure was excommunication: expulsion from the community. 1
