Abstract:
Working within the reader perspective approach to biblical hermeneutics, a series of empirical
studies have tested the theory that the readers’ psychological type preference between sensing
and intuition (the two Jungian perceiving functions) shapes distinctive readings of biblical
narratives. More recently, closer attention has also been given to differentiation within these
two perceiving functions of sensing and intuition with regard to their introverted and
extraverted orientation. Against this background, the present study examines the distinctive
reading of the Johannine narrative of the wedding at Cana, a passage rich in materials to
engage the perceiving functions, by two groups whose dominant or auxiliary functions were
introverted sensing and introverted intuition.
CONTRIBUTION : Situated within the reader perspective approach to biblical hermeneutics, the
sensing, intuition, feeling, thinking (SIFT) method is concerned with identifying the influence
of the psychological type of the reader in shaping the interpretation of text. The foundations of
the SIFT approach distinguish amongst the four functions of sensing, intuition, feeling and
thinking. The present study builds on this foundation by introducing the nuance of the
orientation in which the function is expressed, in this case focusing specifically on introverted
sensing and introverted intuition.
