While many people engage in interpretation, it is not clear what interpretation is. This critical primer examines the nature of interpretation, strategies within interpretation, and negotiations about the adequacy of an interpretation, with special attention paid to possible roles hermeneutics (the theory of interpretation) plays in the academic study of religions. This book addresses a number of fundamental questions posed throughout the history of hermeneutics: • What is an “interpretation”? • What or who determines the meaning of a text? • What helps in navigating competitions...