The interpretive practice of reading sacred texts, authority claims, and institutional narratives critically to expose hidden power structures and unstated assumptions.
Sor Juana famously challenged the Bishop's authority and Church interpretations through rigorous textual analysis, asking not only 'what does this say?' but 'who benefits from this reading? who is silenced?' This hermeneutical approach is essential in religious identity work. A hermeneutics of suspicion allows believers to question whose interpretations are presented as universal truth, what agendas underlie doctrine, and whether institutional claims match lived ethics. For doubters, it provides intellectual permission to examine the scaffolding of faith. For leavers, it validates the observation that religious narratives often serve power rather than liberation. Sor Juana's tradition shows that this critical reading need not be hostile—it can be rigorous, loving, and aimed at deeper truth. Apply this lens to commandments, theological claims, institutional histories, and the stories you've internalized about yourself. What becomes visible when you question the authority behind each claim?
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