What is Scriptural Reasoning?
Scriptural Reasoning is an interfaith practice in which people of different religious traditions—originally Jews, Christians, and Muslims—gather to read and discuss passages from their sacred texts together. Unlike dialogue models that seek theological agreement or common ground, Scriptural Reasoning focuses on the texts themselves, inviting participants to explore interpretations, ask questions across faith boundaries, and “disagree better.” The practice emphasizes remaining rooted in one’s own tradition while becoming genuinely curious about how others read, reason, and find meaning in their scriptures.
A typical session involves 3–8 people gathered around a table with three short sets of verses—one from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), one from the New Testament, and one from the Qur’an—usually selected around a common theme such as justice, hospitality, or suffering. All participants are encouraged to share their thoughts about each text, regardless of whether they think of it as their own scripture or not. The format allows deep engagement without requiring participants to be theological experts or to defend doctrinal positions.
Origins & lineage
Scriptural Reasoning traces its roots to a group of Jewish philosophers and text scholars who, in the late 1980s, began studying classical Jewish texts together, seeking to reinvigorate Jewish thought by attending to the methods of reading and reasoning exemplified in these classical sources. This network was founded in 1991 by Peter Ochs, Steven Kepnes, Robert Gibbs, and others, who called their practice “Textual Reasoning.” They launched an electronic journal called the “Postmodern Jewish Philosophy Bitnet Journal” in 1991, making it an early experiment in online academic publishing.
In the mid-1990s, some Christian friends began sitting in on these conversations and were so attracted by the lively process that they suggested using it as a model for interfaith conversation. Later, Muslim friends were invited to join the conversation, and Scriptural Reasoning was born. Peter Ochs coined the term “scriptural reasoning” and is the co-founder (with Anglican theologian David F. Ford) of the Society for Scriptural Reasoning, which was founded in 1995, with founders including Ochs himself, David F. Ford, Daniel W. Hardy, and Basit Koshul.
Early Scriptural Reasoning-like studies took place at Drew University from 1994–96, including Basit Koshul as the first Muslim participant; the first three-faith residential meeting occurred on Long Island in 1996; and from 1997 onward, Scriptural Reasoning sessions at the American Academy of Religion moved from fringe meetings to an official program unit. In 2001, the Society for Scriptural Reasoning established a Journal of Scriptural Reasoning to publish research into SR and to display the academic fruits of SR as a practice.
How it’s practiced
Participants explore short sections of scripture selected on a common theme, giving equal time to each. First, they listen to a speaker who will explain the context of the text, and how it has been understood within their tradition. Then, in small groups, participants share with one another how they ‘reason’ with the text, applying it to modern life. They each have the text in front of them, and often explore the particular words and phrasing in detail, asking questions and sharing their thoughts.
The practice is deliberately simple and adaptable. Because Scriptural Reasoning is a participatory practice, each SR group is unique. Some groups are academic, involving professors and graduate students; others meet in congregations, prisons, hospitals, or community centers. The physical setup matters: people sit around a table as equals, with texts as the shared focus. The atmosphere balances intellectual rigor with warmth—participants value intense individual thought and group dialogue, combining scholarly discipline with humor and laughter.
Crucially, Scriptural Reasoning is not about seeking agreement but rather exploring the texts and their possible interpretations across faith boundaries, and learning to ‘disagree better.’ Participants are not asked to suspend their commitments or pretend neutrality; rather, they bring their full religious selves to the table and discover what emerges when ancient texts are read in the presence of thoughtful others.
Scriptural Reasoning today
Originally developed by theologians and religious philosophers as a means of fostering post-critical and postliberal corrections to patterns of modern reasoning, Scriptural Reasoning has now spread beyond academic circles. SR is now practiced globally, including in places affected by religion-related tensions and conflict. Universities from Toronto to Oxford to Beijing host SR groups. The Rose Castle Foundation was founded in 2014 to equip leaders for peace and reconciliation work between the Abrahamic religions, with Scriptural Reasoning being central to its training.
Today, seekers encounter Scriptural Reasoning through university interfaith programs, the Cambridge Interfaith Programme (a pioneer in the practice), local synagogue-church-mosque partnerships, leadership training programs, and online resources. The practice has expanded beyond the Abrahamic faiths: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Baháʼís, and members of other faiths, meet in groups to study their sacred scriptures and oral traditions together. The website scripturalreasoning.org offers free guides, text packs, and a directory of groups worldwide.
Common misconceptions
Scriptural Reasoning is not a debate format where participants try to prove their scripture superior or convert others. It is not a search for the “common core” of all religions or an attempt to create a new syncretic faith. Participants are not asked to leave their tradition behind; rather, people of different faiths come together to read and reflect on their scriptures side-by-side, not seeking agreement but rather exploring the texts and learning to ‘disagree better.’
The practice has faced scholarly criticism. Critics from different traditions challenge some of its founding practitioners’ claims to having requisite knowledge of ancient traditions of Islamic, Jewish and Christian exegesis and, on that basis, the purported authority to “correct” or “repair” binarist or fundamentalist interpretations of Scripture. Some question whether the postliberal framework genuinely avoids relativism or quietly smuggles in liberal assumptions about neutrality.
Scriptural Reasoning is also not a quick fix for interfaith tension or a guaranteed pathway to friendship, though friendships often emerge. It requires patience, vulnerability, and a willingness to sit with complexity rather than resolve it.
How to begin
The most direct entry point is to find or form a local group. Visit scripturalreasoning.org to locate existing groups or access their starter guides. The Cambridge Interfaith Programme offers training materials and sample text sets organized by theme.
For intellectual grounding, read Peter Ochs’s Religion without Violence: The Practice and Philosophy of Scriptural Reasoning (2019), co-authored with David F. Ford, which offers the most comprehensive account of the practice’s theory and application. The Journal of Scriptural Reasoning (online, open-access) publishes reflective essays from practitioners.
To experience the practice firsthand, consider attending an American Academy of Religion session featuring Scriptural Reasoning, or contact the Rose Castle Foundation (UK-based) for training and facilitation support, especially for non-academic contexts. The simplest beginning, however, is to gather a small group of friends from different traditions, select three short texts on a shared theme, sit around a table, and begin reading together.