Current pedagogical approaches to reading religious texts are often characterized by two opposing tendencies: (i) a form of personal relativism in which any interpretation is considered valid, or (ii) an externalist approach, focusing on socio-historical analysis. As such, text and scripture either become distant artefacts to teach historical-moral understanding, or they are used as tools for self-realization and identity formation in which individuals decide for themselves whether they find it valuable, and determine its role in their lives. In this paper, we seek to explore 'post-hermeneutic' practices that reassign the text as an ‘actor’. Traditional hermeneutic practices consider interpretation as an activity, in which the reader is seen as the 'subject' who interprets the 'object’ (i.e. the text). Although philosophers like Gadamer and Ricoeur already presuppose a reciprocal relationship between the text and reader, a post-hermeneutic approach goes beyond. Post-hermeneutic approaches aim to foster a genuine 'encounter' between the reader and the text as two fully-fledged agents. The reader no longer imposes an unilateral interpretation or value on the text but allows oneself to be 'swayed' by what the text conveys. This approach is inspired by the work of Latour, who critiques the strict dichotomy between signifying subjects and signified objects. Latour’s focus on 'mapping’ provides a more relational model of engagement. We propose a three-phase process for engaging with texts. In the first phase, the text asserts its presence, inviting us to engage with it: 'Here I am, look at me.' This represents an initial dialogue, in which the text calls us to approach it with attention and curiosity. The second phase involves the text asking what it elicits within the world around us. The focus shifts not only to the personal affective or intellectual responses that the text evokes, but also to its entangled relations that offer a sense of meaning. In the third phase, the text poses the question of what to do with it: 'In what way do you allow me to continue to exist?' This stage addresses the ways in which we, as recipients, contribute to the ongoing relevance and meaning of the text, both personally and within broader cultural contexts. We conclude by suggesting that reading scripture is not merely a matter of expertise, reflection, or metacognitive skills. It requires so-called 'study-work', i.e., a more active, relational engagement in which the reader is open to the agency that the text might impart.

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