Hermeneutical Distance
Hermeneutical Distance (HD) measures how far an interpreter must travel from what an inspired source explicitly says to arrive at a particular proposition.
It is not a truth score.
| HD | Classification | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Explicit | The source directly states the proposition. |
| 1 | Direct implication | The proposition follows immediately with minimal interpretation. |
| 2 | Reasonable application | An explicit principle is applied to a circumstance the source does not directly address. |
| 3 | Substantial inference | Multiple texts/principles are combined and at least one significant interpretive assumption is required. |
| 4 | Extended inference | Several interpretive moves are required, often including generalization of an example or exception. |
| 5 | Constructed conclusion | The conclusion depends on a chain of applications or assumptions and is not itself taught by the cited source. |
Plain-English rule
A higher HD score does not mean an author is wrong. It means more argument is required before presenting the conclusion as something God explicitly requires.
The same standard applies equally to Rodriguez, Standish, and Vine.
Is this scoring itself rigorous?
Fair question — see Is Hermeneutical Distance Rigorous for a full, layman-accessible treatment of the subjectivity critique and how it compares to the classical Hermeneutic Circle approach.