with him in the stories in which he plays a part; secondly, no Christian reading may deny the unity of the Bible; finally, all readings which in principle do not contradict the first two rules are allowed.136 Scripture is thus only given in the context of a social practice with certain rules. McClendon defines a practice as ‘a complex series of human actions involving definite practitioners who by these means and in accordance with these rules together seek the intended end.’137 While he follows