process. In recent hermeneutical history these three constructs have endured an uneasy relationship. At this point, we might simply affirm that the way we understand the role of authors, texts, and readers in the task of interpretation largely depends on our view of the nature of texts (what texts intrinsically are), including whether they are communicative or expressive in nature, and whether they are stable or unstable. Taking a quick look ahead, we see that the first two chapters of this book