Reading the Bible

The technical term for what i am going to talk about is hermeneutics.  I want to first emphasize the importance of reading the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament.  As Orthodox, we believe that God's Word, as recognized as the Old Testament and New Testament is central and foundational to the Christian life.  The Bible, within the context of the historic Christian church, is THE Word of God.  Because of this fact, we must learn to rightly handle God's Word.  One of the major problems within Christendom today is the inappropriate or faulty handling of Scripture.  Too many people, who don't have the right understanding or the ability to rightly grasp and handle God's Word are doing so. 
This is not a Pharisaical matter of "you don't have the right education, so you shouldn't preach".  This is about authority and context. 
There are two sides to this matter.  One has to do with the appropriate handling of literature.  This means reading poetry as poetry, history as history, biography as biography, and apocalyptic as apocalyptic.  Try reading a cookbook to your wife like it's poetry.  I don't think you'll get very far.
A good place to start in regards to this first point is with the theologian Anthony Thiselton.  This scholar provides an incredibly astute and thorough analysis and grounding in the proper recognition of the text.  He is truly unsurpassed in his field.
The second side is learning to read Scripture as the apostles read Scripture.  Using the text as they used it.  Recognizing typology, symbolism, and imagery when it is in the text and rejecting it when it's not there.
We will learn to do this second point as we immerse ourselves in the history of the Church and the lives of the saints.  Building our hermeneutical skills from the tools of liberal modernity will not lead to success.  Reading and understanding the Word of God as the Church has always understood it will lead us into the deeper faith and a closer relationship with God and man.