What are the foundational texts on biblical interpretation? I've recently become interested in learning more about the process through which Christian scholars interpret the Bible. Recognizing that the question about biblical intrepretation and its limits itself is far too long for this forum, what are the foundational or otherwise notable resources on the process of discerning truth in the Bible?

Specifically, anything that talks about:


The degree to which cultural context can override clear statements.
How hidden truths can be differentiated from preferential interpretations.


Would be great!

Edit: Thanks for the feedback on the broadness of the question. I'm actually satisfied with Dick Hardfield's answer as it gives me a great starting point.
As @fredsbend has said, each group has their own "go to" theologians that they lean on heavily, at least for theological interpretations. Because of this, you would need to specify a denomination or group that uses a particular source or foundational texts as a guide to interpreting the Bible from a theological perspective.

You ask about the process through which Christian scholars interpret the Bible, and this is somewhat easier. Here I interpret 'scholars' in terms of critical scholars, rather than theologians. The theory of biblical text interpretation is called hermeneutics.  There is a concept known as exegesis, or reading meaning out of the text, and this is contrasted with eusegesis, reading meaning into the text. Eusegesis can result in preferential interpretations, and is generally avoided by critical scholars. 

Since at least the nineteenth century, scholars have identified processes for interpreting the Bible from different perspectives, attempting in different ways to discover the underlying meaning and original sources of biblical text. The most important of process is Historical criticism, which includes Source criticism, Form criticism, Redaction criticism, Tradition criticism and Radical criticism. These methodologies do not have standard texts which scholars using the method must follow, but were proposed by a pioneer scholar and then refined and improved by peer review and experience. 

Historical criticism attempts to understand the cultural context in which passages were written and thereby the degree to which cultural context should influence our understanding of the texts. 

Narrative criticism is a relatively new methodology, originating around 1970, that takes a completely different approach than historical criticism, at the same time being consistent with it. Narrative criticism attempts to understand how a book was written and how it influenced its intended audience.  One of the earliest texts from that period is Mark as Story, by David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey and Donald Michie, now in its third edition. This book quite clearly demonstrates the use of Narrative criticism.