Theological Hermeneutics

I sin bibellesning var Luther spesielt opptatt av bibeltekstens evne til å formidle Guds egenskaper til leseren. Inkarnasjonen som det sentrale innhold i den bibelske fortelling informerer de metaforer som formidler den, slik at de transcenderer sin erfaringsbestemte referanse og etablerer den virkelighet deres utvidede betydning forutsetter. Skriftens klarhet er derfor primært å forstå som en metafor for dens evne til opplyse oss.

Article based on a presentation given at the Thomas Latinus - Thomas Graecus. Thomas Aquinas and His Reception in Byzantium International Conference held at the Hellenic Library of Athens (Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center) in Dec. 15-16 2017, co-organized by The Hellenic Institute, Royal Holloway, University of London.

In order to shed light on the meaning of John 1, St. Augustine would turn to “that image which the creature is, that is, to the rational soul for a more careful questioning and consideration” of the procession of the Son from the Father. He would do so by seeing a link between the way the mind “beget[s] its knowledge when it knows itself” and the way the Father begets the Son;  in other words, the way a word is spoken by man and the way the Divine Word is ‘spoken’ by the Father. In this essay, I investigate both the way this ‘analogy of the word’ was used by thinkers prior to Augustine and also the thought of the Latin Father himself. I have also added an appendix on the subsequent thought of Aquinas on this point.

It is hard to think of an area of Christian theology that provides more scope for interdisciplinary conversation than the doctrine of creation. This doctrine not only invites reflection on an intellectual concept: it calls for contemplation of the endlessly complex, dynamic, and fascinating world that human being inhabit. But the possibilities for wide-ranging discussion are such that scholars sometimes end up talking past one another. Productive conversation requires mutual understanding of insights across disciplinary boundaries. Knowing Creation offers an essential resource for helping scholars from a range of fields to appreciate one another's concerns and perspectives. In so doing, it offers an important step forward in establishing a mutually-enriching dialogue that addresses, amongst others, the following key questions:

- Who is the God who creates?
- Why does God create?
- What is "creation"?
- What does it mean to recognize that a theology of creation speaks of a natural world that is subject to the observation of the natural sciences? What does it mean to talk about both a "natural" order and a "created" order?
- What are the major tensions that have arisen between the natural sciences and Christian thinking historically, and why? How can we move beyond such tensions to a positive and constructive conversation, while also avoiding facile notions such as a "god of the gaps"?
- Is it feasible for a natural scientist to maintain a belief in God's continuing creative activity?
- In what ways might a naturalistic understanding of the natural world be said to be limited?
- How can biblical studies, theology, philosophy, history, and science talk better together about these questions?

At a time when the doctrine of creation - and even a mention of "creation" - has been disparaged due to its supposed associations with anti-scientific dogma, and theological offerings sometimes risk appearing a little more than reactionary exercises in naive apologetics, ill-informed by science or distinctly wary of engagement with it, it is more important than ever to offer a cross-disciplinary resource that can voice a positive account of a Christian theology of creation, and do so as a genuinely broad-ranging conversation about science and faith.

"A probing introduction to the meaning and methods of Practical Theology.

“Practical theology” has emerged as a distinctive approach to the theological task. Rather than seeing itself as a “branch” of theology, practical theology is a theological sensibility highlighting the need to “read the signs of the times.” Veling sketches the contours of practical theology and explores its key elements to reflect on the deeper role of theology in the church and society.

Orbis Books, 2005. """

John Wesley brought together five key dynamics of the Christian faith, effectively combining in thought and practice these five elements:
1. Divine sovereignty and human freedom
2. Doctrine and experience
3. Experience and structure
4. Charismatic and institutional elements
5. Present and future salvation.
This essay suggests that this synthesis is both biblical and powerful. It then takes a fresh look at the much-discussed Wesleyan Quadrilateral, showing the ways it must be reconsidered. (Cowman Lecture, Seoul Theological University, 2016)

By the turn of the last century, secular political order had become so deeply rooted in the western societies that few would have predicted the return of religion as a socio-political force in today's globalised world. However, it must be stressed that this religious revival came with a high price. Religion is increasingly seen as an irrational reactionary force nurturing fanaticism, conflict and violence and therefore a threat to world peace. Historically, in the West, this fear of religion has led the modern secular consciousness to largely confine faith to the category of individualistic moral piety. The prophetic call for observing justice in all aspects of life that defines the heart of monotheistic faith traditions has been largely ignored. Unfortunately, even within contemporary sister faith traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the significance of this prophetic voice of social ethics and just living tend to be less vocal. The book under review offers an unparalleled insight into this critical prophetic message of upholding justice and respect for human dignity embedded within the Abrahamic faiths. The author discerns this creative monotheistic impulse of critical faithfulness by offering an impressive intertextual reading that enables the sacred discourses of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament and the Qur'an to engage in a meaningful conversation, thus illustrating the intertwined nature of their core message to humanity.

Competent leadership is essential for the health and well-being of a
Bible school. According to Oswald Sanders, “leadership is influence, the
ability of one person to influence others to follow his or her lead.”1
Leadership influence is a powerful commodity with many roles or
functions which we should regard with much sobriety. One major
leadership role, according to Robert Clinton, “is that of selection of rising
leadership. Leaders must continually be aware of God’s processing of
younger leaders and work with that processing,”2
which is an apt
description of the key task of all Bible school educators—equipping the
next generation of leaders. This paper will explore the leadership roles
of administrators, faculty, and students and discuss guiding principles for
leadership growth in Bible school educators which will, in turn, increase
the efficacy of the Bible school’s training programs for developing
leaders.

Convocation Address at Bethel University, August 29, 2016 about recent troubles in Minnesota, particularly the shooting of Philando Castille, and our responsibility as followers of the Gospel. There is an audio link also available. After you click the link, it's the first one in the queue; fast-forward to 15:00:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/2016-2017-chapel-college-arts/id1148681753?mt=10

Gary McGee, long-time Professor of Church History and
Pentecostalism at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary,
Springfield, Missouri, has written the latest official history of this
American Pentecostal denomination. People of the Spirit is unlike most
denominational histories. The institutional and structural issues are
muted, and it is certainly not a detailed analysis of statistics and the
changing shape of the denomination. Although important events are
cited, it appears that such data are brought in as inconspicuously as
possible. Rather, McGee has sought to capture the ethos of this revival
movement

Initial Evidence was the distinctive theology that was basic to a revival movement. At least that is the culture that I caught growing up.1  It is a doctrine discussed throughout the 20th century. There have been times that the issue caused discussion within a denomination. Usually a flow of writing followed. In the Assemblies of God there has been a steady production of tracts, pamphlets, and articles on initial evidence. It will be clear that this study focuses on North American sources, particularly on material from the Assemblies of God, U.S.A.

Niniejsza praca ma na celu przedstawienie teorii mitotwórczej J. R. R. Tolkiena, z perspektywy jej wymiaru duchowego. Od czasów antycznych teorie, tudzież filozofie, opierały się na myśleniu abstrakcyjnym i miały za zadanie wyjaśnienie ówczesnemu człowiekowi otaczającej go rzeczywistości. Nie inaczej było z Tolkienowską teorią, na potrzebę której ukuł swój termin Mitopoeia. „Duchowy wymiar Tolkienowskiej Teorii Mitotwórczej” – tłumacząc tytuł tej pracy na język Polski – przekłada się na wiele sfer życia Tolkiena. Pierwsza z tych płaszczyzn, to przypisywany mu przez niektórych krytyków program filozoficzny. Na tym wymiarze skupia się pierwszy rozdział tej pracy: „The Philosophical Disenchantment.” Jednak jak sugeruje tytuł, stanowi on zaledwie tło wszelkich dalszych poszukiwań, gdyż oferuje badaczom Tolkienowskiej myśli jedynie jej racjonalizację i demitologizację. Życiowa pasja Tolkiena, filologia komparatywna, daje wystarczające zrozumienie jego fenomenu, a przynajmniej zdaniem kilku krytyków. Niezaprzeczalnie stanowiła ona inspirację, a zarazem była narzędziem, którego Tolkien użył podług swej ogromnej wiedzy z zakresu językoznawstwa. Pomimo, iż w tej pracy „Comparative Philology” jest omawiana w drugiej kolejności, to właśnie ta dyscyplina była źródłem znajomości filozofii u Tolkiena. Podążając krokami Tolkieniany nie można jednak na tym poprzestać. Trzeci wymiar, jakże metafizyczny i filozoficzny w swych założeniach i implikacjach to odkrycie Owena Barfielda, znajomego Tolkiena. Barfield odkrył Teorię „Jedności Semantycznej,” co Tolkienowi przyszło łatwo przyjąć do wiadomości: język jako narzędzie może również być transcendentny, ze względu na swe początki. Dla Tolkiena była to jedna z tych rzeczy, która pozwoliła mu uwierzyć w smoki. „Philological Philosophy: Let There Be Dragons” – jest zatem łącznikiem między dwoma światami. Jednakże Tolkien nie był byle fantastą, oderwanym od ziemi. Teoria Barfielda, obudziła w nim nadzieję. Pomimo to, tak jak każdy rozsądny i racjonalny człowiek Tolkien musiał dowiedzieć się, „czy to prawda.” Potrzebował czegoś, aby idee odnieść do nie tyle rzeczywistego doświadczenia, ile prawdy. Prawda, bowiem wyzwala. Mimo nieustannego negowania jego wiary, to właśnie ona umożliwiła mu dalsze rozważanie tych teorii. I nie da się inaczej wytłumaczyć jego mitotwórstwa, jak przez uznanie jego wiary. Miłości do Boga, która była tak głęboka, że aż sięgała wiedzy teologicznej. Tego, między innymi, tyczy ostatni rozdział tej pracy: „Myth Becomes Truth.”
Liczba stron: 51

Every kingdom has its own culture and values. The problem in Christianity is that it does not have the culture and values of the Kingdom of God. Christians remain sunken into being part of the kingdoms of men, whose leadership and culture now only deal in good sounding baloney. Christians do not realize that God calls us to both be available to the world, while being differentiated from the kingdoms of men. We've reverted to talk, empty concepts and thinking we're being truth. It is time to reassert what sets apart from the kingdoms of men and their leadership and the mere talk they deal in. This section is an attempt to reconnect circuitry and reverse polarity in these details to the point where we once again can become that Kingdom of God set apart.

Finally, we are at the precipice overlooking a deep chasm, which few believers are willing to cross. Yet, at the same time, if we are going to square with Jesus, someone needs to give us a shove off the deep end. If you have read all the sections prior to this one, you are on the end of an overlook and I've placed dynamite behind you. Good luck as we blow the bridge to the past.

The Lutheran World Federation released Understanding the Gift
of Communion in 2014 to allow churches who hold differing views
on homosexuality to remain in fellowship with one another. This paper explores how the churches in the Global South who do not accept homosexuality are considered "colonialistic" related to socio-ethical concerns.

Published in the Journal of Lutheran Mission

Collver, Albert B. “Colonialism in the Global South: The Imperialism of Western Sexual Ethics.” Journal of Lutheran Mission 3, no. 1 (April 2016): 34–39.

http://blogs.lcms.org/2016/journal-of-lutheran-mission-april-2016

Dans le récit Ḥayy Ibn Yaqẓān d’Avicenne, les compagnons du narrateur qui ne le quittent jamais sont qualifiés par le sage de « mauvais compagnons ». Le premier, qui marche devant, représente l’imagination qui « enjolive le faux et forge les mensonges ». Les deux autres désignent l’âme irascible et l’âme concupiscente. Pourtant, la suite du récit confère un caractère ambivalent à l’imagination. Car d’une part elle trompe l’homme en l’incitant à s’imaginer ce qui n’est pas, mais d’autre part, elle peut aussi « servir l’âme en ce qu’elle a de plus élevé ». Et c’est notamment elle qui est déterminante dans les processus prophétique et poétique. Décrivant les étranges formes composées que voit le narrateur, le récit conclut que l’on « dirait que les figures composites dessinées par les peintres ont été transférées de cette région ». Le récit, poétique lui-même, procède ainsi à une mise en abime qui nous permet de prendre pleinement la mesure de sa portée esthétique.

Il nous semble que cette dimension poétique mûe par l’imagination active pourrait fournir les moyens d’arbitrer la divergence d’interprétation du récit – et de la figure du mal – entre Goichon et Corbin. D’autant que leurs deux lectures correspondent à ce que Ricoeur nomme – en les critiquant – lecture allégorique d’une part et lecture gnostique d’autre part. Pour Ricoeur, la symbolique du mal offre un paradigme pour réussir à penser les symboles en général précisément parce qu’elle représente ce qui ne peut jamais être pleinement rationalisé, retranscrit. Ricoeur se demande « comment peut-on penser à partir du symbole, sans retourner à la vieille interprétation allégorisante, ni tomber dans le piège de la gnose ? » (Le conflit des interprétations, p. 296). La piste de réponse qu’il expérimentera se situe dans le pouvoir de transformation de soi que possède précisément l’imagination. Or, si dans le fond du récit avicénien, l’imagination peut séduire l’âme et la tourner vers le sensible, dans la forme, elle est aussi imagination poétique qui rend possible d’autre modes d’être, montrant la voie de l’intelligible.

Religion was a constant theme throughout Paul Ricoeur’s long career, and yet he never wrote a full-length treatment of the topic. In this important new book, Brian Gregor draws on the full scope of Ricoeur’s writings to lay out the essential features of his philosophical interpretation of religion, from his earliest to his last work.

Ricoeur’s central claim is that religion aims at the regeneration of human capability—in his words, “the rebirth of the capable self.” This book provides a rich thematic account of Ricoeur’s hermeneutics of religion, showing how the theme of capability informs his changing interpretations of religion, from his early work on French reflexive philosophy and the philosophy of the will to his late work on forgiveness, mourning, and living up to death. Gregor exhibits Ricoeur’s original contribution to philosophical reflection on such themes as evil, suffering, and violence, as well as imagination, embodiment, and spiritual exercise. He also presents a critical reconsideration of Ricoeur’s separation of philosophy from theology, and his philosophical interpretation of Christian theological ideas of revelation, divine transcendence and personhood, atonement, and eschatology.

Additionally, Gregor provides an expansive look at Ricoeur’s interlocutors, including Marcel, Jaspers, Kant, Hegel, Levinas, and Girard. Theologically-inclined readers will be particularly interested in the book’s treatment of Karl Barth and the Protestant theology of the Word, which was a vital influence on Ricoeur.

The result is a study of Ricoeur that is both sympathetic and critical, provocative and original, inviting the reader into a deeper engagement with Ricoeur’s philosophical interpretation of religion.

Este estudio muestra la gárgola medieval como un programa iconográfico perfectamente regulado y apoyado en simbolismos asociados a las aguas primordiales como sostén universal y al pecado, entre algunos otros. El texto revela el profundo orden detrás de su manufactura y contrapone las visiones que hacen de ellas productos exclusivos del imaginario de escultores aburridos y descarriados. Se propone como tesis el origen de la gárgola gótica en Chartres, a finales del siglo XII.

The paper discusses the distinction between content (core, nucleus) and linguistic formulation of theological statements as a fundamental hermeneutical structure of modern theology. Adolf von Harnack, Rudolf Bultmann and Dietrich Bonhoeffer are examined as representatives of this theological "Denkform", with its limits, but also with its permanent topical interest.

For centuries, Christian theology has understood the Eucharist in terms of metaphysics or in protest against it. Today an opening has been made to imagine the sacrament through the method of phenomenology, bringing about new theological life and meaning. In Dialectical Anatomy of the Eucharist, Donald Wallenfang conducts a sustained analysis of the Eucharist through the aperture of phenomenology, yet concludes the study with poetic and metaphysical twists. Engaging the work of Jean-Luc Marion, Paul Ricoeur, and Emmanuel Levinas, Wallenfang proposes pioneering ideas for contemporary sacramental theology that have vast implications for interfaith and interreligious dialogue. By tapping into the various currents within the Judeo-Christian tradition--Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant--a radical argument is developed that leverages the tension among them all. Several new frontiers are explored: dialectical theology, a fourth phenomenological reduction, the phenomenology of human personhood, the poetics of the Eucharist, and a reinterpretation of the concept of gift as conversation. On the whole, Wallenfang advances recent debates surrounding the relationship between phenomenology and theology by claiming an uncanny way out of emerging dead ends in philosophical theology: return to the fray.

The story of Dr. David Yonggi Cho and the Yoido Full Gospel Church (YFGC) is well-known throughout the world. Cho comes from the Evangelical and Pentecostal tradition.2 His theological teachings and ministerial practices are many faceted. The concern of this paper is to focus on the implications of Cho’s theology for Christian mission today.

로마서를 읽고 회심한 아우구스티누스는 일평생 성경을 주석하고 설교했다. 『기독교의 가르침』이라는 작품은 아우구스티누스의 성경해석학과 설교론을 잘 보여준다. 아우구스티누스는 여러 편의 성경주석을 썼으며 주석에 대한 명확한 이해가 있었다. 그는 초기에 신플라톤주의의 영향을 받았지만 점차로 성경적 가르침을 더욱 분명하게 고수했다. 아우구스티누스는 주석의 목적이 하나님 사랑과 이웃 사랑이라는 사랑의 이중계명에 있다고 보았다. 그는 믿음, 소망, 사랑이라는 기독교의 삼주덕(三主德)을 촉진시키고 완성하는 것이 주석과 설교의 목적이라고 보았다. 그는 또한 그리스-로마의 기호론을 성경적 가르침에 맞게 변용하여 자신의 주석에 적용했다. 아우구스티누스는 신앙의 규칙과 보편교회의 권위를 존중하면서 주석에 임했다. 무엇보다 그는 자신의 신앙 성숙을 위해서 성경을 주석했으며, 건전한 성경 이해를 통하여 자신의 시대에 응답하였다. 아우구스티누스의 성경해석학은 그리스도 중심적이며, 교회를 위해 기여한다는 특징을 가진다. 그는 이단들을 배격하였고, 바른 목회를 위해 성경을 주석했다.

아우구스티누스의 주석법은 그의 설교론과 긴밀한 연관성을 지닌다. 그는 목회자의 임무 중에 가장 중요한 것이 말씀의 사역이라고 보았다. 그는 수천 편의 설교를 전했으며, 그중에 562편이 현재까지도 남아 있다. 아우구스티누스는 설교자는 그리스도에 의해 치료 받아야 할 환자이며 동시에 말씀으로 신자들의 영적 질병을 고치는 의사와 같다고 했다. 아우구스티누스는 설교를 통하여 성도들이 자신의 삶을 성경의 언어로 설명할 수 있도록 도와주었다. 그는 청중의 마음을 움직이는 설교를 추구했다. 비록 그가 원고 없이 즉석에서 설교했지만 그렇다고 해서 준비 없이 설교에 임한 것은 결코 아니다. 그의 설교는 언제나 영적으로 깊이가 있었고, 참된 신앙의 원리를 잘 설명했다. 아우구스티누스의 설교는 그의 성경주석과 마찬가지로 사랑을 강조했다. 탁월한 수사학자로서 아우구스티누스는 설교의 전달 방식에 대해서도 깊이 연구했다. 하지만 여전히 그에게 중요한 것은 전달 방식이 아니라 전달되는 내용이었다. 특별히 그는 설교의 내용을 스스로 실천하기를 원했다. 설교자의 삶과 유리된 설교는 성도들에게 아무런 유익을 줄 수 없기 때문이다. 아우구스티누스는 성찬식과 기도와 송영이 들어있는 예배의 한 부분으로서 설교를 인식했다. 그에게 설교란 그리스도를 전파하며, 성령의 도우심을 바라보게 하며, 하나님 아버지께로 인도하는 영적 도구였다.

** Abstract **
Augustine, who was converted through his reading of the book of Romans, interpreted and preached the Bible all his life. His work, On the Christian Teaching (De Doctrina Christiana) shows Augustine’s biblical hermeneutics and homiletics. He wrote several Bible commentaries and had a clear understanding of biblical exegesis. Although initially influenced by Neoplatonism, he became more and more explicitly biblical in his thought. Augustine argued that the purpose of biblical exegesis lay in the dual commandment of the love of God and neighbor. He regarded it as the purpose of exegesis and preaching to promote and fulfill the Christian triad of faith, hope and love. He also applied the Greco-Roman theory of signs to his biblical exegesis and adapted it to biblical teachings. Augustine interpreted the Bible in honor of the rules of faith (regula fidei) and the authority of the universal church. Above all, he commented on the Bible for the maturity of his own faith and responded to his own age through sound biblical understanding. His biblical hermeneutic is Christ-centered and has the characteristic of contributing to the church. He rejected the heretics and commented on the Bible for well-formed church ministry.

Augustine’s exegesis is closely related to his homiletics. He considered the ministry of the Word to be the most important mission of the pastor. He delivered thousands of sermons, of which 562 remain to this day. Augustine said that the preacher is a patient to be healed by Christ, and at the same time, a doctor to repair the spiritual disease of believers through the Word. Throughout his sermons, Augustine helped the believer to explain their lives using the language of the Bible. He sought preaching that moved the hearts of the audience. Though he preached extempore without a manuscript, he by no means preached without preparation. His sermons were always spiritually deep, and he explained well the principles of true faith. Augustine’s sermons emphasized love just like his biblical commentary. As a prominent rhetorician, Augustine also studied deeply how sermons should be delivered. But what was still important to him was the content of the message, not just the method of delivery. Specifically, he wanted to practice the content of his sermon by himself. He believed that when the life of the preacher was separated from the preaching, it would not benefit the audience at all. Augustine recognized the sermon as a part of the worship which was composed of the sacraments, prayer, and doxology. To him, the sermon was a spiritual tool that delivers Christ, makes people seek the help of the Holy Spirit, and leads them to the Father.

In the past two decades, the validity of Asian theological reflections has been forcefully argued not only by liberal theologians, but also Evangelicals.2 As a result, a consensus has emerged through critical Asian theological reflections for the legitimacy of Asian theology. However, the question remains: How shall we construct such a theological framework? Meanwhile, the century-old Pentecostal movement is experiencing several paradigm shifts in theological reflection. Case in point, various theological concerns were raised in two recent conferences: Brighton Conference of World Evangelization (1991)3 and Globalization of Pentecostalism Conference in Costa Rica (1996). In particular, the stance on constructing a Pentecostal theology was convincingly argued by participants from various parts of the world and traditions. Despite this progress, there are many basic unsettled issues in doing Pentecostal theology, let alone Pentecostal theologies related to specific contexts. As an example, the exact nature of the baptism in the Spirit, the primary Pentecostal distinctive, continues to be hotly debated.

In our digitalized world, gigantic amounts of data are generated, creating a hitherto unknown need for communication, storage and processing. Mechanical processes and autonomous procedures are becoming increasingly important. Currently public attention is focused especially on the so-called artificial intelligence. In their new book, Julian Nida-Rümelin and Nathalie Weidenfeld provide substantial orientation in this broad field. Remarkably, this book also provides constructive offers for ethical-theological reflection.

We współczesnej interpretacji teologicznej (katolickiej) owoc z „drzewa poznania dobra i zła” rozumiany jest symbolicznie w kontekście biblijnej historii upadku człowieka. Dlatego „owoc” (i jego spożycie) jest utożsamiany z naturą grzechu pierworodnego. Uważa się, że „grzech pierworodny polega na tym, że człowiek zamiast otworzyć się na działanie Boga, zamyka się w sobie. Inaczej mówiąc, jest to grzech pychy. Hagiograf ujął tę prawdę w formie obrazowego opisu i dlatego nie możemy bliżej określić natury tego grzechu (…)” . Usiłując doprecyzować naturę upadku, autorzy komentarzy biblijnych i opracowań teologicznych interpretują go jako próbę przejęcia przez człowieka władzy posiadanej jedynie przez Boga. „Uwzględniając bogatą symboliką zawartą w analizowanej sentencji, można wysnuć wniosek, iż zakaz „jedzenia z drzewa poznania dobra i zła” oznacza: mieć władzę decydowania, czyli orzekanie o tym, co jest poprawne, a co nie jest. Władza taka obejmowałaby wszystkie płaszczyzny istnienia, ale głównie chodzi tu o możliwość ustanawiania porządku w istniejącym świecie. A to przynależy się tylko Bogu, z racji tego, że to On jest jedynym Stwórcą świata i człowieka” .
Nie negując powyższej interpretacji upadku człowieka i rozumienia symboliki genezyjskiego „owocu”, należy zauważyć, że są one silnie uwikłane w kontekst teologiczny całości objawienia biblijnego oraz tradycji teologicznej Kościoła. Dlatego mogą zostać zaakceptowane przede wszystkim przez tych, którzy utożsamiają się ze wspomnianą teologiczną wizją ludzkiego pochodzenia, ludzkiej natury i ludzkiego przeznaczenia. Ponadto, ściśle teologiczna propozycja rozumienia „owocu” utrzymana jest w nurcie teologii moralnej, gdyż bardzo mocno ukierunkowuje symbolikę „owocu” na wymiar moralny ludzkiego postępowania i sprowadza ją do sytuacji nieprzestrzegania zakazu, a więc złamania prawa nadanego człowiekowi przez Boga. Wydaje się więc, że oba wspomniane aspekty stanowią pewne ograniczenie głębi i uproszczenie złożoności symboliki „owocu”, a wskutek tego nie pozwalają na uchwycenie tego poziomu interpretacji „owocu”, który odwołuje się do jego antropologicznej i aksjologicznej (a nie jedynie teologicznej) istoty. Szczęśliwie pojawiają się ostatnio próby interpretacji historii biblijnych (także tych zawartych w początkowych rozdziałach Księgi Rodzaju), które na drodze hermeneutyki i filozofii biblijnej poszukują pogłębionych i uniwersalnych znaczeń obecnych w Biblii symboli, w tym również genezyjskiego „owocu”

How did the Hatam-Sofer Wish to Trump Spinoza?

This paper presents a particular interpretation of Rabbi Moshe Soferʼs conceptual understanding of Torah. The Hatam Sofer (Frankfurt a.M. 1762 – Pressburg 1839), one of the most important conservative Jewish leaders in the modern era, left behind a massive body of work. From this wide-ranging corpus I will present his unique response toward challenging the text critics, including Spinoza, who sought to establish the ʽplainʼ meaning of the text (Peshat) in biblical exegesis, as it developed in the major trends of European thought in the early modern era. This paper claims that at the core of the Hatam Sofer’s response stand the theme of the ʽunknownʼ and that of the enduring renewal of Torah insights (ʽhidushʼ). The interrelations between These two poles inform issues of primary importance in the Hatam Sofer’s thought and activities, such as the concept of the holy text, the role of exegesis, the procedure of daily Torah study and teaching, and the nature of the anticipation of redemption. In order to clarify the Hatam Sofer’s concepts, I compare them briefly with the attitudes of the GRA (Rabbi Elijah of Vilna, 1720-1797) and Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav (1772-1810). I also analyze them in relation to certain strains in the contemporary European Romantic movement.

La hermenéutica ha jugado un papel importante dentro de la historia de la teología, y particularmente de las interpretaciones exegéticas, de allí la relevancia que adquiere el estudio y análisis histórico acerca de cómo se fue construyendo la hermenéutica como disciplina. El artículo presenta un panorama histórico filosófico en que se destacan los hitos más significativos del desarrollo de la hermenéutica como disciplina componente de las ciencias del espíritu. El análisis se focaliza en el aporte hecho por Hans-Georg Gadamer a la disciplina, con quien ésta adquirió su mayor y definitivo impulso en pleno siglo XX (el llamado “giro hermenéutico” de la filosofía). Además se analiza el concepto de hermenéutica en sus predecesores o compañeros de ruta intelectual (Hegel, Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Spranger, Heidegger), especificando las regiones del saber en que estos pensadores la aplicaron y aportaron en su desarrollo. También se examinan los orígenes más remotos de la disciplina, con Platón y Aristóteles. Finalmente, se explicita la función que cumplen las hermenéuticas regionales –incluyendo la bíblica o teológica— y la relación que guardan éstas con la hermenéutica general, para concluir con una breve y concisa exposición acerca del rol pedagógico que cumple hoy la hermenéutica.

Existential Theology: An Introduction offers a formalized and comprehensive examination of the field of existential theology, in order to distinguish it as a unique field of study and view it as a measured synthesis of the concerns of Christian existentialism, Christian humanism, and Christian philosophy with the preoccupations of proper existentialism and a series of unfolding themes from Augustine to Kierkegaard. To do this, Existential Theology attends to the field through the exploration of genres: the European traditions in French, Russian, and German schools of thought, counter-traditions in liberation, feminist, and womanist approaches, and postmodern traditions located in anthropological, political, and ethical approaches. While the cultural contexts inform how each of the selected philosopher-theologians present genres of “existential theology,” other unique genres are examined in theoretical and philosophical contexts, particularly through a selected set of theologians, philosophers, thinkers, and theorists that are not generally categorized theologically. By assessing existential theology through how it manifests itself in “genres,” this book brings together lesser-known figures, well-known thinkers, and figures that are not generally viewed as “existential theologians” to form a focused understanding of the question of the meaning of “existential theology” and what “existential theology” looks like in its varying forms.

The purpose of this research paper is to show that literal hermeneutics and inerrancy have an inseparable relationship by demonstrating that while inerrancy is not a hermeneutical tool, sound hermeneutics cannot exist without it. Inerrancy will be shown as the source upon which literal hermeneutics exist as it alone determines the entire structure of hermeneutics leading to exegesis. To accomplish this, the doctrine of inspiration will be looked at together with the doctrine of inerrancy, which naturally demonstrates that God’s inspired words must be understood in a literal, normal way as language is commonly interpreted and understood.

In this book Itzhak Benyamini presents an alternative reading of Genesis, a close textual analysis from the story of creation to the binding of Isaac. This reading offers the possibility of a soft relation to God, not one characterized by fear and awe. The volume presents Don-Abraham-Quixote not as a perpetual knight of faith but as a cunning believer in the face of God's demands of him. Benyamini reads Genesis without making concessions to God, asking about Him before He examines the heart of Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the other knights of faith (if they are really that). In this way, the commentary on Genesis becomes a platform for a new type of critical theology. Through this unconventional rereading of the familiar biblical text, the book attempts to extract a different ethic, one that challenges the Kierkegaardian demand of blind faith in an all-knowing moral God and offers in its stead an alternative, everyday ethic. The ethic that Benyamini uncovers is characterized by family continuity and tradition intended to ensure that very axis―familial permanence and resilience in the face of the demanding and capricious law of God and the everyday hardships of life.

John's Logos-hymn reflect a response to the Johannine narrative, functioning with other Christological hymns to pose a Jewish challenge to Empire and its divine-Caesar cult. It is added to the final edition of John as an experientially engaging introduction. Published in Creation Stories in Dialogue: The Bible, Science, and Folk Traditions (Radboud Prestige Lecture Series by Alan Culpepper), eds. R. Alan Culpepper and Jan van der Watt, BINS 139 (Leiden: E.J. Brill 2016)--uncorrected proofs.