Gadamer and theology

Abstract

Gadamer’s hermeneutics provides substantial philosophical support for contemporary Christian theology. While its theological impact has been usually relegated to the biblical exegesis, this chapter offers a broader view by discussing Gadamer‘s affirmation of the novelty of Christianity. I focus on two lines of inquiry: history and the Word of God. I argue that history and the Word of God are two sides of the same coin. The meaningfulness of history is grounded in the manifestation of God’s Word within the created world. This manifestation is, in turn, rooted in the inner-Trinitarian processions. I start by showing, in the preamble, that the hermeneutics of history and language builds upon the truth value of mediation. I then proceed to the first part, analyzing the theological import of Gadamer’s conception of history. This part focuses on two clusters of issues: (1) the interpretation of the Bible and the rehabilitation of tradition; and (2) the action of God in history: Providence and special interventions. In the second part, I examine Gadamer’s hermeneutics of the Word of God in relation to two major theological endeavors: (1) the Trinitarian theology; and (2) the theology of world creation and religious experience.