The Fulfillment of a Polanyian Vision of Heuristic Theology: David Brown’s Reframing of Revelation, Tradition, and Imagination

Abstract

According to Richard Gelwick, one of the fundamental implications of Polanyi’s epistemology is that all intellectual disciplines are inherently heuristic. This article draws out the implications of a heuristic vision of theology latent in Polanyi’s thought by placing contemporary theologian David Brown’s dynamic understanding of tradition, imagination, and revelation in the context of a Polanyian-inspired vision of reality. Consequently, such a theology will follow the example of science, reimagining its task as one of discovery rather than mere reflection on a timeless body of divine revelation. The ongoing development of a theological tradition thus involves the attempt to bring one’s understanding of the question of God to bear on the whole of the human experience. The pursuit of theology as a heuristic endeavor is a bold attempt to construct an integrated vision of nothing less than the entirety of all that is, without absolutizing one’s vision, and without giving up on the question of truth. Engaging Polanyi Theologically Richard Gelwick once remarked that the “impact of Polanyi’s philosophy would be to change the fundamental ground plans of contemporary theology” (Gelwick 1975, 311). In a similar vein, Avery Dulles commented that “a thoroughgoing renewal of theology along the lines indicated by Polanyi could profitably engage the joint efforts of many theologians for a considerable span of years” (Dulles 1984, 550). Following the lead of Gelwick, Dulles, and numerous other theologians who have recognized the theological significance of Michael Polanyi’s post-critical philosophy and who have critically interacted with his thought in diverse and fruitful ways, I would like more carefully to consider the distinct vision of theological inquiry latent in Polanyi’s philosophy.1 In light of this preliminary consideration, it is crucial to remember that Polanyi was not a theologian, but first a chemist, then a philosopher. While it is true that he did make some penetrating insights into the nature of religion (Polanyi 1963, 4-14; STSR, 116-30; PK, 279-86; M, 149-60), for the most part he was content to speak about religion and theology in general terms.2 For this reason, we concur with Dulles that “Polanyi’s value for theology lies less in what he explicitly stated about theological questions than in the transfer value of what he had to say about science” (Dulles 1984, 550). If we are to discover the untapped theological potential of Polanyi’s philosophy, it will be by attending to the implications of his epistemology. Towards a Heuristic Theology According to Gelwick, Polanyi’s theory of personal knowledge implies that all intellectual disciplines are inherently heuristic (Gelwick 1975, 305). The word “heuristic” is used here to connote the potential