Theologie als verbeelding over grenzen heen1Een uitgewerkte versie van het afscheidscollege uitgesproken bij de sluiting van de Kerkelijke Opleiding bij de Faculteit der Godgeleerdheid en Godsdienstwetenschap van de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen d.d. 25 juni 2004.

Abstract

The author argues for a revaluation of images and myths as the proper means for talking about God in systematic theology. As myths are not understood descriptively, they function neither as a kind of primitive ‘science’ nor as disguised philosophy. Because of God’s transcendence, thcistic talk of God as an external object is logically improper, for it implicitly adopts a God’s Eye point of view. Systematic theology that takes its internalist perspective seriously, will refrain from using descriptive talk of God’s transcendence, and employ narratives, rather than ‘theories’ to speak about the Christian form of life. By means of Christian narratives believers creatively construe and reconstrue their collective and individual narrative identity in relation to God who is transcendent in the middle of human life (Bonhoeffer). A Trinitarian modeled narrative framework as ‘mythistory’ interprets life experiences as a form of life orientation. Finally, the imago Dei is interpreted as a form of life coram Deo, rather than as an essential property of human personhood.