Contextual Hermeneutics Research Articles

African contextual hermeneutics

No abstract available.

Il movimento dell’immagine, da Hans-Georg Gadamer a Paul Klee

H.-G. Gadamer states, in Truth and Method, that the image is “an ontological fact”. This ontology is defined in a dynamic and relational sense, in particular in connection with the no-tion of Event (Ereignis), under Heidegger’s legacy. Our con-tribution is aimed at deepening this junction, dealing with the question of the image in the work of the German phi-losopher, and paying particular attention to the dimension of the symbolic and to the complex relationship between the notions of ‘mediation’ and ‘immediacy’. The image thus appears in the hermeneutical context as a form of move-ment, i.e. a symbol of the perennial ‘excess’ of meaning in the subject-object relation. This perspective, beyond any mimetic and reductionist view, will be verified in the work of Paul Klee. In fact, the painter offers various iconographic hints that enhance the metamorphic dimension of the figu-ration. Klee’s bildnerische Denken, in which an original ‘an-gel-iconology’ emerges, founds a cosmos of images which operate as forces in movement.

A Philosophical Expose Towards A ‘God After God’

The escalation of violent incidents in recent times has brought religions to the forefront of world politics, resulting in a shift from their traditional role as conduits of divine revelation to becoming instruments of power and dominance. This phenomenon of kratophany exemplifies the manifestation of violence within religious contexts. The occurrence of violence may be attributed to the foundation of eschatological interpretations within various theological frameworks. The emergence of religious triumphalism and fundamentalism stemming from these theological perspectives has posed a significant danger to both world peace and ecumenical dialogue. The need for peace among faiths has transitioned from being a mere choice to an urgent necessity in contemporary times. The deity that is sought to be understood via the lens of eschatology is a divine being that exists in the future, sometimes referred to as an "after God." Hence, in order to get this comprehension, it is imperative to relinquish any remnants of onto-theological thought that now plague the eschatological analysis of religions. The violent interpretations of eschatologies used by Abrahamic faiths result in a significant loss of significance. The present research aims to address the hermeneutic context that poses a threat of religious violence. This intervention might be likened to Abraham getting Isaac back after first renouncing the notion of a violent sacrifice. In the present day, it is imperative for the Abrahamic faiths to discontinue the practise of harsh sacrifice and instead embrace the concept of peace as a valuable offering.

Qurʾanic Edupreneur: Counter to Unemployment in Contemporary Indonesia

Abstract This study examines the concept of Qurʾanic edupreneur to counter unemployment in Indonesia. The method of research is qualitative with interpretative analysis. The data is taken from literal and field sources. The researchers use three key words in the Qurʾan al-ʿamal, al-saʿy and al-kasb to capture the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Qurʾan with a contextual hermeneutics approach. Al-ʿamal means the work ethos, productivity and professionality (Al-Nahl/16: 97) Meanwhile, al-kasb is interpreted as any effort to bring in economic value (Al-Baqarah/2: 267). The word Al-saʿy is interpreted to be quick to see business opportunities and adaptive to changes (Al-Jumuʿah/62: 9). These values of entrepreneurial spirit in the Qurʾan are internalized in the educational curriculum so the students have an entrepreneurial vision and mentality, this concept is called as Qurʾanic edupreneur. The Islamic boarding school of Fathul Ulum, Jombang is one best example in Islamic institution in implementing the concept of Qurʾanic Edupreneur. The students not only study about religious science but also skill of entrepreneurship; this is proven by some training centers of entrepreneurship in Fathul Ulum for example fisheries, agriculture, animal husbandry, catering, advertising and convection. The students are taught to have an entrepreneurial spirit and become strong, ethical, professional and hard-working individuals based on Qurʾanic values. This curriculum integration model has proven to be able to reduce unemployment in productive age.

A hagyomány fogalma a huszadik századi filozófiában. Eliot, Scruton, Gadamer

In an effort to give an idea of the 20th century efforts to place the concept of tradition within philosophy, this essay reconstructs three different views on it. This is done in order to show that, although we tend to think of the century as a period of progressive advance, there was in fact a very conscious philosophical effort to consolidate and reinterpret tradition. In his literary criticism, and in particular in his essay entitled Tradition and the Individual Talent T. S. Eliot embodies a form of modernism, which does not negate the idea of a reliance on tradition. On the contrary, he tries to show that the idea of literary innovation and the genuine novelty of the genius is unimaginable without a constant reference to a canon, which is in need of reformation. The analytical philosopher, Roger Scruton connects the understanding of tradition as a guarantee of innovation as revealed by Eliot with his own thoughts of the adaptability of the tradition-based English common law, with its commonsense approach of problem-solving. Finally, the paper offers an interpretation of Gadamer’s account of prejudice, tradition, authority and application, in his own context of hermeneutics understood as a rehabilitation of tradition, as well as a very articulate choice of political and philosophical values and way of character-formation.

African Biblical Hermeneutics Considering Ifá Hermeneutic Principles

African contextual biblical hermeneutics, practiced mainly among those from the southern hemisphere, is framed by conflicting academic approaches, methods, epistemologies, rationalities, etc. The general challenge put before the Bible scholars in this part of the world mostly concerns methodologies. This paper focuses on the link between a biblical text and the context of its interpretation. To avoid any specific context or interpreter gaining hermeneutical hegemony over the text, in contextual biblical hermeneutics, the coherence should be first and foremost between the text and the context of its interpretation. The interpretation method of Ifá, the sacred orature of Yoruba and some non-Yoruba people in West Africa, helps to achieve that coherence. This paper is a theoretical presentation of what a contextual biblical hermeneutic can learn from this African Sacred literature reading in context. The hermeneutical rationale of Ifá stories is one of “speaking in proverbs”, considering both the stories and their interpretations as proverbs. In line with this rationale, the ideal link between a biblical text and its hermeneutical context is like the one between a “proverb story” and the many stories (contexts) of its harmonious utterances. The epistemological and hermeneutical functions of the context of interpretation are not to interpret the biblical text but to verify the validity of proposed interpretations.

Pendekatan Tektual Kontekstual dan Hemenuetika dalam Penafsiran Al-Qur'an

Various approaches are needed to reflect the universal values of the Quran in diverse societal contexts. This research aims to depict the use of textual, contextual, and hermeneutical approaches in understanding the Quran, as an effort to comprehend the text within the appropriate context of people's lives. The textual approach primarily focuses on grammatical analysis and literal understanding, while the contextual approach involves understanding the extratextual elements and their connection to the situations and conditions during the revelation of the Quran. The hermeneutical approach emphasizes understanding the text and interpreting its meanings, while recognizing the importance of social, political, cultural, and historical contexts in understanding cultural phenomena. Contextual hermeneutics emphasizes the relationship between the text and the surrounding world.

Implementation of the Value of Moderation in Education: Study of Term al-Wasath in Surah al-Baqarah verse 143 with Abdullah Saeed's Contextual Hermeneutics Approach

This study aims to determine the implementation of the value of moderation contained in QS Al-Baqarah verse 143 in the world of education. The moderation value is obtained from a study of the meaning of al-wasath contained in the verse. The study was conducted using the term thematic method with the Contextual Hermeneutics approach initiated by Abdullah Saeed. Namely, capturing the messages and teachings of the Qur'an by considering the historical context of the text and the historical context of the application of the text. This study found that, 1) the meaning of the term al-wasath is a state in the middle, in worldview and life in the hereafter and physical and spiritual behavior, not to act in extreme and radical ways, 2) historically, term al-wasath in QS al -Baqarah: 143 is used to express the moderate attitude of a farmer who thinks well of the crop failure he has experienced, and in context this term shows a tolerant attitude towards various differences that occur in life, 3) the application of moderation values in education can be done with several approaches, namely the value instilling approach, the cognitive moral development approach, the value analysis approach, the value clarification approach, and the learning to do approach. Through this approach, moderate attitudes are instilled which can give birth to tolerance, mutual respect and compassion among people. 3) the application of moderation values in education can be carried out using several approaches, namely the value instilling approach, the cognitive moral development approach, the value analysis approach, the value clarification approach, and the learning to do approach. Through this approach, moderate attitudes are instilled which can give birth to tolerance, mutual respect and compassion among people. 3) the application of moderation values in education can be carried out using several approaches, namely the value instilling approach, the cognitive moral development approach, the value analysis approach, the value clarification approach, and the learning to do approach. Through this approach, moderate attitudes are instilled which can lead to tolerance, mutual respect and compassion among people

Qur'anic Digital Civility: Contemporary Indonesian Muslim Interaction on Social Media

This paper examines how the digital civility (morality) of contemporary Indonesian Muslim interaction on social media. The gap in Muslim behaviour on social media with the teachings of the Qur'an is caused by negative prejudice or sadistic behaviour; therefore, the values of Qur'anic digital civility are degraded. The research method used is a literature review examining Muslim interaction on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Contextual hermeneutics is used to analyze the interaction patterns of Muslims on social media. This research shows that Muslim interaction patterns on social media fall into the disassociation category, leading to incivility. One of incivility is flaming (verbal attacks in the form of blasphemy and insults); this is proven by hateful posts on social media. This behaviour pattern in social media is far from Qur'anic values which call for good speech, honesty and avoiding hoaxes; the words used must be courteous, put forward the principles of appropriateness and decency, and smooth and soft. These values of Qur'anic teaching are called digital Qur'anic civility

The role of the Holy Spirit for Church Believers in the Hermeneutic context between Biblical Authority, Illumination and Interpretation

The Bible emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit which is so important for Church believers because through it, Church believers can become new creations and offer ministry for their churches. The role of the Holy Spirit is included in terms of interpreting the Bible. This article discusses and answers the question of what is the role of the Holy Spirit in the realm of hermeneutics. First, the role of the Holy Spirit in the relationship with the inspiration of the Bible makes the Bible authoritative. Second, showing the role of the Holy Spirit that illuminates one when interpreting the Bible. Third, it shows that the Holy Spirit plays a pivotal role in guiding each interpreter to live in the work of sanctification. The goal of the role of the Holy Spirit in these three relationships is to make Church believers more like Christ before His second coming. The role of the Holy Spirit is one of the basic life needs for Church believers, especially in the hermeneutic context between biblical authority, illumination, and interpretation. The findings of this study indicated that the role of the Holy Spirit in these three areas or contexts of biblical authority, illumination, and interpretation is to make Church believers more Christ-like before His return.

African contextual hermeneutics

Hermeneutics is the science of textual interpretation and comprises a wide range of disciplines, which helps to control subjective influences in the study of the Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures. It is imperative to consider the context of any given text, as well as the context of the receiver in the interpretive process. This consideration, from the African point of view, is what may be referred to as African contextual hermeneutics. To see the effect different contexts have on the interpretation of an encountered text, using as an example 1 Chronicles 21, it was discovered that the changes in culture, religion, tradition, text and language affected the presentation of the new text, so much so that the writer made a lot of additions and subtractions from the original story in 2 Samuel 24. The diversity of the Old Testament texts requires that each text be studied within its historical framework. This also reflects the reality of life expressed by people in the African society. However, with hermeneutics in the Old Testament, the reader should be brave enough to throw off cultural ties and focus only on what matters. It requires reading the controversy and polemic in the text and not being influenced by it. What matters in any text is the relationship between God and humans, and this is what the interpreter should translate into the African context, not the culture or the controversy. There is a need for reassessment of the ancient biblical tradition and the African worldviews, cultures and life experiences, to correct the effect of the extraneous cultural and ideological conditioning. African biblical hermeneutics can be understood as the rereading of the Old Testament from a premeditatedly African perspective. African biblical hermeneutics is the principle of interpretation of the Bible that could lead to transformation in Africa. Africa’s religious practice is mostly polytheistic. In the African religion, there are new allegories, images, figures of speech, ways of reasoning, etymologies, analogies and cosmogonies to gratify the intellect.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The African contextual ideas of mysticism, tradition and initiation advance new theological inductions, astrophysical tales and ways to hypothesise moral behaviour. Nevertheless, the ideologically motivated text of 1 Chronicles 21 can still be relevant for Africa today if the following options can be taken into consideration. Israel was a confused nation, seeking identity after the exile. An author like the Chronicler wanted to give them direction by telling them that they can find identity in their relationship with God. This can be translated into the African context as a relationship with God. This means that people who are feeling confused about their circumstances and identity today can find certainty in their relationship with God, regardless of how and where they worship.

Placental Social Ethics: Designing for Epistemologies of Resistance

Placental Social Ethics: Designing for Epistemologies of Resistance

Secrets of Qohelet: Toward an Exegetical History of a Biblical Text during the Middle Ages

Abstract During the middle ages and early modern period, dozens of Jewish commentaries were written on Qohelet, in Arabic and Hebrew, and representing a very full range of methods and approaches, from Karaite to Rabbanite, grammatical to pietistic, Neoplatonic, Aristotelian, and anti-Aristotelian, even kabbalistic. The purpose of this article – dedicated to the memory of Kalman Bland – is to present some experiments related to the telling of the history of medieval Jewish exegesis of Qohelet in hermeneutical context.

Instrumentalizacja prawa a kryzys konstytucyjny – refleksja na gruncie kilku aktualnych ustaleń Profesora Piotra Winczorka

The instrumentalization of law is one of the most important research issues that belong to the achievements of Professor Piotr Winczorek. Combining the problem of the limits of permissible instrumentalization of law with the issue of the axiology of law, he adopted a non-reductionist position and indicated the autotelic values of law, as well as non-legal values implemented by the legal system as the criteria for assessing acts of instrumentalization of law. Based on careful observation of the legal practice, primarily the actions of the legislature, he proposed a typology of various cases of pathological instrumentalization of law. A list of individual acts of enacting and applying the law that can be distinguished in the ongoing constitutional crisis in Poland, broken down by the types indicated by Prof. Winczorek, leads to the conclusion that not only is his typology still valid, but it also can be used as an adequate tool for an in-depth description of the ongoing crisis. Moreover, it enables the indication of yet another threat to the legal order, i.e. attempts to instrumentalize constitutional values. In the face of this danger, it is justified to formulate the postulate of giving the constitution an axiological interpretation, the aim of which would be to read a given legal principle in the hermeneutic context of the axiological system from which said legal principle derives genealogically.

Legal interpretation in Paul Amselek’s phenomenology of law — between subjectivism and objectivism

The aim of the article is to characterise and analyse Paul Amselek’s research approach to legal hermeneutics. The text provides an outline of Amselek’s assumptions and theses about legal interpretation, considered in the broad context of hermeneutics, and in the narrower context of legal logic and argument (including rhetoric and speech act theory). In point of fact, one of the methodological aims of Amselek’s philosophical reflection is to harmonise the two indicated contexts for framing interpretation — the wide context of hermeneutics, and the more narrow context of legal logic and argument. Amselek refers to issues in communication theory, reaching beyond the hermeneutic concept of text interpretation and evocation of the original authorial intention. He analyses the legal text-message in its content and argument layers, he also endeavours to specify the methodological possibilities of interpreting the attitudes and motivations of subjects — participants in communication situation (the sender and receiver of the message). He also inquires about the ethical attitudes of jurisdiction authorities, performing the interpretation of a body of law — the subjects responsible for lawmaking and the execution of law. Adopting post-Enlightenment anthropological assumptions, Amselek accepts the primacy of rationality in cognition, decision making, and activity of the human individual. However, in his considerations on interpretation he concurrently underscores the role of affective factors, motivating many choices and actions made by legal subjects.

Bogdan Gabriel Bucur. Scripture Re-envisioned: Christophanic Exegesis and the Making of a Christian Bible. BAC 13.

Bogdan Gabriel Bucur. <i>Scripture Re-envisioned: Christophanic Exegesis and the Making of a Christian Bible.</i> BAC 13.

W82. LEVERAGING GENETICS TO IMPROVE PREDICTION OF BMI INCREASE ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

This summarizing chapter places our main conclusions into the context of hermeneutics and highlights some shortcomings of the most influential Lucas interpretations so as to stir up controversy. It is argued, first, that any interpretation in the history of economic thought and the methodology of economics ought to rest upon a textual basis as broad as possible, including the available unpublished works; and second, that a prerequisite for any sensible interpretive effort is an adequate analytical engine conceived as a subset of our pre-given knowledge. Here semirealism has served as a framework appropriate for scrutinizing the relationship between macro-level phenomena and economic entities and has facilitated a realist interpretation of Lucas’s microfoundations project. On this basis some neglected aspects of Lucas’s theorizing practice have come to the fore. Interpreting micro-founded economics as a realist endeavour has some implications as to the future of economics. For Lucas building economics upon the choice-theoretic framework has held the promise of bringing the history of economics to an end.

Contextual Biblical Hermeneutics as Multicentric Dialogue: Towards a Singaporean Reading of Daniel, by Ching Ming Stephen Lim

Contextual Biblical Hermeneutics as Multicentric Dialogue: Towards a Singaporean Reading of Daniel, by Ching Ming Stephen Lim

Hermeneutik Kontekstual:Sebuah Konstruksi Berdasarkan Filsafat Hermeneutik Modern

This paper seeks to see how important pre-understanding is in a contextual hermeneutic process. Therefore, by referring to the concept of pre-understanding in modern hermeneutics, both developed by Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, Habermas, Ricoeur and Gadamer through a literature study, the author tries to see their constructive significance for contextual hermeneutics in Indonesia. In the end, it must be recognized that as a hermeneutic creature as Heidegger said, humans are not free from pre-understanding and pre-understanding is a prerequisite for doing hermeneutics. However, this pre-understanding must be criticized too, because not everything of it is emancipatory for life or even destructive tends to live.

FROM THE EDITOR

The contributions to this special edition were originally presented as papers at the first Consultation on Contextual Hermeneutics organized by the Centre for Contextual Hermeneutics at Stellenbosch during April 1991. The aim was to explore the concept of contextuality and to discuss the most recent results of researchers working in this field.We were very fortunate to have as special Professor Daniel Patte of Vanderbilt University. As leaders of a major project funded by the Lily Foundation, he and Gary Phillips are engaged in research dealing with issues fundamental to contextual hermeneutics. Their special focus is on the accountability of white male teachers of the Bible and the effect of their teaching and research on students.