Science,Scripture, and the Hermeneutics of Ascension

Abstract

From the perspective of the science–religion dialogue, the ascension of Jesus represents one of the most challenging of all Christian doctrines to negotiate. It necessitates, on the one hand, the interpretation of richly allusive and diverse biblical texts, and on the other hand, the resolution of scientific and theological paradoxes at the edge of conceptualization. I suggest a possible way forward which makes use of a conversational approach informed by Gadamerian hermeneutics. This keeps the peculiarities and particularities of individual texts foremost, and allows the perspectives of science, theology and biblical studies to engage at first hand over them.     

The Role of Science in Evangelical Hermeneutics

In this article, I argue that evangelical Christians can accommodate science within the limits of strict Biblical exegesis governed by grammatical-historical hermeneutics. To this end, I describe the grammatical-historical method to show how science enters into it. I then distinguish between theological and exegetical uses of science. Next, I use Lakatos’ philosophy of science to distinguish between ad hoc and well-motivated exegetical moves. Based upon these criteria, I then present the gap- and day-age theories as examples of hermeneutical failure in the accommodation of science. Finally, I use the framework interpretation to illustrate a hermeneutically successful accommodation of science.     

论《易传》的解释学:交感与会通——兼论《易传》解释学与西方解释学之异同

该文以现代西方哲学视角分析了<易传>交感与会通的解释学思想.指出:易文本与解释者同源同构同德是理解解释的原因,易文本与解释者交感是易学理解前提,"往"与"来"、"彰"与"微"、道与物之视域融合是理解与解释实质,生命与易道互诠互显是理解与解释的终极目标.最后通过与西方解释学比较,提出了<易传>解释学特征是融创造与循环、理性与非理性、方法解释到哲学解释为一体.     

一种新马克思主义解释学的建构:哈贝马斯的批判解释学论纲

哈贝马斯的批判解释学把传统注重文本理解的解释学改造为注重现实实践与理性批判的解释学,即一种意识形态批判,它本质上是一种新马克思主义的解释学。在哈贝马斯看来,伽达默尔强调前见、权威、传统、教化的合理性,导致其缺乏彻底的意识形态反省与批判精神。批判解释学也是深度解释学,即心理反思分析的解释学,它以弗洛伊德精神分析为榜样,注重挖掘潜藏在各种扭曲交往、虚假交往、神经病症等的意识形态压抑与控制。最后批判解释学也是一种政治解释学或社会解释学,它珍视平等交往、自由解放等价值理念。哈贝马斯的批判解释学产生了双重历史效应,它实现了解释学的实践哲学转向和社会批判理论的解释学转向。     

Guest,Deryn, When Deborah Met Jael: Lesbian Biblical Hermeneutics

Abstract

An event in the life of Tchaikovsky occasions the possibility of the development of a wisdom prefigured in the story of the martyrdom of Sts Serge and Bacchus—a Christian view of the world which embraces gay legitimacy and commends vegetarianism. This wide-ranging essay seeks first to retrieve from its cultured despisers a vision of sex as flowering in enduring affectionally grounded relationships; and then contextualizes that vision within a theology that celebrates an inclusive creaturely enjoyment of other creatures as the proper end of life, and thinks of God as an implicate of prayerful living in the light of a hope against hope—in full acknowledgment of mortality and vulnerability—for a perfected world, to which gay sexual love, like all love, and vegetarianism are both pointers.     

Practical Hermeneutics: Noticing in Bible Study Interaction

This article presents an ethnomethodological respecification of the philosophical problem of the hermeneutics of ancient texts. I analyze an interactional practice, namely, noticing an aspect of the Bible text in Seventh-day Adventist Bible study. I show how noticings are used to make the text “speak” to the participants of the Bible study and discuss how the participants show their orientation to this action in the next turn and how they rely on various cultural resources to make sense of the text. The article shows how the actions of the participants are contextual, cultural and moral in nature. Cultural resources and morality are embedded in the locally produced hermeneutical achievement. I discuss how this analysis can be instructive for philosophical hermeneutics.     

Don Pasquale,Fidelio, and Psychiatry

Donizetti's Don Pasquale and Beethoven's Fidelio are discussed in order to illustrate how two very different operas can illustrate the human quest for authenticity. Through their music and dramatic presentation they are able to convey experiential insights into profound philosophic and psychologic truths. Along with other experiential communications, such as myths, folklore, poetry, humor, and art, they can be especially helpful--not only but also--in psychotherapy, in providing access to potentials that ordinarily are sealed off, in enhancing the awareness of inauthentic attitudes, in facilitating the acceptance of seemingly paradoxical aspects of human existence, and in providing a deeper sense for life's meaningfulness. Music is invaluable in opening our soul to the story's thoughts, feelings, and commitments.     

现象学、解释学、生命哲学——海德格尔与胡塞尔、狄尔泰及雅斯贝尔斯遭遇

近来,海德格尔早期的一些弗赖堡讲座稿[《全集》56/57卷,《全集》58卷,《全集》61卷,《全集》63卷和"那托普论文":《对亚里士多德的现象学解释(解释学境域的显示)》]等相关手稿,以及关于时间概念的演讲稿(《时间概念》)被发表了,于是我们现在可以更好地理解海德格尔通向《存在与时间》的哲学道路(这是一条由于在《存在与时间》之前十年的沉默而长期不为我们所知的道路),从而也能更好地理解这部杰作本身了.战后期间海德格尔的另一重要早期文献,即他未发表的关于雅斯贝尔斯的详尽评论,一段时间以来就已为世人所见了(《全集》9卷1-44页).他1925年夏季学期的讲座稿(《全集》20卷)也是如此.这个文本突出地显示了在通往《存在与时间》的道路上,海德格尔与胡塞尔现象学甚为广泛而细致的遭遇.