<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Different churches have developed over time several concepts of exegesis of the New Testament. From the very first apostolic years, the Orthodox East embraced the delivered interpretation of the Fathers, who always respected the revealing and holy spiritual character of the Scriptures (God-centric interpretation). Prevailing since the Middle-Ages in Western Christianity, on the other hand, has been an interpretative spirit of rationalistic research of the texts which gives priority to historical facts and ignores sometimes the supernatural-revealing intervention of the divine (human-centric interpretation). As long as different understandings of the holy text can lead to divergence from the delivered dogmatic teaching, it is imperative for both sides to know and understand each other better, in order to success an effective convergence. Through the harmonic synthesis of both hermeneutical directions some exaggerations and extreme interpretations could be avoided.</p></abstract>

Different churches have developed over time several concepts of exegesis of the New Testament. From the very first apostolic years, the Orthodox East embraced the delivered interpretation of the Fathers, who always respected the revealing and holy spiritual character of the Scriptures (God-centric interpretation). Prevailing since the Middle-Ages in Western Christianity, on the other hand, has been an interpretative spirit of rationalistic research of the texts which gives priority to historical facts and ignores sometimes the supernatural-revealing intervention of the divine (human-centric interpretation). As long as different understandings of the holy text can lead to divergence from the delivered dogmatic teaching, it is imperative for both sides to know and understand each other better, in order to success an effective convergence. Through the harmonic synthesis of both hermeneutical directions some exaggerations and extreme interpretations could be avoided.

Die orthodoxe Hermeneutik in ihrem Selbstverständnis gegenüber der historisch-kritischen Methode

Konstantin.Nikolakopoulos@orththeol.uni-muenchen.de

Dr., Univ.-Professor für Biblische Theologie an der Ausbildungseinrichtung für Orthodoxe Theologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Deutschland

Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Different churches have developed over time several concepts of exegesis of the New Testament. From the very first apostolic years, the Orthodox East embraced...

Die orthodoxe Hermeneutik in ihrem Selbstverständnis gegenüber der historisch-kritischen Methode

Published Online: Jan 27, 2015

Page range: 473 - 486

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ress-2014-0135

© 2015

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.