The aim of this book is to examine the dimensions of an adequate theological hermeneutics and thus to contribute to the present discussion of theological method. One essential concern of theological thinking is the interpretation of texts, such as biblical writings, creeds, dogmas, prayers, etc. This book examines text and interpretation as the two categories of any adequate theory of interpretation. In the first chapter a new, three-dimensional theory of interpretation is developed in critical dialogue with the hermeneutical proposals of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Paul Ricoeur. The second chapter investigates the concept of text.Ó It examines essential features of the textuality of texts and of the process of reading. Focusing on the theological methodology of David Tracy, the third chapter assesses the hermeneutical character of theology and theology's particular contribution to human understanding. The book may be used as a textbook in courses of systematic and philosophical theology, because it is written without presupposing any special knowledge of the particular topics discussed. It would be most valuable to courses in theological hermeneutics.

Arguing from scripture is one of the ways that Christians test their moral judgments. But are all methods of appealing to the Bible equally valid and effective? In this book Charles Cosgrove looks at the churchs long tradition of moral debate and analyzes five important hermeneutical rules that guide contemporary use of scripture in ethical argument. After introducing the nature of moral arguments generally, Cosgrove devotes one chapter to each of the five rules of biblical interpretation that make ethical appeals to scripture persuasive. He sets forth each rule's rationale, provides examples of its operation, and subjects it to critique. Based not only on the work of biblical scholars and Christian ethicists but also on Cosgrove's own experience with debates in classrooms, churches, and other Christian contexts, this volume is a valuable aid to readers who employ moral reasoning in real-life settings.

"John Thiel attempts to counter this tendency toward "ecclesiastical fundamentalism" by proposing an interpretive schema for tradition analogous to the four senses of scripture."--BOOK JACKET.

Already hailed as a landmark in contemporary Catholic theology, Jesus Symbol of God surveys scriptural data, the key moments in the development of doctrine, and the distinctive horizons of our contemporary world to develop a comprehensive and systematic christology for our time. The task of christology is to explain what it means to say that Jesus is the bearer and revealer of God in the Christian community, the decisive mediation of God's salvation -- or, in other words, the symbol of God.

Analyzes Johannes von Hofmann's entire theological oeuvre.

Rhetorical Interaction in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10 is a formal analysis of Paul's rhetorical interaction with the Corinthians over the issues of participation in the cultic meal (1 Cor. 10:1-22) and the eating of idol food (1 Cor. 8:1-13, 10:23-11:1). The thesis is that Paul's theology and rhetoric are predicated on knowledge and love. Major portions of the book employ rhetorical, sociological, archaeological, and historical-critical approaches to examine the triangular interaction between Paul, the Corinthians, and the biblical texts, paying particular attention to the complex configuration of the Corinthian congregation, including the influence of proto-Gnosticism, as well as the ways Paul responded to the shifting situation and different issues. The two chapters on rhetorical-hermeneutical theory and criticism are especially creative as the author suggests a Chinese hermeneutic for cross-cultural dialogues, the issue of ancestor worship being a specific example.

Religious Experience Revisited explores a dilemma which has haunted the study of religion since William James. Is religion rooted in experiences? Is religion rooted in expressions? How are experiences and expressions related? The contributors to this international and interdisciplinary compilation explore the possibilities and the impossibilities of a hermeneutics of religion. Combining theology and philosophy with biblical, cultural, historical and literary studies, they examine how religious experiences and religious expressions have been entangled in the past and in the present. These entanglements call for interdisciplinary conversations in which those who study experiences and those who study expressions can learn from each other in order to carve out important and instructive spaces for the study of religion.