Whose Community? Which Interpretation?: Philosophical Hermeneutics for the Church

by Merold Westphal, James K. A. Smith (Editor)

Overview

In this volume, renowned philosopher Merold Westphal introduces current philosophical thinking related to interpreting the Bible. Recognizing that no theology is completely free of philosophical "contamination," he engages and mines contemporary hermeneutical theory in service of the church. After providing a historical overview of contemporary theories of interpretation, Westphal addresses postmodern hermeneutical theory, arguing that the relativity embraced there is not the same as the relativism in which "anything goes." Rather, Westphal encourages us to embrace the proliferation of interpretations based on different perspectives as a way to get at the richness of the biblical text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801031472
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/01/2009
Series:	The Church and Postmodern Culture
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Merold Westphal (PhD, Yale University) is distinguished professor of philosophy at Fordham University in Bronx, New York, where he has taught for more than twenty years. His many publications include Postmodern Philosophy and Christian Thought and Overcoming Onto-Theology.

Table of Contents

1. Hermeneutics 101: No Interpretation Needed?
2. Hermeneutics 102: A Little Historical Background
3. Against Romantic Hermeneutics: Away from Psychologism
4. Objectivism and Authorial Privilege
5. Revoking Authorial Privilege
6. Rehabilitating Tradition
7. On Not Clinging to the Prejudice against Prejudice
8. Art as the Site of Truth beyond Method
9. Performance, Application, Conversation
10. Conversation and the Liberal-Communitarian Debate
11. The Church as Conversation
12. Transcendence, Revelation, and Community
Index