The Grammar of Hermeneutics Anthony C. Thiselton and the Search for a Unified Theory

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The Grammar of Hermeneutics SIGNED DECLARATION AND STATEMENTS DECLARATION STATEMENT 1 STATEMENT 2 Abstract Acknowledgements At The QtftrStiQH Dialogue Towards Critical Synthesis: The Emergence of Thiselton’s Hermeneutical Programme from 1959-1970 Axiom Ever-Widening Dialogue of ‘Historical Response’ Contra ‘Hermeneutical Foreclosure’: The Immersion of Thiselton’s Hermeneutical Programme in the Processes of Traditions, 1970 to 1978/80 b) Biblical Interpretation c) Issues in Systematic Theology Relating Theology & Philosophy: Toward a Unified Critique of Epistemology 1. Dialogue between Biblical Studies and Hermeneutics in Thiselton 2. Dialogue between Systematic Theology and Hermeneutics in Thiselton 1. Clarifying Our Use of Terminology: ‘Dialogue*, ‘Resonance’, ‘Warrant*, & ‘Fideism* 2. Straightforward ‘Fideism* or Warranted Inclusion of Theological Considerations? 6. ‘Rationality’, ‘Perception’, and ‘Self-deception’ in Philosophy and Theology Relating Theology & Philosophy: Toward Unified Critiques of Language, Western Culture, and the Self 1. On a Prior ‘Biblical and Theological Account of Language* 2. Thiselton’s Dialogue between Theology and Philosophy Revisited 3. Appeal to the Later Wittgenstein Resonant with Theology and Eschatology 4. Broader Appeals to the Philosophy of Language Resonant with Theology and Eschatology 5. Thiselton’s Accommodations of the Saussurian and Continental Traditions of Language Study to the Later Wittgensteinian Tradition 6. Testing & Augmenting the Later Wittgensteinian-Saussurian Alliance: ‘Traditional’, ‘Positivist*, and ‘Continental’ Approaches to Language 7. Concluding Comments: Theoretical Construction towards A Unified Critique of Language by Appeal to Thiselton’s Formative Work C. Dialogic Theotv-Consttuction: Towards a Unified Critique of Western Culture 1. Thiselton’s Critique of Western Culture Only ‘Embryonic* by 1980 2. Thiselton’s Dialogue between Theology and Philosophy: Six-Axis Critique D. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of the Self 1. Thiselton’s Critique of the Self a Little Mote Developed by 1980 2. Thiselton’s Dialogue between Theology and Philosophy: Five Axis Critique E. Concluding Comments: Towards Unified Hermeneutical Critiques of Language. Western Culture, and the Self through Dialogue between Philosophy and Theology Responsible Interpretation: Beyond Epistemology Towards a Unified Critique of Hermeneutical Understanding A. Preliminary Comments: Responsible Interpretation B. Historical Context and Motivation: Re-Addressing the Problem of Intelligibility across Historical Distance C. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Understanding as Responsible Interpretation 1. Thiselton on Involved Subjectivity: the Issues of Relativism, Solipsism, & Individualism 2. Understanding as a Progressive Process: The Hermeneutical Circle (or Spiral) a) Historical-Experiential Understanding and Subject-Object Conceptualisation b) Hermeneutical Understanding (cf. Particular) & Scientific Explanation (cf. General) c) Distancing & Fusion: Re-Configuring Historical Objectivity & Self-Involvement Widened Dialogue Towards a Philosophical-Historical Unification of Hermeneutical Theory as Precondition for Responsible Interpretation A. Preliminary Comments: Justifying a Fresh Interpretation of The Two Horizons B. The Direct Affect of Theory on Practice: Broader Philosophical and Theological Dialogue as Precondition for Responsible Interpretation 1. Thiselton contra Biblical Misinterpretation due to Harrow* Critical-Philosophical Dialogue 2. Thiselton’s Argument for the Direct Affect of Hermeneutical Theory on Interpretation: Bultmann’s ‘Narrow* ‘Dualistic’ Pre-understanding 3. Allowing Bultmann to Respond to Thiselton 4. Thiselton’s Argument for the Direct Affect of Hermeneutical Theory on Interpretation: The Less ‘Narrow* But Still ‘Dualistic* New Hermeneutic 5. Thiselton’s Argument for Widening Philosophical & Theological Dialogue Beyond that of the New Hermeneutic to Improve Biblical Interpretation 6. Earlier Arguments Reinforced and Further Anticipated Developments C. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards the Unification of Stratum Two* Hermeneutical Theory in a Critique of History 1. Anticipated History-as-a-Whole: Universal Context for Understanding 2. The Unity of Historical Reality as Ground for Understanding and Language 3. The Process of Historical Dialectic as Earthed in a Hermeneutic of Traditions a) Traditions as Interwoven ‘Wholes*: Diachronic Life-Contexts for Understanding62 c) Traditions as Embracing Continuities: Public Criteria, Convictions, & Judgements’*2 d) Traditions as Embracing Particularities: Uniqueness & Difference 4. Focus: Thiselton’s Tradition-Refinement of Gadamet’s Hermeneutical Circle 5. Allowing Gadamer and Wittgenstein to Respond to Thiselton D. Concluding Comments: Widened Dialogue Towards a Philosophical-Historical Unification of Hermeneutical Theory as Precondition for Responsible Interpretation Evaluation, Responsibility, and Description: Towards A Christological Unification of Hermeneutics and A Unified Critique of Historical Objectivity B. Towards A Provisional Christological Unification of Hermeneutics Embracing Metacritical Explanation and Evaluation 1. Thiselton’s Concern to Widen Dialogue with Theology in a Way Coherent with Widened Philosophical Pre-understanding 2. Contrasting Evaluations of Whether Thiselton is Straightforwardly Fideist 3. Dialogic ‘Warranting’ of Theological Considerations in Hermeneutics 4. Christological Metacriteria and Broadened Philosophical Dialogue 5. Dialogic Warrant as Background to Thiselton on biblical Authority’ 6. Problems with Broadly ‘Positivist* and Broadly ‘Existentialist’ Approaches 7. Response to Critics on Thiselton’s View of Revelation C. Plea for Responsible Interpretation Contra Kinds of Hermeneutical Foreclosure: The Two Horizons and A Response to Thiselton’s Major Critics 1. Friendly Critics: Straightforward Hermeneutical Foreclosure 2. Socio-Pragmatic & Post-Structural Criticism: Asserted, ‘Legitimised’, and Canonised Hermeneutical Foreclosure 3. Hostile Criticism: disowned Projected’ Hermeneutical Foreclosure? 4. Interpretative Irresponsibility & Kinds of Hermeneutical Foreclosure D. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Historical Objectivity and Description 1. Need for Re-Appraisals of ‘Method’, ‘Certainty’, ‘Meaning’, and ‘Objectivity’ 2. Towards a Unified Critique of Historical Objectivity and Description Conclusion The Value of Thiselton’s Formative Thinking for Hermeneutics A. Repeating the Question B. Approaching the Question C. Six Criteria for the Contemporary Relevance of Thiselton’s Hermeneutics 1. Bringing Order to a Disorganised Discipline: ‘Three Strata* Scheme 2. Bringing Clarity to a Complex Discipline: Seven Hermeneutical Conversations 3. Tackling Abstraction: Bridging the Gap between Theory & Practice 4. Tackling Theoretical Disunity: Subtext, Dichotomies, & Ontological Priorities 5. Tackling Inter-Disciplinary Polarisation: Inter-relating Philosophy & Theology 6. Confronting Irresponsible Interpretation: Responsible Practice Contra Foreclosure E. Secondary Question: Has Thiselton Been Adequately Heard? F. Giving Thiselton a Proper Hearing, and Legitimate Criticisms 1. Directions for Widening Philosophical & Theological Dialogues Still Further 2. Specificity & Thiselton’s Readings of Heidegger, Bultmann, Gadamer, & Wittgenstein 3. Hidden Grammatical Changes in Tradition-Refinement of Gadamer’s Work Bibliography A, Near-Exhaustive Bibliography of the Writings of Anthony C. Thiselton B. Bibliography (Apart from the Writings of Anthony C. Thiselton)