An introduction to the history and scope of interpretation theory in theology. It discusses hermeneutical consciousness in Christian thinking from the time of the Church Fathers up to today.

Inhalt

The purpose of hermeneutics; the interdisciplinary nature of hermeneutics; texts and readings; special or general hermeneutics?; verbal and non-verbal communication; the question of method in interpretation; the plan of our investigation; the development of theological hermeneutics I - from the beginnings to the enlightenment; Jewish hermeneutics; early Christian hermeneutics; Augustine's hermeneutics; hermeneutics and the reform of Christian theology; the development of philosophical hermeneutics - from Schleiermacher to Ricoeur; the written text; the transformative power of reading; the development of theological hermeneutics II - Barth, Bultmann, and the new hermeneutic; the development of theological hermeneutics III - hermeneutics and Christian identity.