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

441 Pages·2005·20.02 MB·English

by  Robert Knowles

The Grammar o f Hermeneutics
Anthony C. Thiselton and the Search for a Unified Theory
Thesis
By
Robert Knowles
Submitted for the Degree of Ph.D.
at the University of Wales, Cardiff,
September 2005
UMI Number: U201451
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Abstract
A fresh engagement with the formative work of Anthony C. Thiselton demonstrates that this work
constitutes a source of valuable insights for a programmatic construction towards a unified
hermeneutical theory. This construction provides powerful keys for unlocking six contemporary
problems in hermeneutics. First, it brings organisation to a disorganised discipline, identifying three distinct
strata of hermeneutical reflection. Second, it brings clarification to a complex discipline, identifying seven
distinct hermeneutical ‘conversations* centred on ‘dialogue*, ‘history*, ‘epistemology*, language*,
(Western) ‘culture’, the human ‘self, and ‘understanding* (including the hermeneutical task). Third, it
tackles the problem of abstraction in hermeneutics, bridging the gap between hermeneutical theory and
practice. Fourth, it addresses the problem of disunity in hermeneutical theoiy on three levels: philosophical
subtext, the removal of perennial philosophical and theological ‘dualisms* or ‘dichotomies’, and the
relative ontological priorities of ‘history’ and language*. Fifth, it addresses inter-disciplinaiy polarisation in
hermeneutics, clarifying the relationship between theological and philosophical hermeneutics. Sixth, it
strikes at the heart of irresponsibility in interpretation, answering the question of what constitutes ‘responsible
interpretation*. However, despite these six potential advances and Thiselton’s world-ranlting stature,
no thorough engagement with Thiselton’s work yet exists in the literature. What little engagement
there has been manifests serious misunderstandings and misrepresentations of Thiselton’s thinking.
Conversely, the criticisms emerging that can legitimately be made of Thiselton’s work are relatively
minor. His critical stance towards the Continental hermeneutical tradition necessitates a clearer
highlighting of the grammatical changes implicit in his continued use of Continental terminology.
Minor problems appear in his appeals to Heidegger, Bultmann, Gadamer, and Wittgenstein. Thiselton
needs to dialogue further with epistemological traditions, with philosophies and models of selfhood,
with major ‘postmodern* thinkers, with pastoral theology and with theological anthropology. Finally, a
more sophisticated hermeneutic of fallen human relationships is required to improve understanding of
historical conditioning.
111
This Work is Dedicated to My Mother, Dorothy Knowles,
And to the Memory of My Father, Francis Knowles
IV
Stop judging by mere appearances,
and make a right judgement.
-Jesus of Nazareth
Too often we attack or defend
before we have genuinely understood.
-A. nthony C. Thiselton
Hostility to theory usually means an opposition
to other people’s theories and an oblivion of one’s own.
-Terry Eagleton
v
Contents
Title Pag i
Signed Declaration and Statements ii
Abstract iii
Dedication iv
Citations v
Contents vi-ix
Acknowledgments x
Abbreviations xi-xiii
Introduction: Why Anthony C. Thiselton on Hermeneutic*? 1
A. The Question 1
B. The Rationale 1
1. Reasons Stemming from Observations Related to TTiiselton’s Work 1
2. Reasons Stemming from Observations Related to Hermeneutics as a Discipline 6
C. The Approach 15
1. An Initial Research Focus on Thiselton’s Later Work 15
2. Why Research was Re-Centred on Thiselton’s Formative Work 16
3. Methodology: ‘Chronological-Thematic' and ‘Historical-Structural’ 17
4. Movement from a ‘Historical Focus' to a Theoretical Construction' 17
5. Movement from ‘Philosophical Description’, through ‘Construction’, to ‘Argument* 17
6. Allowing Four Major Thinkers to Reply to Thiselton & Our Use of the Term ‘Narrow’ 18
7. Distinctions between ‘Hermeneutics’ and ‘Biblical Hermeneutics’ 18
Part 1. The Historical Background and Character of A.C. Thiselton** Formative Work on 20
Hermeneutics, 1959-1978/80
Chapter 1. Dialogue Towards Critical Synthesis: The Emergence of Thiselton’s Hermeneutical 21
Programme from 1959-1970
A. Preliminary Comments: Where to Begin 21
B. Thiselton’s ’First Period' Hermeneutical Reflections, from 1959 to 1970 22
1.1959-1964: 1 Corinthians, Wittgenstein, and Austin 22
2.1965: Mixed Response to Continental Hermeneutics 23
3. 1966: Holding the Pre-Cognitive and the Cognitive Together 23
4. 1967: Tensions between Continental and Anglo-American Traditions 24
5.1968: Pannenberg, Wittgenstein, and Dialogue Between Traditions 26
6. 1969: Widening Dialogue: Philosophical and Theological Traditions 27
7. 1970: Thiselton’s Hermeneutical Programme Begins 30
C. Concluding Comments: Dialogue Towards Critical Synthesis as Implicit Hermeneutical 38
Axiom
Chapter 2. Ever-Widening Dialogue of 'Historical Response’ Contra ‘Hermeneutical Foreclosure': 41
The Immersion of Thiselton's Hermeneutical Programme in the Processes of Traditions, 1970 to
1978/80
A. Preliminary Comments: How to Continue 41
B. Background Context of Thiselton's *Second Period' Writings 43
1. More on Thiselton as an Author: Character or Caricature? 44
2. Historical Context: Thiselton’s Immersion in Processes of Traditions 53
a) Philosophy, Hermeneutics, dr Philosophical Theology 53
b) Biblical Interpretation 61
c) Issues in Systematic Theology 69
d) Issues in the Church 71
e) Issues in the Broader Secular Culture of Britain and the West 73
C. Concluding Comments: Ever-Widening Dialogue of Historical Response as Implicit 73
Hermeneutical Axiom Contra Hermeneutical Foreclosure
VI
Part 2. Problem-Solving Theoretical Construction from A.C. Thiselton’s Formative Work on 76
Hermeneutics, 1959-1978/80 and Up to the Present
Chapter 3. Relating Theology Sc Philosophy: Toward a Unified Critique of Epistemology 77
A. Preliminary Comments: Approach to Chapters 3 to 7 77
B. Relating Theology Sc Philosophy in Hermeneutics during Theory Construction 79
1. Dialogue between Biblical Studies and Hermeneutics in Thiselton 79
2. Dialogue between Systematic Theology and Hermeneutics in Thiselton 84
C. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Epistemology 93
1. Clarifying Our Use of Terminology: Dialogue', ‘Resonance’, ‘Warrant’, & ‘Fideism’ 93
2. Straightforward ‘Fideism’ or Warranted Inclusion of Theological Considerations? 94
3. Philosophical Problem: Disunity between Understanding & Conceptualisation 96
4. Allowing Heidegger to Respond to Thiselton 104
5. Towards a Theological Solution: Pannenberg’s Eschatological Epistemology 106
6. ‘Rationality’, Terception’, and ‘Self-deception’ in Philosophy and Theology 108
7. Philosophical Problem: The ‘Spell’ of Kierkegaard’s One-Sided Notion of Truth’ 113
8. Theological Exploration: A ‘Biblical Multiform Notion of Truth’ 116
D. Concluding Comments: Towards a Unified Hermeneutical Critique of Epistemology 127
through Dialogue between Philosophy and Theology
Chapter 4. Relating Theology & Philosophy: Toward Unified Critiques of Language, Western 131
Culture, and the Self
A. Preliminary Comments: Justifying Theoretical Construction’ in Chapter 4 131
B. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Language 133
1. On a Prior ‘Biblical and Theological Account of Language’ 133
2. Thiselton’s Dialogue between Theology and Philosophy Revisited 136
3. Appeal to the Later Wittgenstein Resonant with Theology and Eschatology 139
4. Broader Appeals to the Philosophy of Language Resonant with Theology & Eschatology 155
5. Thiselton’s Accommodations of the Saussurian and Continental Traditions of 159
Language Study to the Later Wittgensteinian Tradition
6. Testing 8c Augmenting the Later Wlttgensteinian-Saussurian Alliance: Traditional’, 169
‘Positivist’, and ‘Continental’ Approaches to Language
7. Concluding Comments: Theoretical Construction Towards A Unified Critique of 177
Language by Appeal to Thiselton’s Formative Work
C. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Western Culture 180
1. Thiselton’s Critique of Western Culture Only ‘Embryonic’ by 1980 180
2. Thiselton’s Dialogue between Theology and Philosophy: Six-Axis Critique 180
D. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of the Self 185
1. Thiselton’s Critique of the Self a Little More Developed by 1980 185
2. Thiselton’s Dialogue between Theology and Philosophy: Five Axis Critique 185
E. Concluding Comments: Towards Unified Hermeneutical Critiques of Language, Western 195
Culture, Sc the Self through Dialogue between Philosophy Sc Theology
Chapter 5. Responsible Interpretation: Beyond Epistemology Towards a Unified Critique of 199
Hermeneutical Understanding
A. Preliminary Comments: Responsible Interpretation 199
B. Historical Context and Motivation: Re-Addressing the Problem of Intelligibility 200
across Historical Distance
C. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Understanding 207
as Responsible Interpretation
1. Thiselton on Involved Subjectivity: the Issues of Relativism, Solipsism, & Individualism 207
2. Understanding as a Progressive Process: The Hermeneutical Circle (or Spiral) 212
a) Historical-Experiential Understanding and Subject-Object Conceptualisation 212
b) Hermeneutical Understanding (cf. Particular) & Scientific Explanation (<f. General) 216
c) Distancing & Fusion: Re-Configuring Historical Objectivity & Self-Involvement 218
d) Question and Answer 237
e) Wholes and Parts 237
D. Concluding Comments: Towards A Unified Critique of Understanding and Responsible 238
Interpretation through Dialogue between Philosophy and Theology
VII
Chapter 6. Widened Dialogue Toward* a Philosophical-Historical Unification of Hermeneutical 241
Theory as Precondition for Responsible Interpretation
A. Preliminary Comments: Justifying a Fresh Interpretation of The Two Horizons 241
B. The Direct Affect of Theory on Practice: Broader Philosophical and Theological 244
Dialogue a* Precondition for Responsible Interpretation
1. Thiselton Contra Biblical Misinterpretation due to 'Narrow* Critical-Philosophical 244
Dialogue
2. Thiselton’s Argument for the Direct Affect of Hermeneutical Theory on 247
Interpretation: Bultmann’s 'Narrow* ‘Dualistic* Pre-understanding
3. Allowing Bultmann to Respond to Thiselton 255
4. Thiselton’s Argument for the Direct Affect of Hermeneutical Theory on 257
Interpretation: The Less Narrow but Still ‘Dualistic’ New Hermeneutic
5. Thiselton’s Argument for Widening Philosophical & Theological Dialogue Beyond 260
that of the New Hermeneutic to Improve Biblical Interpretation
6. Earlier Arguments Reinforced and Further Anticipated Developments 263
C. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards the Unification of 'Stratum Two’ 266
Hermeneutical Theory in a Critique of History
1. Anticipated History-as-a-Whole: Universal Context for Understanding 267
2. The Unity of Historical Reality as Ground for Understanding and Language 268
3. The Process of Historical Dialectic as Earthed in a Hermeneutic of Traditions 279
a) Traditions as Interwoven Wholes *: Diachronic Life-Contexts for Understanding 280
b) Traditions as Developing Dialogic Processes: Extending the Hermeneutical Circle 282
c) Traditions as Embracing Continuities: Public Criteria, Convictions, & Judgements 283
d) Traditions as Embracing Particularities: Uniqueness <& Difference 285
e) Traditions as Conditioning Contexts: De-Centring Individual Subjectivity 290
4. Focus: Thiselton’s Tradition-Refinement of Gadamer*s Hermeneutical Circle 294
5. Allowing Gadamer and Wittgenstein to Respond to Thiselton 320
D. Concluding Comments: Widened Dialogue Towards a Philosophical-Historical 326
Unification of Hermeneutical Theory as Precondition for Responsible Interpretation
Chapter 7. Evaluation, Responsibility, and Description: Towards A Christological Unification of 329
Hermeneutics and A Unified Critique of Historical Objectivity
A. Preliminary Comments: Uniting Philosophy and Theology 329
B. Towards A Provisional Christological Unification of Hermeneutics Embracing 330
Metacritical Explanation and Evaluation
1. Thiselton’s Concern to Widen Dialogue with Theology in a Way Coherent with 330
Widened Philosophical Pre-understanding
2. Contrasting Evaluations of Whether Thiselton is Straightforwardly Fideist 330
3. Dialogic ‘Warranting’ of Theological Considerations in Hermeneutics 331
4. Christological Metacriteria and Broadened Philosophical Dialogue 333
5. Dialogic Warrant as Background to Thiselton on ‘Biblical Authority* 336
6. Problems with Broadly ‘Positivist’ and Broadly ‘Existentialist’ Approaches 338
7. Response to Critics on Thiselton’s View of Revelation 339
C. Plea for Responsible Interpretation Contra Kinds of Hermeneutical Foreclosure: 340
The Two Horizons and A Response to Thiselton’s Major Critics
1. Friendly Critics: Straightforward Hermeneutical Foreclosure 341
2. Socio-Pragmatic & Post-Structural Criticism: Asserted, ‘Legitimised’, and Canonised 346
Hermeneutical Foreclosure
3. Hostile Criticism: ‘Disowned Projected’ Hermeneutical Foreclosure? 359
4. Interpretative Irresponsibility & Kinds of Hermeneutical Foreclosure 365
D. Dialogic Theory-Construction: Towards a Unified Critique of Historical 365
Objectivity and Description
1. Need for Re-Appraisals of ‘Method*, ‘Certainty*, ‘Meaning’, and ‘Objectivity* 365
2. Towards a Unified Critique of Historical Objectivity and Description 367
E. Concluding Comments: Dialogic Resonance, Metacritical Evaluation, Interpretative 375
Responsibility, and Description as Warrant for a Provisional Christological Unification
of Hermeneutics
Vlll
Conclusion. The Value of Thiselton’s Formative Thinking for Hermeneutics 377
A. Repeating the Question 377
B. Approaching the Question 377
C. Six Criteria for the Contemporary Relevance of Thisekon's Hermeneutics 377
D. Answering the Question 378
1. Bringing Order to a Disorganised Discipline: Three Strata’ Scheme 378
2. Bringing Clarity to a Complex Discipline: Seven Hermeneutical Conversations 378
3. Tackling Abstraction: Bridging the Gap between Theory & Practice 379
4. Tackling Theoretical Disunity: Subtext, Dichotomies, & Ontological Priorities 380
5. Tackling Inter-Disciplinary Polarisation: Inter-relating Philosophy & Theology 382
6. Confronting Irresponsible Interpretation: Responsible Practice Contra Foreclosure 384
E. Secondary Question: Has Thiselton Been Adequately Heard? 386
F. Giving Thiselton a Proper Hearing, and Legitimate Criticisms 387
1. Directions for Widening Philosophical & Theological Dialogues Still Further 387
2. Specificity & Thiselton’s Readings of Heidegger, Bultmann, Gadamer, & Wittgenstein 387
3. Hidden Grammatical Changes in Tradition-Refinement of Gadamer’s Work 388
Bibliography 389
A. Near-Exhaustive Bibliography of the Writings of Anthony C. Thiselton 389
B. Bibliography (Apart from the Writings of Anthony C. Thiselton) 398
IX