Hearing the Living Word of God Today?
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` HEARING THE LIVING WORD OF GOD TODAY? A SYSTEMATIC-THEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE AUTHORITY AND INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE FOR CONTEMPORARY KOREAN PRESBYTERIANISM HYUNG-CHUL YOON Dissertation presented for the Degree of Doctor of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch Promoter: Prof D J Smit December 2011 University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my original work and has not previously, in its entirety or in part, been submitted at any university for a degree. Signature: ____________________________________ Date:________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT In the face of the crisis of scriptural authority, an urgent systematic-theological task is to chart the way beyond that crisis by providing a more convincing, comprehensible, and promising way to reaffirm the significance, truthfulness, relevance, and authority of Scripture in our beliefs and lives. The overarching aim of this dissertation is thus to search for a more appropriate systematic-theological framework for talk of the authority and interpretation of Scripture. To this end, this dissertation engages with three key dimensions — epistemological, doctrinal, and hermeneutical — in a dynamically integrated, mutually dependent, and holistic way. To affirm the epistemological status of Scripture as God’s truth, we need a more nuanced epistemological model by which to avoid the extremity of the modern dogmatic foundationalism and the postmodern relativist nonfoundationalism. A postfoundationalist approach as an alternative model would provide the way to overcome the false dichotomy between objective and subjective, ontological and functional, and epistemology and hermeneutics. Without losing the awareness of the provisionality, contextuality, and fallibility of all human knowledge, thus we can affirm the objective unity of truth and the authority of Scripture as the ultimate way to the reality of God. A dogmatic-ontological account of Scripture brings our talk of scriptural authority within the context of the triune God’s economy of salvation. From a trinitarian- pneumatological viewpoint, the authority of Scripture is derived above all from the triune God’s self-communicative speech-act and hence it can be described as the divine communicative-performative authority in the triune God’s drama of redemption. Scripture can be thought of as the theo-dramatic script, which brings us into the covenantal life with God and calls us to participate in the grand drama of God’s salvation, by the dynamic, ministerial, and formative work of God the Spirit. iii University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za The hermeneutical concerns and reflections must be brought, as a constitutive and critical part, into our whole talk of scriptural authority. Hermeneutics helps us to expose the hermeneutical idols and to discern the real presence of God in our reading of Scripture. It also facilitates our embodiment of biblical texts in the particular, temporal context of life. Most of all, it enables us to recognise the realities of otherness and to listen to other voice(s). In light of this threefold hermeneutical task, we can retrieve, reclaim, and reaffirm the authority of Scripture as the viva vox Dei speaking to us in our here-and-now life. We thus recognise anew the authority of Scripture as divine communicative-performative, covenantal, dynamic-transformative, life-engaged, and multifaceted. By reading, mediating, enjoying, and living Scripture, we experience the triune God’s intimate presence, and worship and glorify God with reverence and enjoyment. iv University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Die krisis rakende Skrifgesag vra ‘n dringende sistematies-teologiese ondersoek om ‘n weg vanuit dié krisis aan te dui deur ‘n oortuigender, meer verstaanbare en belowende benadering te bied om opnuut die sinvolheid, waaragtigheid, toepaslikheid en gesag van die Skrif vir ons geloof en lewe te bevestig. Die oorkoepelende oogmerk van hierdie verhandeling is dus om ‘n meer toepaslike sistematies-teologiese raamwerk te vind om oor die gesag en interpretasie van die Skrif te kan praat. Ten einde hierdie doel te bereik, maak die verhandeling gebruik van drie hoof benaderings – epistemologies, dogmaties en hermeneuties – in ‘n dinamies geïntegreerde, onderling afhanklike, en holistiese wyse. Om die epistemologiese status van die Skrif as God se waarheid te bevestig, het ons ‘n meer genuanseerde epistemologiese model nodig waardeur die uiterstes van sowel moderne dogmatiese funderingsdenke asook van postmoderne nie-funderingsdenke vermy kan word. As alternatiewe model sal ’n vorm van post-funderingsdenke as benadering hier ontwikkel word, te einde die valse verdelings tussen objektief en subjektief, ontologies en funksioneel, en epistomologies en hermeneuties te oorkom. Ons kan dus die objektiewe eenheid van die waarheid en gesag van die Skrif as beslissende weg na die realiteit van God bevestig, sonder om ons bewussyn van die voorlopige, kontekstuele en feilbare aard van menslike kennis te ontken. ‘n Dogmaties-ontologiese verantwoording van die Skrif plaas ons spreke oor Skrifgesag binne die konteks van die drie-enige God se ekonomie van verlossing. Vanuit ‘n trinitaries-pneumatologiese oogpunt word die gesag van die Skrif afgelei vanuit die drie-enige God se self-kommunikatiewe spraak-akte, sodat dit beskryf kan word as goddelike kommunikatief-performatiewe gesag binne die drie-enige God se verlossingsdrama. Die Skrifte kan gesien word as die teo-dramatiese teks wat ons binne die verbondslewe met God bring en ons deur die dinamiese, dienende en vormende werk van God se Gees oproep om aan die grootse drama van God se verlossing deel te neem. v University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za Hermeneutiese oorwegings en nadenke moet as ‘n wesenlike en kritiese deel van ons totale gesprek oor Skrifgesag ter sprake kom. Hermeneutiek help ons om hermeneutiese afgode bloot te lê en om die werklike teenwoordigheid van God in ons lees van die Skrifte te onderskei. Dit fasiliteer voorts ons beliggaming van bybelse tekste in die spesifieke en tydelike kontekste van die lewe. Dit stel ons bowenal in staat om realiteite van andersheid te herken en om na (‘n) ander stem(me) te luister. In die lig van hierdie drievoudige hermeneutiese taak, kan ons die gesag van die Skrif as die viva vox Dei, wat tot ons spreek in ons hier-en-nou lewe, herwin, terugeis en bekragtig. Ons herken dus opnuut die gesag van die Skrif as goddelik kommunikatief-performatief, verbondsmatig, dinamies-transformerend, lewens-deelnemend en veelvormig. Deur die Skrif te lees, daaroor te mediteer, dit te geniet en uit te leef, ervaar ons die drie-enige God se intieme teenwoordigheid, en aanbid en verheerlik ons God met eerbied en vreugde. vi University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On the journey to complete this dissertation, I have encountered so many unforgettable moments and God’s people, and accumulated considerable debt of gratitude. My special thanks are due first of all to Professor Smit, who as my supervisor has always been the most reliable supporter and teacher with all valuable inspirations, insights, direction and encouragements throughout my journey. His unfailing guidance enables me to improve my dissertation beyond what I was able to make. Personal thanks are also owed to Prof Jun-In Song of Chong-Sin University, who not merely incited me to set out on this journey but also joined in the final moment as an examiner. My journey is stemmed, in part, from many stories about this beautiful country, which he used to tell in theological seminary classes. I especially wish to thank my parents, Jun-ho Yoon and Baek-Hap Kim Yoon, and my parents-in-law, Ho-Jin Kim and Yun-Sook Um Kim. Without their sacrifice and love, I would never have finished this journey. I also wish to acknowledge the spiritual and financial support of Jugahang Church (Rev. Ki-Bum Lee), Kimpo, and Saesoon Church (Rev. Dr. Jong-Yul Cha), Seoul. I especially appreciate the faithful love and support of Jung-Won Kim, from which my family has gained comfort and joy in many times. I also owe the laborious Afrikaans translation and much more cordial friendship to Elize Julius. Finally, and not least, I would like to give my innermost words of gratitude to my beloved wife, So-Eun, and my beautiful children, Jinha and Jinseo. They fill my journey with so many brilliant colours, delicious tastes, and delightful sounds. Above all else, my infinite gratitude and glorification must be offered to the triune God, the Planner and Companion of my journey. This dissertation is a testimony of God’s love and grace to us. vii University of Stellenbosch http://scholar.sun.ac.za CONTENTS DECLARATION .............................................................................................................. ii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... iii OPSOMMING ...................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................... vii ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER