During the patristic era, the alexandrian and antiochene hermeneutics seem to have laid the history of the hermeneutics that we are using today. But first of all, just to bring together in your minds some of the information which i have given to you at various times but perhaps hasnt really sort of come. Its meaning, nature and scope the h ermeneutics is a term, heard increasingly in the literary field of interpretation. The school of alexandria and the use of allegorical method by.
True reality lay behind the visible, and the true meaning of a text was behind the words. Alexandrian and antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1 many scholars attribute the problem of the christological formula concerning the nature of christ miaphysis and dyophyses to the controversy between the alexandrian and the antiochian theology. In it, the first system of christian theology was formed and the allegorical method of biblical exegesis was devised. The alexandrian school of biblical interpretation was soon challenged by the leaders of antioch where the antiochene school of interpretation arose. A definition hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. He tried to combine scriptural interpretation with platos philosophy. The school of antioch ran into trouble when one of its students was pronounced a heretic. As early as the third century, christian hermeneutics began to split into two primary schools. Indeed, neither school of interpretation sanctioned the practice of just one exegetical method. First, we are to understand that all scripture is given by inspiration of god 2 tim. Although according to dilthey the art ofhermeneiainterpretation was already practiced in classical greece, it is only with the postclassical alexandrian school of philology that hermeneutics became a selfstanding discipline. Alexandrian school used allegory rooted in platonic philosophy.
Alexandrian school interpreted the holy scripture according to the allegorical method of exegesis, which had long been used by the greek philosophers for interpreting the poets. School of antioch, christian theological institution in syria, traditionally founded in about ad 200, that stressed the literal interpretation of the bible and the completeness of christs humanity, in opposition to the school of alexandria see alexandria, school of, which emphasized the. So, in other words, within the bible god has provided the knowledge of who he is and how we are to live in a way that pleases him. A particular form of allegorical interpretation is the typological, according to which the key figures, main biblical exegesis. His teacher, clement of alexandria, was the first wellknown and respected father to employ allegorism consciously as a system. Interpret the passage literally according to its natural grammatical, historical and literary context b. He, being a jew of the diaspora, was not very influential among the rabbis, but had a great impact among the hellenistic intellectuals of alexandria, which was the seat of learning in that day. This group was known by this name because the advocates of this tradition were based in the city of antioch, one of the major cities of the ancient roman empire. The final alexandrian tendencies produced schism after chalcedon. Hermeneutics practical rules for biblical interpretation the bible is the infallible word of god.
I have relied heavily on how to understand the bible by w. Sacred hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. The one is the alexandrian school of poetry and science, the other the alexandrian school of philosophy. The alexandrian biblical interpretations stressed allegorical readings, often at the expense of the texts literal meaning. Cyril, are all to a greater or lesser extent infected with the predilection for allegory. Jewish scholars such as the religious philosopher philo also adopted it for the interpretation of the old testament to. As it were, the problem of the correct understanding becomes all the more insistent as the object of interpretation. The school of antioch came on the scene comparatively late.
Today i want to talk about the theological traditions associated with alexandria and antioch. Long before the establishment of christianity in alexandria, the city was famous for its many schools. These range from the allegorical hermeneutic of the alexandrian school and the medieval church, to the literalhistorical and typological hermeneutic of the antiochene school and the protestant reformers. The alexandrian school with its platonic emphasis was the popular school of its time. By far, the largest school was the museum, which was founded by ptolemy and became the most famous school in the east. Alexandrian school clement of alexandria ad 150215 origen ad 185253 threefold sense of scripture allegorical method 63. The alexandrian method was an adaptation of the method of philo, a jewish interpreter who lived from 20 b. Alexandrian school applied the psalm directly and immediately to christ. The alexandrian school is a collective designation for certain tendencies in literature. Historical implications of allegorical interpretation digitalcommons. Ans pg 40 hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. While the alexandrian school adopted the hypostasis union or the nature union of the.
Interpret the passage with the help of other scripture 1. They believed that meaning is discovered by using the literal, historicalgrammatical method of interpretation. Aparticularlyblatant,andalmosthumorous,examplewillservetoillustrate the influence of this twoschools idea upon us. The school never recovered and by default the alexandrian school rose in. Alexandrian school, and john chrysostom 350407, associated with antioch, and considers how their homilies on the beatitudes might reflect the two schools. Hermeneutics was initially applied to the interpretation, or exegesis, of scripture, and has been later broadened to questions of general interpretation. Hermeneutics is a discipline that deals with biblical interpretation. Chapter 7 historical schools of hermeneutics milton s. The primary need of hermeneutics is to determine the meaning of the word of god. Greek words for hermeneutics definitions of hermeneutics and related terms reading. Discovering the original, intended meaning of a given text through careful, systematic study is our primary task, one fee and stuart describe as primarily a. Patristic hermeneutics ad 100 600 three broad categories alexandrian school school of antioch western school 62. Hermeneutics is usually studied with a view to the interpretation of literature produced in the past. This brings us back to where we were last tuesday with the discussion of christology.
The term at once is unfamiliar to most of the educated. Ans pg 40 general hermeneutics is for the entire biblical text and special hermeneutics is for specific literary forms such as parables, types, and prophecy. Because gods word is infallible, scripture cannot contradict what is taught in another scripture on the same subject 2. The two great schools of biblical interpretation in the early christian church incorporated. What did the original author say elsewhere on the same subject.
The excessive spiritualism of the alexandrian school, in turn, prompted the formulation of the opposing hermeneutic principles, which was initially centered in antioch, but due to con stant scrutiny and accusations of heresy, the school moved its location eastward to edessa and. Ancient jewish hermeneutics hermeneutics begins following the babylonian captivity they ezra and the levites read from the book, from the law of god, translating to give the sense so that they the people understood the reading nehemiah 8. The beginnings of the school of antioch seem to have been very modest. The necessity of the study of hermeneutics follows from several considerations. In the modern world, where a number of sciences are developing daybyday, hermeneutics sprouts as a science of interpretation. Origen and clement of alexandria were two major scholars in this school. We might do well, however, to stare at the word hermeneutics just by way of a starting point. Pdf historical survey of biblical interpretation ron j. But first of all, just to bring together in your minds some of the information which i have given to you at various times but perhaps hasnt really sort of come together in. Biblical hermeneutics is the science that teaches the principles and methods of interpreting the word of god.
Athanasius interpreted the entire psalm as of christ, while eusebius of caesarea exempted only vv. Hermeneutics practical rules for biblical interpretation. A note on allegorical interpretation of scripture when we read the bible, it is important to know how to interpret what we are reading in a way that honors and upholds what the lord intended. School of antioch spiritual sense is in no way separate from the literal sense. The alexandrian theologians who followed him, from st. Suppose a friend of yours, a new believer, whom you recently led to. North africa at alexandria, egypt, which advocated an allegorical or spiritual hermeneutic. Clement of alexandria and philo represent two adherents to the alexandrian school, which believed that each word in the biblical text was chosen for a precise. Interpreting scripture according to the scriptures. Alexandrian and antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as deployed by john chrysostom and gregory of nyssa as they work with the beatitudes typically, the view of alexandrian and antiochian hermeneutics has been one of dichotomy. The great bulk of egyptian christendom rejected chalcedon and became monophysite. The school of antioch was one of the two major centers of the study of biblical exegesis and theology during late antiquity. Hermeneutics is the science and art of biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics is a wider discipline which includes written, verbal, and nonverbal communication.
Hermeneutics, alexandria, antioch, exegesis, allegory, literal, typology. Rather, both alexandrian and antiochene theologians were expedient hermeneuts, meaning they utilized whichever exegetical practice. Jewish scholars such as the religious philosopher philo also adopted it. Indeed, neither school of interpretation sanctioned the practice of just one. Lectures in the school of antioch saint mary coptic.
Sep 03, 2014 patristic hermeneutics ad 100 600 three broad categories alexandrian school school of antioch western school 62. Jul 19, 2011 hermeneutics is a discipline that deals with biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics true holiness covenant of peace assembly. Dungan, and principles of interpretation by clinton lockhart. I would recommend that the more serious student acquire and read them along with hermeneutics by bernard ramm and. In other words, the two most important tasks for biblical interpreters is exegesis and hermeneutics. Bibliology and hermeneutics every scripture is inspired by god and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to. The terms hermeneutics and exegesis are sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. The following chapter is part of a collection of essays in. This school taught the principle of single meaning in scripture.
Origin of term the word hermeneutics is said to have had its origin in the name hermes, the greek god who served as messenger for the gods. Alexandrians were allegorical, and antiochians were literalhistorical. Sep 17, 2017 there appear, therefore, to be at least two definite significations of the title alexandrian school. There appear, therefore, to be at least two definite significations of the title alexandrian school. Proper hermeneutics provide us tools to help ensure that we are basing our. And with these kinds of hermeneutics we could draw out which one should be embraced by the church in relation to our. Differentiate between general hermeneutics and special hermeneutics. The school of alexandria part i an introduction to the. One was the syrian school of antioch that championed literal and historical interpretation and the other was in north africa at alexandria, egypt, which advocated.
It is gods revelation of himself addressed to mans responsibility. Suppose a friend of yours, a new believer, whom you recently led to the lord, has written to you about the bible. It was not a regular institution with a continuous secession of teachers, like the catechetical school of alexandria, but a theological tendency, more particularly a peculiar type of hermeneutics and exegesis. However, philo of alexandria, a prolific jewish writer and exegete, used.
He was a bible teacher in the town of his birth, alexandria, and then later, he established a bible school in caesarea. It would be wrong to infer from this that the word denotes the interpretation or exegesis of sacred scripture. Since all doctrine rests upon interpretation, we must have correct interpretation to develop correct doctrine. The science of biblical hermeneutics in all its varied schools seeks to provide a methodology to answer that question. Both were strong allegorists, a style that led directly into the three great late church fathers, jerome, vincent, and augustine, who established hermeneutics that would last for more than a thousand years lewis 31. Monothelitism proved to be only a temporary enthusiasm in alexandria. In the 1959 edition of the encyclopedia britannica, a church historian writes that origen was the most distinguished and most influential of all the theologians of the ancient church, with the possible exception of augustine. A science because it is guided by rules within a system. Allegorical interpretation biblical criticism britannica. I would recommend that the more serious student acquire and read them along with hermeneutics by bernard ramm and protestant biblical interpretation also by ramm.