Critic to theological work

Biblical hermeneutics in Kant based in The Conflict of the Faculties

Abstract

According to Tillich, Kant had a greater influence than Hegel and Schleiermacher on theology. His prominence lied in understanding the ideas of those from Enlightenment thinking and then overcoming them. The impossibility of rationally reaching God, liberty and immortality given the finiteness of human reasoning, was accepted as a basic presupposition by thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth century. A few tried to go against this line of thought, and even Karl Barth fully accepted their criticism. This paper presents the hermeneutical theses of Kant and their applications on biblical interpretation in light of his work entitled The Conflict of Faculties. Kant imposed limits on human reasoning which resulted in difficulties of possibly knowing God and the exegetical studying of the Holy Scriptures. From these limits, Tillich’s assertion is contemplated if Kant indeed overcame Enlightenment ideas. One can agree with Tillich about Kant’s significant influence on theology, especially on Schleiermacher and modern hermeneutics, as proven by Dilthey. However, it cannot be observed how much Kant overcame Enlightenment ideas regarding biblical hermeneutics, since the thinker Königsberg not only continued but also consolidated the basis for Enlightenment hermeneutics.