根頓的隱喻式神學語言觀／鄧紹光

撮要

根頓的隱喻式神學語言觀，是他的神學知識論進一步開展出來的成果。反過來說，他的神學語言觀豐富了他的神學知識論。這篇文章會扣緊根頓早期的神學知識論的建立，來開展其隱喻式神學語言觀，以便展示隱喻式的神學語言是建構神學知識不可或缺的一環，以及這種神學知識的中介特性。任何知識的獲得、表達及傳遞，都不是直接的，而是間接的，是以語言為中介而進行的。

根頓這觀點使得他的神學知識論的中介性具有多重意義，即我們不但能透過聖子耶穌基督和聖靈來認識上帝，更可同時藉着聖經及解釋聖經的傳統來進行，因此，這種神學知識論亦是以語言為中介的。對於根頓來說，只有隱喻式神學語言才能恰當地獲得、表達及傳遞神學的知識。但為甚麽隱喻能夠擔當這個任務呢？這篇文章即嘗試初步介紹和勾勒根頓在這方面的看法。

ABSTRACT

Colin E.Gunton’s understanding of metaphorical theological language was out of his development of theological epistemology. In turn this understanding enriches his theological epistemology. This paper displays his view point of metaphorical theological language through the in-dpth digging of his early construction of theological epistemology to show that the former is an essential part of the latter and the feature of theological epistemology is of mediation. The acquiring, expressing and transmission of knowledge is not immediative but meditative with language. Accordingly Gunton’s meditative theological epistemology implies that we do not only know God through Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit but also through Scripture and tradition is it possible. Then what kind of theological language is it so that the task of acquiring,expressing and transmission of theological knowledge can be fulfilled? For Gunton,it is metaphorical theological language. This paper tries to give a preliminary introduction to Gunton’s understanding of metaphorical theological language.

原載於《建道學刊》32期（2009年7月），頁1-28。