Paul Tillich understanaing about the Bible from a interreligious perspective

Abstract

Paul Tillich is more alluded as systematic theologian than as a thinker who moves within hermeneutical and exegetical fields. Similarly, his work is recognized as a Christological and ontological development than as writings that promote inter-religious dialogue. However, his works can be one of both Bible interpretation and opening to other religions. Thus, this proposal aims to understand the place of the Bible in the thought of Tillich, both in theological perspective and in inter-religious perspective. He believes that the Bible is the source of systematic theology for the fact of being the original document in which the Christian church is grounded. The revelation of Jesus as the Christ in the Bible is opened for inter-religious reflection. So the question that guides this proposal asks how the Bible as a source of theological work, allows to Christian theology dialogue with other religions. An answer to this question lies in the proposed of Tillich through deliteralization project. There are two aspects of deliteralization: the first is the preservation of myth/symbol, the second is the no-literal treatment, which allows the use of the Bible as a source of systematic theology. These two aspects allow talk about the universality of Christ event. The deliteralization may cause a greater range of the Christian message, as the opening so that its message points beyond itself, since it allows the preservation of the myth and the valuation of symbols.