THE CONCEPT OF A DIALOGUE IN MODERN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY

Main Article Content

Natalia Vasylivna ISHCHUK

Abstract

Introduction. Theology of dialogue is increasingly becoming the subject not only of theological, but also of philosophical and religious studies. This is natural, because for modern Christians it has to do with the experience and comprehension of eternal truths traditionally relayed to the world by the Christian Churches. Hence there appears the urgent task to comprehend from the philosophical and religious points of view the theological discourse of the concept of “dialogue” as it is understood by modern Christian theology.

Purpose is to substantiate the content and scope of the concept of “dialogue” in contemporary Christian theology, taking into account the confessional features of its application.

Methods. The interdisciplinary nature of our research requires an appropriate methodology that combines the achievements philosophy of dialogue, communicative philosophy, hermeneutics and, of course, theology.

Results. Modern Christian Churches, expressing conceptual positions on the prospects of dialogical interaction, are imbued with the praxis of dialogue, not with the clarity of terminology. The phenomenon of dialogue, as it is presented in the Christian tradition, is not reduced only to communication, even at the level of systematization of narratives concerning communicative universals. In this regard, Christian dialogism is defined not only by the primacy of communication, but also by the dominance of relations, focusing on their universality – the possibility of the phenomenon of relations, involving everything, not excluding anything instead of decomposing into separate “atoms” of faith, emotions, communication, morals, activities, etc., not being reduced to any of these phenomena. We consider as dialogical those relationships that underlie reciprocity and, with some caution, the equality of the parties. According to these criteria, the characteristics of dialogues belong to the following relationships: communication and relationship of Christians with God and with one another in God, within the church, as well as communication and relations between the Churches, especially an ecumenical dialogue.

Originality. The content and scope of the concept of “dialogue” in modern Christian theology have been analyzed. It has been proved that the main Christian denominations understand dialogue as a wide range of phenomena that relate not only to a certain type of communication, but also to activities and relationships. In the documents of Christian churches, a dialogic interaction is denoted by semantically related, but not identical terms of intercourse, communication, koinonia, communion, and the like.

Conclusions. It is substantiated that the development of the dialogical strategies of the Churches is a consequence of pluralization and diversification of the axiosphere of modern society and at the same time it is a means of their adaptation to the present time. The prospects for a further research of the problem are related to the substantiation of the specific paradigm of Christian dialogical sociality.

Article Details

Section
HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

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