Hermeneutics : a way to create links in theology
Religious views often had different viewpoints about how to consider things. It stems from different interpretations of the texts, and it allows different views. For instance the text of Matthiew is often considered a anti judaic, for the reason it has been criticized. We can say interpretations have a important impact on the vision of religion. Sanct Paul, in his book about the Thessaloniens, talked about the fact women were compelled to wear a veil. This approach shows a more « conservative » interpretation of the texts. However we can add that philosophy has an real impact on those subjects and that hermeneutics can have important consequences on the . That is the reason why religion can create different views that can give a real influence on these subjects.
That is the reason why reformist like Mohammed Iqbal or Al Afghani have the possibility to give new insight to reformist views. For instance they focus on an insight fight to progress, which is called the Big Jihad (and not the small one, which is defending the community of believers when they are attacked). It is necessary to say that those reformist views can be found in many monotheist religions.
First religious views provided a lot from hermeneutics. For instance the philosopher Schleirmacher decided to build an interpretation of text which is very coherent to the approach of what will become liberal protestantism. In fact this is based for instance on the importance of historico-critical aspect of religion. That is the reason why this author provided a lot of approaches that had influences on contemporary philosophy, for instance with Gadamer and his book method and truth. But this approach had an influence for instance on the interpretation of arts. Wolff had this approach and Kant, in his criticism of ability to judge, talked about « the wine of canaries » to justify the approach of arts. Moreover, he tends to fight the old approach of metaphysics to center it on faith. This vision is different from a cartesian approach who want, in the « admirable science » project, build a system where thinking is only dependant on internal factors.
An extension of the approach of link to philosophy
The religious approach looks close to the approach of Aristotle, who wanted to prove his theories on rigorous facts, and who fought the approach of the soul of Plato, which was for him mainly imaginary. This tradition has been followed by Hegel, who wanted to go beyond the traditional approach between nature and culture. This approach allows him to say that mankind is linked to deep freedom.
These philosophical views had an impact on religious views. Founding religion with an approach based on studies has been used by Martin Luther, who was influenced by Melanchton, an anciant greek teacher. But they have been used as well by Matthiew, who showed in his text rivalry between the Christians and the Jews who advocated the traditional authority of the Rabbis.
An illustration we can see in daily news
Those approaches are numerous. But they show us that the current crisis compell us, as it has always been the case, to adapt and to try to progress in our approaches. This crisis is showing us that technologies are detrimental. It showed to which extend the industrial revolution we live now is important. That is the reason why it is probably more necessary than ever to build bridges between different cultures of backgrounds, what internet allows us more than before.
Probably the word « bridges » and « links » are more important than ever today. The Chinese international policy based on building infrastructures is probably what will reflect the next decades. The creation of « roads », bridges between civilizations, differents viewpoints is detrimental when intolerance rises (as showed the murder of Samuel Paty for instance) and the level of education decreases. The creation of links is a purely philosophical approach. The necessity to focus on this aspect is in my opinion a lesson of this crisis.
The observer 