Fr. Sergius Bulgakov (1871-1944): A study in the Eastern Orthodox hermeneutical perspective

Abstract

This study focuses on the hermeneutical theory of the Russian Orthodox theologian Fr. Sergius Bulgakov (1871-1944). It singles out the basic principles of that theory for discussion. The following principles are considered: the nature of the Bible; the role of the Holy Spirit in biblical interpretation; tradition as a hermeneutical principle; ecclesiastical reading; the actualisation of Scripture in personal and corporate life, and the scope and limitations of scientific-critical inquiry. An understanding of these fundamental tenets of Bulgakov’s hermeneutics is vital to a proper appreciation of Eastern Orthodoxy’s hermeneutical approach to the Bible.