The Richard Hayesh's hermeneutics: from the narrative substructure of the holy letter to Christian ethics

Abstract

The purpose of this article is an attempt to consider the theoretical contribution of Richard Hays in the development of theological hermeneutics. Richard Hayes uses Scripture as the basis for ethical discourse and transformation of the community of the people of God these days. He proposes to conduct creative analogies between the stories of the texts and the story that the church lives in completely different historical circumstances. The innovative view of Richard Hays in hermeneutics is revealed in the reconciliation of the narratives of Scripture and the description of New Testament ethics against the background of changes in the understanding of New Testament letters that include the transition from exegetical attempts to extract "truth" claims based on Paul's letters to the study of Paul's theology as a dialogical intersection with certain historical circumstances. Instead of statements, Hayes offers stories. Instead of dogma, Hayes offers drama. Hayes sees the apostle Paul as a creative thinker with a rich imagination that has become part of the history of God's redemption of humanity, and encourages his readers to see themselves as part of this same history of redemption, which continues today. Analyzing the contribution of Richard Hays in the understanding of hermeneutics of Paul, several directions are revealed in his research: the narrative substructure in Scripture, the intertextual approach to understanding the use of the Old Testament on the pages of the New, the influence of hermeneutic approaches in understanding of ethical issues.

Keywords

• Святе Письмо
• наративна підструктура
• інтертекстуальний підхід
• теологічна уява