The Hermeneutic Question of Buddhist-Christian Dialogue: On Abe Masao's Kenotic God

Title

The Hermeneutic Question of Buddhist-Christian Dialogue: On Abe Masao's Kenotic God

Author

Wing-keung LAM

Page

113-144

DOI

Abstract

　　This paper attempts to explore the hermeneutic question in the light of Abe Masao's (1915-2006) kenotic God.
　　Abe interprets Christian God with Buddhist Śūnyatā and "Absolute Nothingness" of the Kyoto School, in order to open up the door of dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity. For Abe, according to the Bible, the book of Philippians 2:5-8 in particular, the incarnation of Jesus Christ is completed through self-negation or self-emptying (kenosis) of divinity. It is not merely an activity, but also considered as the essence of God.
　　For my part, the debate on the essence of God does not only relate to the difference between substantialism and non-substantialism, but also embraces the hermeneutic question of dialogical methodology between the two religions. By borrowing John Hick's metaphorical hermeneutic method, which argues that the event of incarnation is merely a metaphor instead of a fact, it somewhat indicates the hermeneutic openness of Christian God. In order to strengthen Hick's theory, the philosophical hermeneutics advocated by Hans-Georg Gadamer will be examined.

Keyword

kenotic God, substantialism, non-substantialism, metaphorical hermeneutic method, philosophical hermeneutics

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