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Metaphorical Theology

Metaphorical Theology. Sallie McFague. The Problem of Religious Language. We are uncertain about both the experiential levels and the expressive levels of language. We can no longer live in a world where language is symbolic, and where the universe is sacramental.

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Metaphorical Theology

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  1. Metaphorical Theology Sallie McFague

  2. The Problem of Religious Language • We are uncertain about both the experiential levels and the expressive levels of language. • We can no longer live in a world where language is symbolic, and where the universe is sacramental.

  3. Context for the discussion of the problem • Worship as primary context • Interpretative context • the social, cultural, and historical situation of our existence • Dangers are idolatry and irrelevance

  4. Idolatry • Taking language about God literally is a danger for our times • Because we no longer live in a symbolical mentality in a sacramental form • Because we do live in a scientific age • Literalism makes the Bible an idol

  5. Irrelevance • We are secular • Religious language excludes individuals and groups • The example of feminists • Religious language is constructed by the powerful and so the limits of the world are set in their language • Western religious language is patriarchal • Religious language must be about us as well as about God

  6. Can religious language be revitalized? • We cannot return to the mentality of symbols • Must turn to a metaphorical approach • Taking as, seeing as, understanding as • Finds similarities in dissimilars • Why is this more Protestant? • Wonder and trust • Healing and transformation

  7. Can this be grounded in the scriptures? • Parables are metaphors, not symbols • Bring together dissimilar things • Ordinariness, incongruity, indirection, skepticism, judgment, unconventionality, surprise, and transformation • Jesus as a parable of God

  8. Models • A metaphor with staying power • Mediate between metaphors and concepts • Where concepts tend towards univocity • Envision ways of talking about the divine-human relationship that are not idolatrous and that are relevant and that do not exclude • Friend

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