Hermeneutics as Epistemology

A Critical Assessment of Carl F. H. Henry's Epistemological Approach to Hermeneutics

Historic Protestantism and evangelicalism has always been committed to the authority of Scripture and interested in the proper interpretation of the Bible. They uphold the motto: As Scripture says, God says; and as God says, Scripture says. Many today claim this type of reasoning is faulty, since individuals can no longer know the true meaning of Scripture because there are no stable metaphysical or epistemological frameworks. Moreover, they claim that approaches, such as the one presented by Carl F. H. Henry, no longer provide adequate grounds to address the pressing hermeneutical issues. This study responds to these types of claims showing each of these proposals is based upon faulty first principles or misrepresentations. This book surveys hermeneutical innovations and Henry's epistemological hermeneutic to show that Henry's epistemology is foundational to his hermeneutic, offering present-day evangelicals an epistemologically justified approach to hermeneutics as epistemology and methodology. The book will be of importance to those with interest in evangelical hermeneutics or philosophical hermeneutics in general. It provides a clear assessment of the impact of Carl F. H. Henry's epistemology and hermeneutic, and strives to respond to criticisms raised against his Augustinian, Reformed, revelational, cognitive-propositional hermeneutic.