Reading within the Sacred Tension
Paradox and Its Significance for Dynamic, Self-critical and Edifying Biblical Engagement
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58412/hyb.v4i1.55565Keywords:
kierkegaard, paradox, pietism, biblical studiesAbstract
This article examines how the philosophical concept of paradox can function as a fruitful theological resource for biblical interpretation within Swedish Free Church contexts, where a recurring tension exists between academic and pietistic approaches. Drawing on Søren Kierkegaard’s understanding of the dialectical paradox, it argues that this tension should not be understood as a problem to be solved, but as an existential condition to be embraced. This condition is described as “living within the holy tension.” The article demonstrates how such an approach enables a practice of biblical reading in which academic and pietistic perspectives mutually correct, challenge, and affirm one another. A central claim is that a paradoxical approach safeguards against reductionist and one-sided interpretations of Scripture and instead promotes a form of biblical engagement that is dynamic, self-critical, and edifying. The article thus contributes to the ongoing discussion of theological biblical interpretation and Christian formation in a Free Church context.
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