SUMMARY
BREVITAS ET FACILITAS
A STUDY OF A VITAL ASPECT IN THE THEOLOGICAL
HERMENEUTICS OF JOHN CALVIN
BY
MYUNG JUN AHN
Promoter: Prof. Dr. CJ Wethmar
Department: Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics
(Faculty of Theology, Section B)
Degree: Philosophiae Doctor
The hermeneutical methodology employed by Calvin in gleaning the true meaning of a text has given rise to considerable contemporary debate. Calvin, like other Reformers, used the so-called historical-grammatical method in the interpretation of Scripture. Although Calvin showed similarity with the other Reformers' hermeneutics in following this approach, he had a distinctive approach to Scriptural interpretation which other Reformers did not follow in all details. It included the principles of brevitas et facilitas as the central dimension of his hermeneutics, principles Calvin employed in his exegetical writings throughout his whole life. Calvin clearly suggested the principles of brevitas et facilitas as a basic dimension of his theological hermeneutics in the dedicatory preface in his Commentary on Romans. With regard to the nature of Calvin's hermeneutics, many scholars recognize that the hallmarks of Calvin's hermeneutical approach are the principles of brevitas et facilitas. They, however, have not revealed how Calvin handled the text of Scripture with these principles. They have not adequately demonstrated how Calvin's principles of brevitas et facilitas are rooted in the rhetorical method of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian, and also not that these hermeneutical principles are embedded in the basic motives of his theology. After having analysed Calvin's writings, I discovered ten component elements of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas.
The purpose of my dissertation is not to explore all the principles Calvin used in his writings, but to establish the fact that the ideal of brevitas et facilitas as the hallmark of Calvin's theological hermeneutics originated in his views on Holy Scripture, especially the principle Scriptura sui ipsius interpres.
In order to obtain a clear understanding of Calvin's hermeneutics, I studied the historical, theological, rhetorical, and hermeneutical dimensions of the issues at stake. In investigating the principles of brevitas et facilitas, I utilized Calvin's commentaries, his sermons and his letters, his theological treatises, and his Institutes.
The purpose of chapter 2 is to study the background of Calvin's hermeneutics. It includes how Calvin prepared himself to be a faithful interpreter of Scripture. I deal with what factors had influence on Calvin's hermeneutics. In chapters 3 and 4, I survey the history of hermeneutics from Calvin's own perspective. My emphasis is on Calvin's attitude toward other interpreters. In chapter 5, I examine the development, the source, and the employment of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas. In order to ascertain the origin of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas, I compare this method with the rhetorical skill described with the same term. I argue that Calvin regarded the nature of Scripture as the source of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas. Chapter 6 examines two theological presuppositions in Calvin's hermeneutics: firstly the role of the Holy Spirit in the interpretation of Scripture, and secondly the principle sacra Scriptura sui ipsius interpres. As far as the Reformers' doctrine of Scripture is concerned, I deal with the fact that the ideal of brevitas et facilitas is closely related to the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture which offered the Reformers the principle Scrptura sui ipsius interpres. In chapter 7, I identify and describe ten component elements as the ideal of brevitas et facilitas.
SUMMARY
BREVITAS ET FACILITAS
A STUDY OF A VITAL ASPECT IN THE THEOLOGICAL
HERMENEUTICS OF JOHN CALVIN
BY
MYUNG JUN AHN
Promoter: Prof. Dr. CJ Wethmar
Department: Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics
(Faculty of Theology, Section B)
Degree: Philosophiae Doctor
The hermeneutical methodology employed by Calvin in gleaning the true meaning of a text has given rise to considerable contemporary debate. Calvin, like other Reformers, used the so-called historical-grammatical method in the interpretation of Scripture. Although Calvin showed similarity with the other Reformers' hermeneutics in following this approach, he had a distinctive approach to Scriptural interpretation which other Reformers did not follow in all details. It included the principles of brevitas et facilitas as the central dimension of his hermeneutics, principles Calvin employed in his exegetical writings throughout his whole life. Calvin clearly suggested the principles of brevitas et facilitas as a basic dimension of his theological hermeneutics in the dedicatory preface in his Commentary on Romans. With regard to the nature of Calvin's hermeneutics, many scholars recognize that the hallmarks of Calvin's hermeneutical approach are the principles of brevitas et facilitas. They, however, have not revealed how Calvin handled the text of Scripture with these principles. They have not adequately demonstrated how Calvin's principles of brevitas et facilitas are rooted in the rhetorical method of Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian, and also not that these hermeneutical principles are embedded in the basic motives of his theology. After having analysed Calvin's writings, I discovered ten component elements of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas.
The purpose of my dissertation is not to explore all the principles Calvin used in his writings, but to establish the fact that the ideal of brevitas et facilitas as the hallmark of Calvin's theological hermeneutics originated in his views on Holy Scripture, especially the principle Scriptura sui ipsius interpres.
In order to obtain a clear understanding of Calvin's hermeneutics, I studied the historical, theological, rhetorical, and hermeneutical dimensions of the issues at stake. In investigating the principles of brevitas et facilitas, I utilized Calvin's commentaries, his sermons and his letters, his theological treatises, and his Institutes.
The purpose of chapter 2 is to study the background of Calvin's hermeneutics. It includes how Calvin prepared himself to be a faithful interpreter of Scripture. I deal with what factors had influence on Calvin's hermeneutics. In chapters 3 and 4, I survey the history of hermeneutics from Calvin's own perspective. My emphasis is on Calvin's attitude toward other interpreters. In chapter 5, I examine the development, the source, and the employment of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas. In order to ascertain the origin of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas, I compare this method with the rhetorical skill described with the same term. I argue that Calvin regarded the nature of Scripture as the source of the ideal of brevitas et facilitas. Chapter 6 examines two theological presuppositions in Calvin's hermeneutics: firstly the role of the Holy Spirit in the interpretation of Scripture, and secondly the principle sacra Scriptura sui ipsius interpres. As far as the Reformers' doctrine of Scripture is concerned, I deal with the fact that the ideal of brevitas et facilitas is closely related to the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture which offered the Reformers the principle Scrptura sui ipsius interpres. In chapter 7, I identify and describe ten component elements as the ideal of brevitas et facilitas.