The case of people of God: A critical inquiry into its universality and universalizability an ontological hermeneutics

• Main Author: Gianan, Celestino A.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2000
• Subjects: God; Hermeneutics; Universals (Philosophy); Conceptualism; Philosophy
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/835
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study seeks to clarify the case of People of God in the world of creation if only to make men and women understand their existence as People of God and to make the concept become more relevant to men and women of every age in their attempt to help restore the integrity of God's creation. The study exhibits an ontological hermeneutics of the concept of the People of God with the end-view of creating a new paradigm: from universality to universalizability.In clarifying the case of People of God in the world of creation, the researcher re-conceptualizes the concept by investigating philosophically the formal structure of the concept of the People of God. The investigation employs the following philosophical thoughts, namely: Karl Rahner's Transcendentality Alfred North Whitehead's Process-Thought and Hans-Georg Gadamer's Effective-Historical-Consciousness. Following re-conceptualization, the researcher proceeds to re-interpret the concept intended to clarify the case of People of God.The following are shown in the study: 1) The universality of People of God is its transcendentality which takes place in a relationship. Being transcendent carries with it the exercise of freedom and responsibility and the consciousness of being dependent. What, therefore, makes People of God universal is its transcendental orientation. This paradigm changes the traditional notion of People of God as universal inasmuch as it is found in all places throughout the world. 2) The universality of People of God is its consistency in its vertical as well as its horizontal relationship. What, therefore, makes People of God universalizable is the fusion of both vertical as well as horizontal dimensions of the relationship. This paradigm changes the traditional notion of People of God as just a mere slogan or an attribute attached to the Church. 3) The universality and universalizability of People of God explain the fact that People of God is a historical event. What, therefore, makes People of God a historical event is its being organismic, dynamistic and concrete grounded on the fact that it is transcendental. This paradigm changes the title-slogan conception attached to the Church as People of God. 4) The case of People of God is its universality as well as its universalizability, viewed in the context of the world of creation. This paradigm changes the common notion of People of God from being exclusive to a particular religious denomination or faith-affiliation to being inclusive of what belongs to the world of creation. 5) The clarification of the case of People of God which proceeds from its re-conceptualization to its interpretation resolves the three sub-problems of obscurity of meaning, truth-disclosure and clarity of its understanding. What is clear then is the fact the People of God is a historical event insofar as the occurrence of relations that goes along with it belongs to the historical nature of human existence. 6) The outcome of this clarified case of people of God is the establishment of a new expression of being a People of God brought about by a paradigm shift, that is, from universality to universalizability. Thus real fusion of the vertical as well as the horizontal relations is what is this new expression entails. 7) In the world of creation, therefore, men and women while claiming they are a People of God exhibit an occurrence of relations both vertically and horizontally. This indeed is the truth-event that goes along with the concept of People of God.