„God’s Action“ as a „fundamental metaphor“?

On a Key Statement in a Recent Document of the Theological Committee of the UEK and in the Theology of Philipp Stoellger

Abstract

In a recent church document and accompanying theological texts, it was suggested that all talk of God’s actions should be understood metaphorically. This assumption, however, is hardly convincing in terms of its theological potential; moreover, its premises are questionable: neither do the reference texts from the Bible indicate that they are to be understood metaphorically in every instance. Nor are the supporting claims plausible that metaphors cannot be (partially) paraphrased or that there is no difference between »proper« and »improper speech«. Instead, in the case of key passages, it is theologically reasonable to understand the talk of God’s action in literal (analogous) sense and to unfold it in the sense of a mediated action of God.