Principles of Orthodox Hermeneutics III — Modern Methods and Typology

This article constitutes the third and final chapter of Paul Evdokimov's course on Orthodox hermeneutics. It adopts a synthetic and theological approach, articulating the contributions of modern critical exegesis with the patristic tradition. The central idea is that the Christian reading of Scripture rests on typology: the Old Testament prefigures the New according to a continuous divine design, and the spiritual meaning of the texts, distinct from the purely religious or historical meaning, is deciphered in the light of Christ. Evdokimov examines the literary, historical and philosophical methods, evaluates their contributions and their limits, and shows that exegesis can dispense with neither the living Tradition nor the testimony of the Holy Spirit. The theological contribution lies in the distinction between spiritual meaning and religious meaning, and in the rehabilitation of the ecclesial reading of the Fathers as an unsurpassable model, though one that cannot be reproduced identically.