Reading Holy Scripture with Olivier Clément

This article examines the exegetical approach of Olivier Clément, a major figure in twentieth-century French-language Orthodox theology. Father Nicolas Cernokrak, Dean of the Saint-Serge Institute, offers an analytical study of the way in which Clément approached the reading of Holy Scripture. The central idea is that his exegesis does not belong to a classical academic method, but is rooted in an articulation between lived spiritual experience and illumination by the Holy Spirit, heir to the patristic tradition. The article thus sheds light on a hermeneutical approach that reconciles intellectual rigor and mystical dimension, characteristic of Orthodox theology. On the theological level, this contribution offers elements for understanding the Orthodox reception of Scripture and the place occupied therein by the interior life as a condition for an authentic interpretation of the biblical text.