POSTSECULAR STRATEGIES OF INTERACTION BETWEEN THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

In contemporary Christian thought, the demarcation between philosophy and theology, which secular thinking has persistently erected, is being actively blurred. This process corresponds to the main metaphysical and postmetaphysical strategies of modern philosophical and theological thought.In our opinion, all known forms of dialogue between philosophy and theology are conditioned by their deep inner affinity and simultaneous qualitative difference. The fundamental possibility of mutual influence between philosophy and theology is conditioned by their similar structure, the presence of narrative forms of thinking, basic axiomatics, a set of theories and practices expressing the aspiration to live in truth. Equally, they are not empirical forms of knowledge and presuppose theoretical and symbolic generalizations for their theories. They are two non-trivial discourses of open paradox, standing on the border of the incomprehensible. They are equally theories of value, which are related by their ability to take the forms of various cultural phenomena. Theology and philosophy share a similar phenomenological experience of faith and knowledge of the absolute.Their unity can be traced at the methodological level, where philosophy acts as the reflexive basis and self-understanding of theology. The theologian performs philosophical work every time he tries to realise his own initial intuitions and the general worldview and theoretical principles of his theology. It is quite common in theology to use various epistemological strategies and methods. At the same time, no methodology can perfectly capture the content of religious revelation, so the use of methodologies is limited. Methodology can arise and be used in theology under the conceptual influence of a particular philosophical system, or it can arise quite independently.Philosophical work is included in the very basis of theological work; it is quite difficult to distinguish between them. The presence of philosophy in theology is the presence of a certain methodology and categorical apparatus, whereas the presence of theology in philosophy is the presence of basic myth, sacred narrative, intuitions of faith and super-rational axioms. The distinction between theology and philosophy is determined by the different influence of the cultural context, the different tasks and strategies of unfolding these discourses, the different forms of cultural interaction, and the dissimilarity of basic narratives and methodologies. In conclusion, we can affirm the qualitative difference, but also the inextricable proximity of philosophy and theology, which determine their interactions in the history of culture.