The Methodological Importance of the Notion of Divine Revelation in a Historical Perspective

Abstract

I offer an overview of the relevance of the notion of divine revelation to the methodology of the sciences. The notion of revelation is to be considered in the framework of a well-formed philo­sophical theory. In such a theory, the theological notion of revelation is important as well, because as a historically evolving notion it has contributed, in its own fashion, to the formation of other sciences. The method the notion of revelation entails is instructive for the methodological presuppositions of the sciences. Most importantly, the dynamism given in the notion of revelation to produce genuine newness – ad intra as well as ad extra – appears to be the decisive methodological factor defining scientific methodology. I also reflect on the importance of various forms of knowledge – apodicticity, certainty and probability – as they appear in the notion of revelation and define scientific forms of knowledge in a historical as well as logical fashion. Finally, I show the place of the methodological discussion in an overall view of revelation as a well-formed philosophical theory.