Beyond Biblical Theology: Sacralized Culturalism in Heikki Räisänen’s Hermeneutics

Reading Heikki R is nen's hermeneutics in context, Timo Eskola explores the development of Western New Testament interpretation. Reclaiming a Wredean approach to the Scriptures, R is nen focuses on tradition and interpretation. He builds on Weberian sociology, adopted through Peter Berger's theories, and substitutes sacralized culturalism for biblical theology.

After examining fourteenth century Quran-criticism and its impact on Reimarus, Eskola discusses the genesis of the revised history-of-religion theory that R is nen developed when investigating the Quran's relationship to the Bible. Sociology then becomes a link between standard historicism and poststructuralism as R is nen reinterprets Berger's sociology of knowledge. R is nen's sacralized culturalism finally becomes the theory from which his magnum opus The Rise of Christian Beliefs has been written.