Joseph Ratzinger’s Christological-Pneumatological Exegesis of the Old Testament
Nina Sophie Heereman
St. Patrick’s Seminary and University , United Stateshttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-4280-1490
Abstract
In his posthumously published collection of essays, Pope Benedict calls on the new generation of biblical scholars to develop methodological criteria for a “pneumatological exegesis” of the Old Testament. As a first step in this direction, the present article seeks to summarize Joseph Ratzinger’s/ Benedict XVI’s own theological reflection on the matter as we find it amply expounded both in his scholarly work and in his magisterium. First, Ratzinger’s understanding of revelation and of the place of both the Church and Scripture therein will be explained. Secondly, Ratzinger’s criteria for an interpretation of Scripture suited to revelation will be presented, with special emphasis on the way in which he both incorporates and goes beyond DV 12 with the help of systematic theology. In closing, Ratzinger’s own practice of Christological-pneumatological exegesis of the Old Testament is exemplified with an outline of his biblical Mariology.
Keywords:
Christological-Pneumatological exegesis, Old Testament exegesis, unity of Scripture, theological methodology, biblical Mariology, Scripture, Revelation, Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger, Scripture hermeneutic, immaculate conception, wisdomReferences
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St. Patrick’s Seminary and University
Nina Sophie Heereman is Professor for Sacred Scripture at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University, Menlo Park, CA, USA. She received S.S.L. from the Pontificial Biblical Institute and S.S.D. from the École biblique et archéologique de Jérusalem, in cotutelle as a Ph.D. from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. She is the author of “Behold King Solomon on the Day of His Wedding!”: A Symbolic Diachronic Reading of Song 3:6-11 and 4:12–5:1 (BETL 320; Leuven: Peeters 2021).
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4280-1490
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