성서에 대한 지식사회학적 독해 — 비판적 실재론의 관점

초록

This study reinterprets the epistemic status of the Bible, which is traditionally confined within the dichotomy of truth versus fiction. Such a framing has produced polarized and often reductive debates. However, the Bible constitutes a knowledge system that explains both the origin of the universe and the history of humanity. This study establishes a theoretical framework by engaging with critical realism. The findings indicate that myth is not mere fiction but a theoretical construct documenting the social realities of its time. This perspective demonstrates that two extreme, one-dimensional interpretive tendencies entail epistemic and ontological errors. Notably, myths and the Bible share a fundamental concern. Both explore a ‘reality’ independent of human perception and examine its impact on human life. By applying critical realism—an approach largely underutilized in religious studies—this study challenges entrenched scientistic biases and the absolutist tendencies of fundamentalism. This provides a nuanced reinterpretation of the dichotomous framework surrounding myth and the Bible.

키워드