Paul Ricoeur

Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005) was a French philosopher whose hermeneutical approach profoundly influenced contemporary philosophy of religion. His work on religious language and symbolism challenged both literalist and reductionist interpretations of religious texts, proposing that religious discourse operates through a "surplus of meaning" that requires interpretation. In The Symbolism of Evil (1960), Ricoeur explored how religious symbols mediate human understanding of fault, guilt, and redemption. His concept of "second naivete" suggested that critical reflection could lead to a post-critical faith that embraces religious meaning beyond literal belief. Ricoeur's analysis of biblical narrative in Essays on Biblical Interpretation demonstrated how religious texts function as productive imagination that reveals new possibilities for human existence. His work on metaphor and narrative identity provided sophisticated tools for understanding how religious language shapes human self-understanding and ethical action, significantly contributing to post-modern theological hermeneutics.