Revelation, history, and the biblical text in the writings of Carl F. H. Henry

This dissertation explores the hermeneutical principles of revelation, history, and the biblical text through the writings of Carl F. H. Henry. Henry wrote in conversation with two contemporaries on the subject. Wolfhart Pannenberg stands at the headwaters of the "revelation as history" approach, and Hans Frei is notable as the genesis of narrative hermeneutics. As an evangelical focused on the doctrine of revelation, Henry articulates an approach different from the two aforementioned theologians. The purpose of this dissertation is to argue that, in contrast to the "revelation as history" and to "post-liberal" approaches to revelation, Henry's doctrine of revelation generates a text-oriented, yet apologetically engaged, scheme of the relationship between revelation, history, and biblical text.;Chapter 2 presents Carl F. H. Henry's assertions concerning the concepts of the revelation of God, text, and history in his systematic writings. Henry's doctrine of divine revelation affirms a broad sense of revelation in historical event as God's genuine activity, yet asserts the meaning and interpretation of the historical event is tied inseparably to writings divinely inspired. This approach to revelation produces a hermeneutic focused on the text, yet theologically and apologetically engaged in history.;Chapter 3 provides an analysis of a notion of revelation, strictly event-oriented, most clearly typified in the writings of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Pannenberg's revelation-as-history approach produces a thoroughly historical approach to hermeneutics. Henry's evaluation of Pannenberg provides instructive critique for the tendency for evangelical emphasis on discerning revelation through history as the goal of interpretation.;Chapter 4 provides Henry's analysis of the approach of post-liberal method exclusively text-oriented, specifically addressed through dialogue with Hans Frei. Post-liberal method has found welcome within evangelical method for the purpose of encouraging text-oriented hermeneutics.;After exploring the different hermeneutical priorities on the subject of history and the biblical text in Henry, Pannenberg, and Frei, chapter 5 undertakes the task of clarifying the value of Henry's voice for an evangelical approach to revelation, event, and biblical text. Analysis of the contemporary discussion will show, contrary to many contemporary descriptions of neo-evangelical hermeneutics, Henry has provided answers to many of the questions now being asked.