Historia – mit – teologia

Abstract

History, myth and theology are the three poles of a Biblical story. At its basis lies a historical fact which is not described in the language of history but of myth to let the dimension of transcendence unfold. History and myth, on the other hand, create theology which has extremely strong historical grounds in the Bible (God acts and reveals Himself in history and through history), but could not be expressed without a myth element. Theology has to go beyond the worldly order and reach God since He cannot be expressed otherwise. At last there appears a harmonious synthesis of history, myth and theology and every study of the Bible which would omit one of these elements is bound to lose. In every genuine story one should aim at finding proper boundaries between history and myth and at understanding the full sense of the story, which is expressed in its theology. The history of exegesis shows that this task is by no means easy and requires continuous studies. At the end of these considerations we should express our great joy and gratitude to God that after the Constitution “Dei verbum” we enjoy true freedom in the Church: the freedom which allows us to discuss without constraints the range of history and myth. We may still have to alter the boundaries of these two cognitive expressions, sometimes giving priority to history, sometimes to myth, but neither of them has to be feared, and finally, a place has to be found for either. Approving of both conceptions, without quarreling about them, enables us to fathom the theological perspective, for the uncovering of which we have been given the Bible, an inspired Book of God’s Revelation.