The Intra-textual Attitude Towards Religion in Contemporary Theology

New theological schools try to overcome the theological concerns of the postmodern approach by presenting methods that are different from those of former approaches. Some of these theological concerns have arisen under the influence of the challenges of pluralism and profound diversity in theology, as well as the conflicts between science and religion. The present study explains and examines one of the new approaches of religious philosophy to theology and understanding of religion, namely the intra-textual approach. The intra-textual approach, developed in the mid-twentieth century under the influence of late Wittgenstein’s ideas as well as narrative theology, holds that religious knowledge should not rely on external factors and matters outside the religious texts. Rather, the text itself must be understood in terms of language and its internal rules because any intervention of external factors causes deviation from the truth of religion and faith. The intra-textual approach, with a non-realistic attitude, even believes that we should not consider real referents for religion and religious texts and should not understand them in association with external realities. That is, religious faith and understanding are nothing but a direct presence in touch with the text. This approach is not able to solve the conflict between science and religion, and suffers from fundamental challenges due to its fideistic attitude and also its functional and unrealistic attitude towards religion.