“Within Cultures and Across Cultures: On the Development of a Trinitarian Intercultural Hermeneutics of Dialogue”

The objective of this article therefore is to explore how this Trinitarian relationship emerges as a theological-social framework for an intercultural hermenuetics of dialogue that can function both a) within cultures, represented by the ecumenical context of multiple Christian traditions, and b) across cultures, which refer to interreligious encounters and dialogue, specifically between Christianity and Islam. In terms of methodology, I shall apply a deductive approach that will be grounded by a close reading of the Trinitarian hermeneutics of the Anglican theologian Michael Ipgrave as well as select ecclesial texts from the Roman Catholic and Anglican Communion that map out tripartite Trinitarian orientations that align with Ipgrave’s framework. The Trinitarian hermeneutics is then integrated with the inclusive framework of identity-in-difference, in which the concepts of ‘identity’ and ‘difference’ are considered as interrelated realities. To accomplish the set objective, I shall proceed in five steps. The first is to explore the contexts of dialogue that are founded on a Trinitarian approach. The second is to seek insights from a model of Trinitarian patterning that is proposed by Ipgrave. The third is to define intercultural hermeneutics, and at the same time attempt a definition of a Trinitarian version of this hemeneutics of dialogue. The fourth step would be to further develop this Trinitarian intercultural hermeneutics. Finally, I shall explore the relationship among the threefold implications of this hermeneutics in the light of some remaining questions, while proposing a ‘spirituality’ that would make the proposed Trinitarian dialogue possible.