Schleiermacher et le langage religieux. Sentiment, langage et communauté
Résumé
In his treatise Christian Faith of 1821 and in the courses on Practical Theology which he taught at the same time, Schleiermacher for whom religion was rooted in feeling undertook to construct a theology based on the experience of piety. He was confronted with this contradiction, can personal awareness be expressed in a language both common and communicable? The first problem which arises is that of dogmatic language. It necessity derives from believing subjects who are members of a community and thus need to bear witness of their faith to one another. Every expression of dogma draws its original content from piety. That is why theology must distance itself from the speculative formulations of philosophy. Theology does posses a scientific character but in relation to a specific society and to a specific time. The question of what language is to be used during services follows: does the sermon seek only pious edification or does it confine itself to moral questions? Above all, it should lead to the experience and awareness of the divine rather than seek to objectify the manifestations of the divine. The purpose of the homily is not to teach but to strengthen the piety of the community. A popular speech is called for, neither too theological nor too biblical. Consequently Schleiermacher is most hostile to rhetoric. Still he cannot totally exclude it, in so far as the function of sermon is to articulate the faith of the church in terms os scripture. His preference falls on a vibrant language which seeks less to prove something tha to resonate with the felt piety of the community