Making Explicit What Is Implicit

Hermeneutics in the Theology of Metropolitan John Zizioulas

Abstract

This paper examines the hermeneutical principles of Metropolitan John Zizioulas and his understanding of theological interpretation as a dynamic, relational, and eschatological act. For Zizioulas, hermeneutics is not a secondary interpretive exercise but the very condition of living theology. It arises from the inner demand to render patristic teaching existentially relevant—answering the question “so what?” that follows any mere repetition of doctrine. Zizioulas differentiates hermeneutics from epistemology, focusing not on the limits of knowledge but on the contextual reception of meaning. Scripture, in his view, functions as a living medium of encounter, requiring interpretative engagement within the liturgical life of the Church. Doctrinal expressions, such as those of the Ecumenical Councils, are understood not merely as historical artifacts but as relational events grounded in communion. Without this engagement, the Fathers become a “dead tradition,” confined to historical curiosity. Zizioulas critiques static readings of the patristic tradition and urges a living engagement with the Fathers that responds to contemporary existential concerns. His hermeneutical method is shaped by an eschatological horizon in which the resurrection of Christ illuminates both past and present. He calls for a theology that remains faithful to the tradition while actively engaging with modern philosophical categories.