The New Hermeneutic and the Understanding of Spirituals

Abstract

Palmer, in his book Hermeneutics,1 lists several hermeneutical approaches and then says that no hermeneutical approach as listed should be thought of as an absolute approach to the problem of understanding and interpretation.2 It is my contention that Palmer is right in his observation, but not necessarily correct in his conclusion that Gadamer’s approach to the hermeneutical problem is the best. I see, however, the Gadamerian approach to be the foundational step in the new hermeneutic; all the rest has been a prolegomena.

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