Dialectics of Suspicion

I'm finally starting to formulate a vocabulary to name the difficulties I have with new historical and other "hermeneutics of suspicion"-style treatments of Christianity. It's not that there's critique simpliciter--theologians and pastors critique parts of Christian thought and practice all the time. It's that critical theorists treat the Bible and Augustine and such entities in manners that would make little or no sense to pastors and theologians.

Of course, as soon as this occurred to me, it became evident that "anti-intellectual" (a misleading designation in most cases) Christian writers treat critical theory in similarly uncharitable manners. I wonder whether some sort of hermeneutic of sympathy might serve as an antithesis for both parties to their hermeneutics of suspicion. I know Kenneson taught us to read this way long before I thought these thoughts, but it's just now occurred to me to look at it in terms of hermeneutics.

At any rate, I might try to theorize about this a bit more and include some of it in my thinking-out-loud when I present on an article on King Lear next week--it exhibits the normal moves of suspicion, and it could present an opportunity to propose different models of reading to the class--I think I've earned enough respect to make this move; I suppose I'll find out with some certainty if I make that move Wednesday.