First There Was The Word

Once There Was the Word, initially published in 1995, aimed to provide Turkish readers with a comprehensive overview of hermeneutical literature, much of which was inaccessible due to language barriers. Now, a quarter of a century later, the book returns in an updated and expanded form. The new edition pays particular attention to the expansion of hermeneutics in sociology and theology, emphasizing connections with philosophers like Schleiermacher, Bultmann, Heidegger, Gadamer, Derrida, and Caputo. Additionally, it includes a section on the development of interpretive approaches in sociology, spanning from Dilthey and Husserl to Goffman, Garfinkel, Winch, and Berger, influenced by hermeneutics. The book also presents reflections on hermeneutics in Turkey’s academic and intellectual landscape. Notably, the authors’ evolving perspectives over the quarter-century between editions contribute to the book’s richness, making it a compelling hermeneutical experience. In its current form, Once There Was the Word not only summarizes contemporary hermeneutical literature but also presents original insights and invites further discussion.