Thematic Description
Hermeneutics, originally the theory and methodology of
interpretation, especially of texts, has evolved into a
broader philosophical framework for understanding the
transformation of human values and cultures over time. From
the classical focus on interpreting sacred and literary
texts, hermeneutics now extends to interpreting the living
traditions, practices, and moral frameworks that shape
societies. Thinkers such as H.G. Gadamer and P. Ricoeur
emphasized that interpretation is never neutral or fixed; it
is always situated within a historical horizon. As societies
encounter new experiences and crises—technological,
ecological, or moral—the interpretive frameworks shift,
which leads to changes in values and cultural expressions or
to new paradigms.
Thus, hermeneutic change becomes a dynamic process through
which a culture reinterprets its inherited meanings and
value systems in dialogue with new realities. Each
generation must negotiate between tradition and innovation,
past and present, then and now, preserving continuity while
accommodating change. This process is neither rational nor
arbitrary but grounded in lived experience and dialogical
engagement. Many concepts, definitions, and theories have
undergone profound reinterpretation through
historical movements. These reinterpretations do not though
replace traditional values and meanings but rather deepen
and broaden them, showing that cultural and moral
understanding is cumulative and open-ended.
The hermeneutic transformation of values invites humility
and intercultural openness. When different cultures
encounter one another through global connection, movement of
migration, digital communication, etc., they are urged to
reinterpret their own assumptions in light of the encounter
with others. This dialogical exchange can generate a more
pluralistic and inclusive understanding of humanity, where
no single culture holds a monopoly on meanings and values.
Therefore, hermeneutic change is not merely about
interpreting texts or traditions; it is an ongoing,
collective act of reinterpreting the world itself. It
reveals that culture is not a static inheritance but a
living conversation through which humanity continuously
reshapes its sense of truth, value, and purpose. It is a way
of life.
The conference will focus upon the following points:
-The meaning of hermeneutics: interpretation and
understanding
-Hermeneutics as a method of cultural interpretation
and value formation
-The historical evolution of value systems in cultural
contexts
-Hermeneutic interpretation of moral and ethical change
-Crisis of values in the contemporary age
-Intercultural hermeneutics and comparative hermeneutics:
encounter of civilizations and understanding the other
-Reinterpreting tradition through storytelling and cultural
memory
-Digital hermeneutics: interpretation in the age of AI and
media
-Environmental hermeneutics and the revaluation of nature
-Hermeneutic change in education and cross-cultural pedagogy
-Toward a new cosmopolitan hermeneutics: global ethics and
the reconfiguration of universal values
-Interreligious dialogue as a hermeneutic process
-The hermeneutics of secularization and spiritual renewal
-Hermeneutic approach to myth, ritual and tradition
Abstract
Participants are kindly asked to submit their abstract of
300-500 words and a brief professional bio (in Microsoft
Word or PDF) to the organizer by May 30, 2026. Questions and
clarifications can be addressed to Mberikwazvo
Ian Chitambo (chitambo@sjti.ac.za)
and (cua-rvp@cua.edu). Well-developed,
qualitative papers will be published by the Council for
Research in Values and Philosophy in its publication series
“Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Changes.”
Logistics
There will be no registration fee.
Conference participants will cover their own costs
of travels. Limited accommodation will be provided during the conference. For additional
information, please contact the local organizer. The
conference will be held in English.
Contact
Mberikwazvo Ian Chitambo
Department of Philosophy
St. Joseph's Theological Institute
Cedara, South Africa
chitambo@sjti.ac.za
