Structures of Dasein and Theological Interpretations

Some philosophers would like to keep philosophical thought pure and free of theological interpretation. However, philosophy and theology are so intertwined that they both reflect on the major themes of being and time. The resolution for many is to give one or the other precedence in there reflections. When I read Heidegger’s Being and Time, there is a wonderful theological resonance within me.  Heidegger was formerly a theology student before he began his career in philosophy and his thoughts on being and time have profound theological meaning with the questions that they raise. I have been able to internalize from a theological perspective much of what he delivers about being and time. As I position myself in a transcendental mode, (which some theologians would call spiritual), I am able to grasp parts of his meaning. In this paper, I would like to discuss two of the structures of human Dasein and a theological interpretation (Scriptural) of them. The first structure of human Dasein is its fundamental “Being in the world’ and is a unitary structural phenomenon. It is of an ontological nature, rather than ontic. It is more about how we are in the world and also how we exist with other Daseins, (as expressed in the “they world”).  There is an everydayness of being in the world with others and the things in the world. The concept of mit-Dasein expresses this notion of being with others and that my own Dasein is always with mit-Dasein.

 The Apostle John expresses that “We are in the world, but not of this world”, St. John, 15. One hermeneutical interpretation is that even though I exist with others in the world, I must retrieve my own Dasein from the “they world” to recognize my own potentialities. In 2Cor.6:17, it is stated, “come ye out from among them and be ye separate. This certainly has a tone of retrieving one’s self from the the “they World”. Romans12:2 says, “and be not conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your minds”. As I am thrown into the world, my own Dasein is disclosed to me through other aspects of Dasein and also fallen-nests. But through recognizing Daseins’ potentialities, I can retrieve my own Dasein from others and the world. After the three Hebrew Boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown in the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar, momentarily they lost themselves; but through this fallen-ness, they were able to retrieve themselves with a more authentic disclosure and after recognizing that their Daseins were, in fact, related to a Greater Dasein. Another of the structures of Dasein is care. Care is being concerned with “Being in the world, other human Daseins and things in the world, i.e., taking care of things at hand, taking care of things objectively present and taking care of Dasein, itself.

1Peter5:7, “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you”. The word all appears to be an operative word in this verse, as one can see that care is not a selfish experience, but involves a host of things that need care and concern. Casting all your care upon him indicates that is a diversity of cares in the world and there is someone with whom you can and should share these concerns; “Bear ye one anothers burdens: and so everyone should bear his own burden”, Gal6:2, 5. (to bear his own burden indicates that Dasein should always care for his own Dasein, while having a generalized care for the other.