The principle that everyone deserves the right to interpret sacred texts, doctrine, and tradition for themselves rather than accepting institutional monopolies on meaning.
Sor Juana insisted on her right to read, interpret, and even critique theological texts—a claim radical in her historical moment. Hermeneutical justice extends this: the power to make meaning from religious tradition should not belong only to institutional authorities. For believers experiencing doubt, this concept empowers personal theological exploration. For those leaving, it validates their reinterpretation of childhood faith as a legitimate form of understanding rather than betrayal. For leavers-who-remain, it protects the right to read sacred traditions as cultural, literary, or historical documents. Sor Juana's tradition argues that God or truth (however conceived) is not threatened by diverse interpretations. Rather, monopolies on meaning-making are instruments of power, not protection of holiness. Justice requires democratizing the hermeneutical act.
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