ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that, as the key to understanding art, metaphor is what constitutes art as a form of natural theology. It examines preliminary considerations that suggest the two contentions just mentioned. First, it may be said that natural theology itself is generally metaphoric in character. Second preliminary consideration starts from an anticipation of part of the argument, by suggesting that metaphor relies upon the central feature of a critical realist epistemology, namely, tacit understanding. Indeed, recalling Moltmann's description of it as parable of the world to come, people might push above consideration one step further. Michael Polanyi proceeds to distinguish three types of integration, which he identifies as indication, symbol and metaphor. Indication is fairly straightforward. The theologian Paul Avis maintains, 'a metaphor can be a compressed and condensed symbol; symbols can be enlarged and elaborated metaphors'.
