In chapter 1 of Archeology of the Kingdom of God, Jean-Marc Lepain reframes three key terms: ontology, hermeneutics, and cosmology. In this post, I explain how he combines them into two complementary ways of understanding the divine worlds or two ways of seeing reality. Finally, we consider why this matters for reading Baha’u’llah’s writings.
Three Words to Reframe
Ontology is the study of being—what exists, and what is the nature of its existence. For Lepain, this concept sits at the foundation of the two perspectives he outlines about how we interact with reality.
Hermeneutics, the art of interpretation, builds on this foundation by asking how meaning arises: not only in texts, but in the fabric of reality itself.
Cosmology then extends the horizon, inviting us to consider the structure of worlds, whether planets and stars, or spiritual realms.
From these three terms, Lepain creates hybrid expressions that combine ontology with hermeneutics and cosmology.
Creating Two Hybrid Words
The first of these hybrid words is onto‑hermeneutics, a combination of ontology and hermeneutics. By this term, Lepain points to the connection between interpretation and being, and the fact that they are never detached. In practice, the way we read reality is always shaped by the condition of our own existence. Two people may read the same passage from Baha’u’llah differently—one finding comfort, another gratitude—because their states of being refract the words uniquely.
The second expression Lepain introduces is onto‑cosmology, a combination of ontology and cosmology. Here, the term points to the ordering of reality itself. From this perspective, a person sees a world as a mode of being, which appears as a realm with its own structure and design.
Baha’u’llah offers a schema for how to think about everything that exists. His cosmological system consists of three worlds: the World of Divine Essence (‘alam‑i‑ḥaqq), the World of Revelation (‘alam‑i‑amr), and the World of Creation (‘alam‑i‑khalq).
Sufi cosmology presents another schema of five worlds: Hahut, the realm of the unknowable essence; Lahut, the world of divine attributes; Jabarut, the realm of power and command; Malakút, the angelic world of forms; and Nasut, the human world of material existence.
It is impossible to comprehend reality without some intelligible structure—or, more precisely, without one assigned to us. Lepain explains that the structure we perceive in the divine worlds is due to the workings of the Divine Spirit. The Spirit adopts infinite modes, manifesting in ways that make reality intelligible.
Exploring Two Ways of Seeing Reality
From this, we can see that Lepain is saying existence can be looked at in different ways at the same time. Both perspectives are true and important.
First, we look at divine worlds in an onto‑hermeneutic way. From this perspective, the divine worlds are not just a map of existence but a lens of meaning. They show us how reality is interpreted according to the state of the soul; that is, how each person’s condition shapes what is received from these realms.
Second, we look at them in an onto‑cosmological way. From this perspective, the divine worlds are an ordering of reality itself. They describe the structure of creation, and the way being is layered and sustained.
Taken together, the divine worlds can be viewed as both symbol and structure. They are simultaneously the way reality is interpreted and the way reality is built. You cannot peel them apart. Living within them is also interpreting them, and interpreting them is also living within their order.
Think of a cathedral: as architecture, it is stone, arches, and design (cosmology); as symbol, it is sanctuary, meaning, and atmosphere (hermeneutics). Together, it is both at once—an ordered structure that is also a vessel of meaning.
How We Read Baha’u’llah
To understand Baha’u’llah’s metaphysics, we must read with the soul as well as the mind. Baha’u’llah’s use of Sufi terms, such as those cited above, is not a sign that he confirms them. Instead, he used familiar language strategically, to hide the fact that he is expressing bold spiritual insights. Behind these terms lies a daring vision: metaphysics is a choreography of thresholds, where every word becomes a doorway and every world a way of seeing.
Though these issues may be complex, Baha’u’llah’s poetic language helps the reader intuitively grasp these ideas. His images awaken something deep in the soul, guiding us through layers of meaning without technical jargon. Phrasing that might seem like stylistic ornament to the uninitiated reader is in fact a precise network of cues, and a key to deciphering Baha’u’llah’s metaphysical vision.
To explore more of Lepain’s Archeology of the Kingdom of God, see my Philosophy Room on Patreon, and especially the section summaries of chapter 1: Reading Worlds in Different Colors.
To read more about Lepain’s ideas on hermeneutics and our relationship with reality, see my blog post The Hermeneutics of Spirit: Baha’u’llah’s Symbolic Approach to Meaning.