Evangelical Narrative Criticism
Today I received an email from Logos promoting a pre-pub book on David and Goliath - https://www.logos.com/product/33502/rethinking-david-and-goliath?utm_source=blog.logos.com&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=rethinkingdavidandgoliath&utm_campaign=logos2013q3
I read the blog and am interested in the book but I'd like to know if any Logos users are familiar with the field of "evangelical narrative criticism" as this is what this book is promoting. I did a Google search on this but didn't find much.
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I've never heard of a field called "evangelical narrative criticism" though it probably just means "narrative criticism" (aka "narrative theology") from an evangelical perspective. The field of narrative criticism is well known. I have a reading list on narrative theology on Amazon.com. Some of those books are by evangelicals and others aren't. Logos could stand to fill out its selection of such books. Here's my list of the books I hope Logos gets at some point.
If you have the journal Bibliotheca Sacra in your Logos Library, you could check out this article (link opens to that location):
Hays, J. Daniel. "An Evangelical Approach to Old Testament Narrative Criticism." Bibliotheca Sacra 166 (2009).
There's also a good section on Narrative Criticism in Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by William W. Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004). It comes from an evangelical perspective, and this quote from p. 70 is key: "Moreover, narrative criticism’s focus on the final form of the text, taken as a unity, and with an intentional analysis of how narratives work, all comport well with evangelical theology for theology as well as method. After all, it is the final literary form of any biblical book we believe to be inspired and therefore authoritative." (italics in the original)
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Rosie Perera said:
I've never heard of a field called "evangelical narrative criticism" though it probably just means "narrative criticism" (aka "narrative theology") from an evangelical perspective.
I know narrative theology but just had not heard of an official field of study called "evangelical narrative criticism". Thanks for the links.
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Bruce Dunning said:
I know narrative theology but just had not heard of an official field of study called "evangelical narrative criticism".
It is a mistaken view of some "Academics" that "Evangelicals" have no critical study skills. They think the term "evangelical critical narrative" is about as effective a descriptive term as "dry rain." Proverbs 25:14
Logos 7 Collectors Edition
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Super.Tramp said:Bruce Dunning said:
I know narrative theology but just had not heard of an official field of study called "evangelical narrative criticism".
It is a mistaken view of some "Academics" that "Evangelicals" have no critical study skills. They think the term "evangelical critical narrative" is about as effective a descriptive term as "dry rain." Proverbs 25:14
It's not that that isn't a descriptive term, but I've never heard of a distinct field called "evangelical narrative criticism." The phrase in itself isn't weird; as a stand-along phrase, it would mean narrative criticism as written about from an evangelical perspective, which of course it can be. But the product description Bruce pointed to includes the quote, "surveys the field of evangelical narrative criticism" and then goes on to say "Learn what evangelical narrative criticism is all about and see it in practice. Understand the viewpoints of the leaders in evangelical narrative criticism." As if there's a separate field by that name. Which there isn't. Having a "field" of exclusively evangelical narrative criticism would be so odd; it would leave out necessary voices from other perspectives. It's about as weird as having a department of "liberal pastoral theology" at a seminary (a liberal seminary that has a pastoral theology department wouldn't attach the word "liberal" to it, it would be assumed), or having a section in the Library of Congress numbering scheme for "conservative historical criticism." Sure, there are people doing narrative criticism who are evangelicals, and it makes total sense to have a book that surveys only their perspective on it. But it isn't like they are leaders in a field that is owned only by them. The field of narrative criticism exists and encompasses others as well as evangelicals.
So the wording in the product description is just odd, that's all. I don't think anyone is trying to imply that evangelicals don't do critical scholarship.
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Super.Tramp said:Bruce Dunning said:
I know narrative theology but just had not heard of an official field of study called "evangelical narrative criticism".
It is a mistaken view of some "Academics" that "Evangelicals" have no critical study skills. They think the term "evangelical critical narrative" is about as effective a descriptive term as "dry rain." Proverbs 25:14
I really don't like the ESV (but since it is so popular, I leave it for my reftagger pop-ups so I can know what others are seeing when I make verse references). I knew the ESV was off-base on Prov. 25:14 when I looked at it. It says "Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give." The NASB says: "Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely", which is better but isn't exactly right either, but they are very good about giving notes for the literal Hebrew and Greek. The note for "boasts of his gifts falsely" lists the correct Hebrew of "boasts in a gift of falsehood".
Thanks, NASB! [:)]
Reading the ESV, you would never know that this was a reference to the Anti-Messiah. The problem isn't that he doesn't give gifts, it's that the gift he gives is a lie. It is quite popular, though.
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Peace, David! Hopefully this little quote from NICOT is helpful (Waltke!)
14 The complementary proverb pairs the faithful envoy with the unfaithful boaster. Its emblematic parallels a man who makes himself glorious through a promised gift to clouds and rain and the gift he promised but does not give to “there is no rain.” As in its three other uses, clouds (II neśîʾîm, cf. Jer. 10:13 [= 51:16]; Ps. 135:7) is a metonymy for thunder and lightning. And combines that with wind (see 15:4) into one complex thought. The expected climatic third of the meterological trio, and rain (gesem),110 is instead climatically excluded by no (lit., “there is not”). “Most of the rains are from cyclonic storms traveling the length of the Mediterranean from the Atlantic; when the moist air moves over the land, it is forced to rise rapidly, producing heavy thunderstorms.”111A man (ʾis, see p. I:89) designates an unspecified individual who boasts (or praises himself, see 20:14) of a gift to bring glory to himself in the eyes of others.112He does not give glosses saqer, which signifies the gift is in some way fraudulent (see 6:17). He boasts about the gift but intentionally distorts the factual reality to deceive another. The metaphor suggests that the boaster has loudly and with great fan-fare promised his gift exciting great expectations and then sunk them in disappointment. It also connotes that the gift was essential for the wellbeing of the deceived. “No rain, no life. It was just that simple in OT times in the Promised Land.”113 Presumably the boaster deceived his victim to get something of value out of him. Instead of giving life, he takes it (cf. 2 Pet 2:19; Jude 12).[1]
110 Perhaps gešem, a precise semantic equivalent of māṭār, was chosen for its assonance with gārem in v. 15?
111 Futato, NIDOTTE, 1.901, s.v. gesem.
112 IBHS, p. 164, p. 10.2.1c. The six occurrences of mattat designate a gift in general in contrast to nominal derivatives from nātan (e.g. ʿetnān “wages of a harlot” and mattānâ I “gifts for the sanctuary,” etc.)
113 Futato, NIDOTTE, 1.901, s.v. gešem.
[1] Waltke, B. K. (2005). The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 15–31 (pp. 323–324). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand..........
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Rosie Perera said:
There's also a good section on Narrative Criticism in Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by William W. Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004). It comes from an evangelical perspective, and this quote from p. 70 is key: "Moreover, narrative criticism’s focus on the final form of the text, taken as a unity, and with an intentional analysis of how narratives work, all comport well with evangelical theology for theology as well as method. After all, it is the final literary form of any biblical book we believe to be inspired and therefore authoritative." (italics in the original)
Yep, that was some good reading.
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I am finishing my dissertation on narrative criticism and the Gospel of John and I have adopted an evangelical perspective. Technically, there is no such thing as “evangelical narrative criticism” if that implies the existence of a separate discipline with a unique methodology. Narrative criticism from an evangelical perspective uses the same principles and basic methodology found in narrative criticism in general. What the evangelical perspective has at its core is the belief that the biblical text under analysis is the inspired and inerrant Word of God with all it implies. Evangelicals who practice narrative criticism are concerned with questions of authorial intent (and how it dictates the meaning of the text), dual authorship (Divine and human authorship of the Bible), upholding the historicity of biblical narratives (very important since narrative criticism has its origin in the study of fictional narrative and many in the field erroneously assume that narrative design and artistry means lack of historicity and distance from reality), and the goal of the biblical author which is to impart theological truth (as opposed to doing art for art’s sake).
As such, while it adopts the same general terminology and methodology, an evangelical approach to narrative criticism will emphasize the unique status of the Bible as the Word of God, authorial intent, historicity, and theological insights over against the postmodern tendencies of many of the practitioners in the field
A good article on the topic (found in Logos’ Theological Library) is Hays, J. Daniel. “An Evangelical Approach to Old Testament Narrative Criticism.” Bibliotheca Sacra 166 (2009): 3-18.
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Thank you Servant for your thoughtful and informed post. It was very helpful.
I wish you the best as you finish your dissertation. I'd be interested in reading it if that was ever possible. Perhaps one day it may be available in Logos. [;)]
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Milford Charles Murray said:
Peace, David! Hopefully this little quote from NICOT is helpful (Waltke!)
Milford, thanks. Yes, I think that quote is helpful; it sums things up pretty well, in my estimation...as far as it goes. The only thing I would tweak is the part where Waltke mentions the "great expectations" that devolve into "disappointment". I would say that the "great expectations" are still actively operative--de rigueur as they say--so the deep disappointment hasn't sunk in yet. But it is not far away.
"You take the red pill, and you see how deep the rabbit hole goes." As with Cypher, reality will be a major disappointment for the many. It's amazing how much that movie is able to overlap certain significant elements of prophecy, in specifics and in general tenor. One of the ships is even named "Caduceus". Still and all, however, it's just a movie. But the metaphor of the Matrix is about as good of a type of the strong delusion as you will ever find. It really is the "fabric" of what most consider their existence.
"Really good noodles."
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"The matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so helplessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
Jer. 2:25 Jer. 18:12
How's that for evangelical narrative criticism?
"You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? Ignorance is bliss!"
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"The Unbelievable Work...believe it or not." Little children...Biblical prophecy is not Christianity's friend.
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Josh said:Rosie Perera said:
There's also a good section on Narrative Criticism in Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by William W. Klein, Craig Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004). It comes from an evangelical perspective, and this quote from p. 70 is key: "Moreover, narrative criticism’s focus on the final form of the text, taken as a unity, and with an intentional analysis of how narratives work, all comport well with evangelical theology for theology as well as method. After all, it is the final literary form of any biblical book we believe to be inspired and therefore authoritative." (italics in the original)
Yep, that was some good reading.
Peace to all! *smile* Thanks, Rosie, for that book reference! I truly enjoyed reading quite a bit of it! Appreciated.
Thanks, Bruce, for this thread... It was good to do a bit of thinking ... *smile*
Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand..........
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