Towards a theology of story : an experiment in contextual theology

Crowder, Roy B

Towards a theology of story : an experiment in contextual theology

Master Thesis

1987

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Religious Studies

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This study examines the role of story in the Christian proclamation. It focusses upon the dynamic of story which unites praxis and language in a single message. There are four stages of argument. The First Part examines the hermeneutic problem especially as discussed in the work of Gadamer, Palmer, Robinson, Funk and others writers on the so-called New Hermeneutic. Their views are set against the perspective of liberation and contextual theologies from Cone, Segundo, and Miguez Bonino amongst others. The impact of social praxis and context on communication and interpretation is examined. Its importance as a barrier to the translation of the whole dynamic of the gospel proclamation is stressed. Part Two examines Jesus parables and acted parables. The data comes from two sources: the dominant form-critical approach to parables as exemplified by Jeremias or Crossan, in which the situation behind the text is examined. Second is the recent sociological approach to the practice of Jesus taken by such scholars as Theissen or Echegaray. The approach to this data comes from an analysis of the "history of the transmission of the tradition", a concept developed by Pannenberg from the work of Rentdorf and Von Rad. It provides a series of categories through which the data is examined. The dynamic of story is shown in the unity of actions. Function and structure in the parabolic stories and The Third Part surveys the role of story as a category in contemporary theology. First, the approach of narrative theology is cosidered as in the work of Stroup, McClendon, McFague and others. Then the role of story in Third World theological reflection on liberation struggles is described. Examples are drawn mainly from Asia (China, Korea and the Philippines). The Latin American debate about such cultural forms is briefly reviewed. Lastly the role of story in some British contextual theology is discussed. The dynamic of story is discovered in the function and impact of stories in theological reflection in the struggle against oppressive situations. Part Four briefly notes the perspective of critical theorists, like Habermas, on hermeneutics. Finally an attempt is made to tell stories of theological reflection on domination as a practical exercise illustrating the theoretical themes of the study. The impetus for the study arises from two periods of practical experience. One of some ten years duration, was work in British inner city ministry and theological training, in a context where community groups were struggling against many manifestations of urban stress. The second period, of about half a year, was an exposure to the conditions of life in rural (communal lands) and urban (high density residential area) Zimbabwe, as a visitor to the Methodist Church. In both instances stories were a vital means of communication about the most important things.

Description

Bibliography: pages 261-275.

Keywords

Religious Studies

Storytelling (Christian theology)

Reference:

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Masters

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