Browsing by Author "Wanamaker, Charles A"
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- ItemOpen AccessAn investigation into the construction(s) and representation(s) of masculinity(ies) and femininity(ies) in 1 Corinthians(2015) Jodamus, Johnathan; Wanamaker, Charles AWith the use of SRI as an interpretive analytics combined with a gender-critical hermeneutical optic I have traced out some of the ways in which gender is constituted and performed in the discourse of 1 Corinthians. I demonstrate that normative and normalising engendering is operative in the text and that the discourse replicates hegemonic gendered structurings and machinations from the broader social and cultural environment of that milieu. As a result Christian bodies are scripted to perform according to the dominant cultural protocols and engendering praxes. Because Paul is structured by and functions within the larger discourses of the ancient Mediterranean sex and gender system(s), one cannot comprehend the gendered rhetoric of 1 Corinthians without recourse to its interconnections with ancient gender discourses in general. Furthermore, when Paul is engaged in persuasion through the discourse of 1 Corinthians, gender construction(s) and representation(s), because of the nature of gender in the ancient world, is precisely what is at stake. It seems evident that the discourse of 1 Corinthians tendentiously served to maintain and sustain hierarchical gendered relationships between men and women in the church at Corinth that mimicked the normative, androcentric, and kyriarchal power relations from the dominant Graeco-Roman culture. These power dynamics continue to have an effect on many churches today because they understand Scripture to be regulative for Christian practice in our contemporary society in spite of the temporal and cultural separation of our world from that of the world of the New Testament. As a result contemporary churches reproduce gendered power relations that have been established in habitus which in turn enables replicated gendered structurings in society. In this regard the rhetoric of 1 Corinthians may be viewed as a text that functions as discourse in the making and sustaining of gendered and ideological normativities that continue to structure gendered bodies and bodiliness. It should be kept in mind that the structuredness of habitus came into being as the product of reiteration and sedimenting, and its dismantling similarly will come about as a result of reiteration.
- ItemOpen AccessMark as drama : a prolegomenon to reading the Gospel of Mark as an Aristotelian tragedy(2010) England, Frank Ernest; Wanamaker, Charles ARecently, a number of scholars (Bilezikian, 1977; Hooker, 1991; Botha, 1993; Shiner, 2003; Dewey, 2004; Fast, 2005; Byrskog, 2006; Holland, 2007) have alluded to, or highlighted, the dramatic nature of, and the performative possibilities in, the Gospel of Mark. Their comments and explorations are appropriated as the basis for engaging in a theoretical work that seeks to establish both why and how the Gospel of Mark may be read as a dramatic text, and, consequently, to suggest a manner in which to dramatize this account of the Gospel of Mark. The task is undertaken with Michel Foucault and Aristotle as the guides, and, significantly, with Foucault as the interpretive guide to the processes of forming Aristotle's treatise on drama. It endeavours, first, to emphasise the physically inscriptive power of texts (why the Gospel of Mark may be performative); second, to demonstrate the diverse and complex processes which form the specific discourse of the Poetics by Aristotle, and to foreground some of its central interpretive protocols (how the Gospel of Mark may be read as a drama); and, finally, informed by the body-power of texts and employing certain of the Aristotelian protocols, to venture an approach to the Gospel of Mark as an Aristotelian tragedy, and one that may possess a contemporary relevance.
- ItemRestrictedMetaphor and morality: Examples of Paul's moral thinking in 1 Corinthians 1-5(2005) Wanamaker, Charles ADuring the last thirty years or so the cognitive sciences have achieved extraordinary results in understanding how our human minds think, reason, and create meaning, as well as how we communicate the results of our thinking, reasoning, and meaning making through language. One of the places where cognitive psychology and cognitive linguistics come together is in metaphorical thinking and the pervasive use of metaphors in everyday human language. In this paper I present an introductory exploration of Paul's metaphorical thinking in his moral reasoning by examining some of the moral metaphors in 1 Corinthians 1-5. I begin by introducing the cognitive understanding of metaphorical reasoning and its relationship to the profoundly metaphorical character of moral reasoning as discussed in various writing, both individually and collectively, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. I then turn to 1 Corinthians 1-5 to demonstrate that metaphors play a crucial role in Paul's moral reasoning. I conclude that the understanding of metaphor by contemporary cognitive sciences offers a valuable, in fact, indispensable tool for examining Paul's moral concepts, moral thinking, and moral reasoning.
- ItemOpen AccessPursuing Vernon Robbin's methodology on the Jericho Road : a socio-rhetorical analysis of Luke 10:25-37(1999) Kalongo, Teddy; Wanamaker, Charles AThis study analyses the nature and basis of Vernon Robbins' socio-rhetorical criticism and its applicability to Luke 10:25-37. The main purpose of the study is to highlight the usefulness of socio-rhetorical criticism to parabolic interpretation through an assessment of its implications for the analysis of Luke 10:25-37. A comprehensive study of Robbins' approach and its applicability to the parable of the Good Samaritan (10:25-37) is conducted in three parts, in an attempt to derive a more precise understanding of the nature of the approach, and the manner in which Robbins grounds his thought in this interpretative process. Part I elucidates the theoretical basis of the study and its assumptions. Also included is a discussion of previous major trends in parabolic interpretation. This survey is important because it is not possible to commence a study of a parabolic text without presenting a brief chronological orientation of methodological approaches employed by scholars over the years. This section concludes with a consideration of Robbins' socio-rhetorical criticism as a significant innovation by moving boundaries and calling for dialogue among diverse disciplines. Part II gives a demonstration of socio-rhetorical criticism as it explores Luke 10:25- 37. Using tools of analysis from different disciplines as suggested in socio-rhetorical criticism, this study attempts to detect and emphasise a relationship between various approaches that have been applied to the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25- 37) in an interdisciplinary manner. In the first section, attention is drawn to the relationship of various segments of Luke 10:25-37 to other texts, culture and history. It has been concluded that Luke set out to write his own version of a story which is not found elsewhere in the Synoptic Gospels, though a possible relationship exists between Luke 10:25-28 and Mark 12:28-34 (parallel Matthew 22:34-40) and parts of the Old Testament. In the second section, the language in Luke 10:25-37 is described covering the frequency of items, characterisation and voices, structure of the passage, and argumentation. The language employed contrasts the care of the needy and oppressed shown by the Samaritan with the negligence of the leaders of Israel. In the third section, the question of ideology as portrayed in Luke 10:25-37 is discussed in order to understand the political forces, personalities and institutions that shaped the lives and common destiny of the people in the first-century. In the fourth section, Luke 10:25-37 is analysed in the light of eastern Mediterranean cultural values by highlighting the concept of 'hospitality' which is closely related to the social value of 'honour-shame.' It is argued that Luke underscores the honourable position of Jesus as against that of the lawyer and the Temple hierarchy who are depicted as people who possessed great honour but lacked compassion. In the fifth and final section, the concept of the sacred in Luke 10:25-37 is discussed in order to explain the manner in which readers employ texts to convey the relationship between the sacred and the human. Thus, by exploring different methods of reading Luke 10:25-37, this study is concerned with the challenge of developing an integrated, relevant approach towards the understanding of Gospel texts in general and parables in particular. Part III covers the evaluation of the approach and the conclusions that can be drawn. The issues discussed in the evaluation include a critique of socio-rhetorical analysis in the context of its application to Luke 10:25-37, showing its strengths and weaknesses. On the basis of these findings, it has been concluded that, while some weaknesses may be detected in the approach, on the whole the useful insights it provides may be of great value in the understanding of Gospels in general and parables in particular. A final chapter draws some of the themes together from the three parts in formulating a conclusion.
- ItemOpen AccessReimagining the birth of the Messiah and his forerunner in Luke's gospel: a sociorhetorical interpretation(2019) Smit, David C; Wanamaker, Charles AThis thesis investigates Luke’s portrayal of the subordination of John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, to Jesus the Messiah in Luke 1–2. A detailed analysis of the opening-middleclosing textures of the Lukan text brings to the fore a clear structural juxtaposing and interweaving of the birth and infancy narratives of John and Jesus. The exercise provides the organising framework for the thesis. An in-depth sociorhetorical interpretation of these texts is then undertaken. The rhetography and rhetology of the infancy narrative of John are first explored in detail, beginning with the annunciation to Zechariah in 1:5–25, continuing with the account of his birth in 1:57–66, and closing with Zechariah’s resultant doxology in 1:67–80. A similar analysis is then undertaken of the infancy narrative of Jesus, beginning with the annunciation to Mary in Luke 1:26–38, continuing with the account of his birth and the angelic doxology and shepherds’ tribute in 2:1–21, and closing with his presentation at the temple in 2:22–40. This closing text portion is identified as the closing texture of Luke’s juxtaposing and weaving together of the two birth and infancy narratives. The process incorporates an analysis of the ideological texture, which emerges in Luke’s development of these two narratives. The ideological texture manifests primarily in the emergence of an asymmetrical honour-power relationship between John and Jesus. A range of rhetorical strategies are identified as used by Luke to enhance the ideological texture, which in turn emphasises the surpassing honour and power of Jesus over and against that of John, his forerunner. My thesis makes a contribution to Lukan research by clarifying Luke’s emergent ideological texture in the rhetoric of his two birth and infancy narratives. The use of the sociorhetorical interpretive analytic provides a thick description of the rhetoric of these two narratives, while engaging in conversation with cultural and scribal intertexture from the Jewish Scriptures and Second Temple Judaism. The dialogical nature of sociorhetorical interpretation enables a multidimensional interpretation of the texts.
- ItemOpen AccessThe rhetoric of Abraham's faith in Romans 4(2016) Tan, Andrew Kim Seng; Wanamaker, Charles AThe situation in the Letter to the Romans is one of dissension between Judean and gentile Christians. This dissension is deep seated because it occurs along the fault lines of Judean ethnic identity. Here, Judean Christians define their ethnic identity in terms of possessing the Mosaic law. Two factors aggravate this dissension. First, ethnic identity resists changes. Second, the audience is situated within the Mediterranean agonistic culture where honour is the most sought after limited good. This moves Judean Christians to use the Mosaic law to gain honour from gentile Christians. From a Judean emic perspective, the Mosaic law gains them righteousness. This righteousness is not only a social marker. More importantly, it is a socio-ethical construct that seeks to gain them honour in the eyes of the significant other, God. Consequently, gentile Christians are considered as inferior by Judean Christians. To alleviate this dissension, Paul uses the rhetoric of Abraham's trust (faith) that takes a two-pronged approach. He first undermines the Mosaic law as a means for Abraham to attain a worldwide fatherhood that makes Judeans Abraham's descendants. Paul next explains how trust in God gains Abraham a worldwide fatherhood so that both Judean and gentile Christians can become descendants of Abraham. In this way, Judean Christians' boast toward gentile Christians, and hence, dissension between these two groups are removed.
- ItemOpen AccessA socio-literary model for the socio-political interpretation of the seven prophetic messages in the Apocalypse of St. John : an exercise in theology done from the periphery(1994) Davids, Steven Emlyn; Wanamaker, Charles AThis study is done from the periphery and designs a socio-literary model for the socio-political interpretation of the seven prophetic messages in the Apocalypse of St. John. The main function of the model is to highlight the author of Revelation's socio-political position in relation to the groups in society and the church, as well as John's socio-political aims. The secondary functions are to accentuate the groups involved within Revelation's context, their social characteristics, as well as their socio-political position in relation to one another and John's position towards them. The model attempts to show how John involves religion in the political arena as a means to influence his readers' construction of social reality. It further aims to contribute in our search into the socio-historical context and social function of Revelation. The design of the model is an endeavor to participate in the methodological debate regarding future research on Revelation. The model designed is the product of a synthesis of various socio-literary models. This study's contribution to the synthesis model is four fold. Firstly, the synthesis model is made applicable to the Apocalypse of John. Secondly, it adds to the synthesis model a primary rhetorical dimension and argues that Revelation is a piece of primary rhetoric. In primary rhetoric the rhetoric determines the literary techniques and constructions employed by the author of a text. On the basis of the work done by Collins (1979:104), this model attempts to specify the literary function of Revelation in more detail than was done before. Thirdly, this model builds on the work of Carney (1975:xvii,309)) and Elliott (1986:18f), and emphasizes the advantages of using the broadest possible socio-historical background. Fourthly, it strives to provide a scientific paradigm for studying the text from the perspective of the oppressed.
- ItemOpen AccessWho is the "God of this age" in 2 Corinthians 4:4?(2015) Poobalan, Ivor Gerard; Wanamaker, Charles AThe Pauline phrase, … "the god of this age", that occurs in 2 Cor 4:4 is unique in that it is not found in Greek literature preceding the writings of Paul. The majority of English versions of the Bible render the noun … using the lower case 'g' ("god"), but some are explicit, translating as "devil" and "Satan". Most modern commentaries on 2 Corinthians explain that the phrase is a clear reference to Satan, and argue that Paul's conceptualization of the devil and his views of "this age" grew out of categories used in Second Temple Judaism, especially apocalyptic literature. They also assert that the act of blinding people from seeing the light of the gospel can only be attributed to the enemy of God. This thesis is based on a socio-rhetorical interpretation of 2 Cor 4:1-6 and concludes that the phrase … refers to the supreme God of Judeo-Christian thought, in keeping with the referential value of … as frequently used in the Pauline corpus. It maintains that in this context Paul is responding to the peculiar problem of Jewish unbelief , and that he argues that in the same way that the "minds" of unbelieving Jews had been divinely "hardened" to the old covenant (3:14), so their "minds" had now been "blinded" to the gospel by the God of this age (4:4). The thesis is supported by a survey of the history of interpretation of 2 Cor 4:4, which shows that the modern preferred interpretation is relatively recent, predominating only over the past six centuries. Prior to the period of the Renaissance, most expositors of Paul preferred to interpret this phrase as a reference to God. The thesis is also based on a reconstruction of Paul's conceptualization of Satan in the light of Jewish speculations on evil, and furthermore undertakes a critical enquiry on the extent to which Paul was dependent on Jewish apocalypticism when he formulated the epithet "the God of this age"