Faith Seeking Creative Understanding: From Propositional To Aesthetic and Dramatic Preaching

269 Pages·2013·1.46 MB·English

FAITH SEEKING CREATIVE UNDERSTANDING:
FROM PROPOSITIONAL
TO AESTHETIC AND DRAMATIC PREACHING
by
Yohwan Heo
A thesis submitted to
the Faculty of Emmanuel College
and the Department of Pastoral Theology of the Toronto School of Theology
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Theology
Awarded by Emmanuel College and the University of Toronto

© Copyright by Yohwan Heo 2013
Faith Seeking Creative Understanding:
From Propositional to Aesthetic and Dramatic Preaching
Yohwan Heo
Doctor of Theology
Emmanuel College and the University of Toronto
2013

Abstract
The aim of this project is to investigate how to do homiletics as a theological-aesthetic
task that is faithful to the Scripture, yet creative to the new situation. This project takes seriously
the seeming polarity of theology and aesthetics in preaching. Some homiletic theories seem to
polarize theological dependence on God and aesthetics (rhetoric) for communication. The goal
here is to combine theology and aesthetics (rhetoric) without denying the power of God on the
one hand, and without ignoring human persuasiveness on the other. That is, how might one fully
affirm a dependence on God in preaching and yet call for the full use of all human aesthetic
resources? That is the question to be studied. In this sense, the project seeks to illumine the
dramatic nature of preaching as a means of faith seeking creative understanding. Put another
way, dramatic theory links between theology and aesthetics. Theological aesthetics, which is on
behalf of God, might be developed as theological drama.
The thesis assumes that the gospel is foremost understood as divine speech and action
revealed through the Scripture as well as living and creative communication between God and
people. Likewise, the ministry of preaching is a faithful and creative performance based on the
Scripture for humanity’s participation in the drama of God. Moving from a study of metaphor to
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the studies about John’s Gospel and the New Homiletic, and employing the theologies of Horace
Bushnell and Kevin Vanhoozer, this project argues that preaching as a theological-aesthetic task
is intrinsically dramatic. It is a means of formation of faith that seeks creative understanding.
That is, dramatic preaching regards Scripture as the divine Script and responds to our new
situation by combining the best of the New Homiletic.
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Acknowledgments

Many people have influenced the direction and creation of this dissertation. Without the
continued support and guidance, this dissertation could not have been written. I would like to
acknowledge my director, Dr. Paul Scott Wilson. His guidance and encouragement were
invaluable. It is doubtful that I would have completed this project without his generous
dedication to my work, and I have benefited tremendously from his depth as a theologian, his
expertise as an adviser and editor, and his fidelity to the gospel. Thank you for always being a
mentor throughout my graduate training. I greatly admire you and respect your dedication to
helping others; your willingness to assist me in accomplishing my goals is deeply appreciated.
I would also like to acknowledge my committee members and teachers, Dr. Dorcas
Gordon of Knox College, Dr. William Kervin of Emmanuel College, Dr. Rebekah Smick of ICS,
and Dr. David Schnasa Jacobsen of Boston University. Their support and feedback enabled me
to get through the doctoral process. Thank you for always being so approachable and for your
excellent guidance.
I also want to acknowledge my love to the parishioners of the three congregations I have
served, Suncheon Presbyterian Church in Suncheon, Korea; Hansomang Presbyterian Church in
Goyang, Korea; and Milal Presbyterian Church in Toronto, ON. They have listened to me preach,
taught me what it means to be a preacher, and supported me in prayer and financial assistance.
Finally, this dissertation would not have been possible without the love and
encouragement of my family. This humble thesis is, therefore, offered with thanksgiving to God
for my children, Naeun (Betty) and Jeongjun (Jun), and it is dedicated to my beloved wife and
friend, Seunghye (Joy) Lee. She has been a constant source of inspiration, help, and strength. Her
love and her patience have been unfailing. No one believed more, hoped more, and endured more
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than YOU. “Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city
gates.” (Proverbs 31:31, NRSV)
Thanks be to God for His indescribable grace and love!
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Table of Contents

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iv
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... vi

INTRODUCTION
1. Problem ................................................................................................................................. 1
2. The Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 2
3. Thesis Statement .................................................................................................................... 3
4. Methodology and Chapter Outline ......................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER ONE: AESTHETIC CONCERN AND METAPHOR
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 9
I. Aesthetic Concern in Philosophy and Theology ....................................................................... 11
1. Aesthetic Concern in philosophy ......................................................................................... 11
2. Aesthetic Turn in Theology ................................................................................................. 15
3. Rhetoric and Theology in Preaching .................................................................................... 18
II. A History of Thought on Metaphor .......................................................................................... 21
1. A Short History of Thought on Metaphor ............................................................................ 21
2. Metaphor and Metonymy ..................................................................................................... 27
3. Paul Ricoeur’s Critique on Roman Jacobsen ....................................................................... 29
III. Metaphor and Projection of Worlds ........................................................................................ 32
1. Aesthetics in Tensive Metaphor ........................................................................................... 32
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2. Metaphor and Projection of Worlds ..................................................................................... 34
3. Metaphor and Imagination: How Image and Story become Extended Metaphor ................ 40
IV. Summary ................................................................................................................................. 44

CHAPTER TWO: JOHN’S GOSPEL – THE UNFOLDING DRAMA: AN
EXPLORATION OF THE SITUATION OF JOHN’S COMMUNITY AND HOW
JOHN GIVES DIRECTION
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 47
I. The Exploration of Johannine Community ............................................................................... 48
1. The Possibility of Finding a Specific Community behind the Gospel Texts ....................... 48
2. Judaism in the Gospel of John ............................................................................................. 51
3. Assumption of the Fourth Gospel as a Two-Level Drama .................................................. 54
4. The Characteristics of Johannine Community ..................................................................... 62
II. The Imagery in the Gospel of John .......................................................................................... 65
1. How John Gives Direction for the Sectarian Community in Conflict ................................. 65
2. The Christological Meaning of the Images .......................................................................... 68
3. Ecclesiology ......................................................................................................................... 70
III. A Case Study: Christological and Ecclesial Image in the Prologue ....................................... 72
1. The Structure ........................................................................................................................ 72
2. The Word and Wisdom ........................................................................................................ 76
3. Dwelling Place of the Word ................................................................................................. 77
4. Temple Imagery in the Prologue .......................................................................................... 79
IV. Summary ................................................................................................................................. 81

CHAPTER THREE: HORACE BUSHNELL AND THE ROOTS OF
CONTEMPORARY AESTHETIC THEOLOGY
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 83
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I. The Language Theory of Bushnell ............................................................................................ 85
1. The Context .......................................................................................................................... 85
2. The Centrality of Language for Human Experience ............................................................ 88
II. Two Kinds of Theological Methods ......................................................................................... 95
1. The Rationalistic Method of Theology ................................................................................ 95
2. The Imaginative Theological Method .................................................................................. 98
3. Divine Life in Theologian and the Receptive Imaginative Hermeneutics ......................... 100
4. Comprehensiveness in Theology ....................................................................................... 104
5. Comprehensive Understanding on the Work of Christ ...................................................... 106
6. Homiletic Appropriation of Bushnell’s Theology ............................................................. 108
III. Bushnell’s Legacy and Interpretation Theory ....................................................................... 110
1. The Biblical Theology Movement ..................................................................................... 112
2. Contemporary Aesthetic Theologies .................................................................................. 115
3. The Necessity of Dramatic Method ................................................................................... 118
4. Bushnell and Dramatic Theology for Today ...................................................................... 120
IV. Summary ............................................................................................................................... 126

CHAPTER FOUR: THE NEW HOMILETIC - IDEAS OF IMAGE, METAPHOR, AND
IMAGINATION
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 129
I. The Development of the New Homiletic ................................................................................. 130
1. Organic Form: H. Grady Davis – Design for Preaching .................................................... 130
2. Eventfulness of Language: New Hermeneutic and Word of God as Event ....................... 139
3. How Jesus Preached: Parable and Narrative Studies ......................................................... 145
II. The New Homiletic and Loss of Theology: Event as Experience ......................................... 158
1. The Turn to the Listener: Naming God and Human Experience ....................................... 160
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2. The Need to Recover God .................................................................................................. 166
III. Summary ............................................................................................................................... 170

CHAPTER FIVE: FAITH SEEKING CREATIVE UNDERSTANDING – KEVIN
VANHOOZER
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 172
I. Theology as Divine Communicative Action ........................................................................... 175
1. The Return of the Author: Speech Act Theory .................................................................. 175
2. Special Hermeneutics vs. General Hermeneutics .............................................................. 178
3. The Gospel as Divine Speech and Action .......................................................................... 181
II. Christian Life as Faithful and Creative Performance ............................................................. 192
1. Theology as an Exegetical Scientia: the Form of Christ and the Literary Genres of the
Bible ................................................................................................................................ 193
2. Theology as Practical Wisdom: Improvisation and Creative Understanding .................... 196
III. Summary ............................................................................................................................... 207

CHAPTER SIX: DRAMATIC PREACHING – COMBINING BEST OF THE NEW
HOMILETIC WITH ORGANIC FORM, MOVEMENT, AND GOD
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 209
I. Dramatic Preaching as a Faithful and Creative Performance .................................................. 210
1. Formation of Christian Identity for Participation............................................................... 211
2. Faithfulness to the Scripture ............................................................................................... 215
3. Creativity and Contemporary Listeners ............................................................................. 218
II. The Practice of Dramatic Preaching ....................................................................................... 221
1. Theological Genres: Teaching and Proclamation .............................................................. 221
2. Theological Structure as Plot: Trouble and Grace ............................................................. 225
III. A Sermon Example & Pedagogical Suggestion .................................................................... 231
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1. A Sermon Evaluation ......................................................................................................... 231
2. Teaching Preaching as a Christian Practice ....................................................................... 234
IV. Summary ............................................................................................................................... 241
CONCLUDING REFLECTION ............................................................................................. 243
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 245

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