the homiletical appropriation of biblical passages in the light of speech act theory

205 Pages·2014·3.68 MB·English

THE HOMILETICAL APPROPRIATION OF BIBLICAL PASSAGES IN
THE LIGHT OF SPEECH ACT THEORY: PREACHING AS A
PERFORMANCE OF THE BIBLICAL TEXT

BY

Duck-Hyun Kim

Dissertation presented for the degree of Ph. D. at Homiletics in Practical
Theology

Promoter: Prof. J.H CILLIERS
Co-promoter: Prof. B.AMüller

AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH
December 2014
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
DECLARATION
I, the undersigned, D H. KIM, hereby declare that the work contained in this
assignment is my own original work, and that I have not previously in its
entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree.

Signed:……………………………………….

Date:…………………………………………

Copyright © 2014 Stellenbosch University
All rights reserved.
i
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
ABSTRACT
This research has suggested an alternative homiletical appropriation of biblical passages by
utilizing the Speech Act Theory (SAT). In the light of SAT, the preached text is not to be
viewed simply as the basis of timeless principles, meanings, and ideas from Scripture or as
emphasizing a human experience in the modern world that serves as a re-narration of the text.
Rather, the performance of the movement from text to sermon in SAT has to be considered as
the performative action of the text itself. The essence of interpretation in preaching is
therefore to recognize the biblical illocutionary forces (BIF) in Scripture in order to perform
the perlocutionary homiletical response (PHR) in the preached text. This forms the centre of
the use of preaching as a performance of the biblical text in a broken world.

The study shows that the SAT is in accordance with the Reformed Confessions in their
emphasis on the living Triune God, still speaking through the Scripture in the present. The
Trinitarian archetype of the SAT stance is that the communicative agent is God (locution
level); the communicative action is by the Son (illocution level); and the communicative
result is from the Holy Spirit (perlocutionary level). According to this determinative view, the
Holy Spirit is the enabler of a revealed and continuous biblical illocutionary force in the text
being available on the perlocutionary level in the preached text. The Holy Spirit has
continually enabled the Christian community to understand and enact the Scripture in the
context of theological discernment and its practical responsibility in the modern world. The
movement from text to sermon in the SAT therefore not only relates to the treble movement
of the grammatical and literary structure within the text, the movement of a creative
hermeneutic, the movement of the performed interpretation of the community, or a
combination of all three. The three movements have to merge together in the movement of
the text to the sermon, and then to the worship service, before it gets to the congregation, in
ii
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
the movement towards a meeting with God in modern worlds. The homiletical triad of
identity, teleology and responsibility will offer practical guidelines for promoting human
dignity and generating theologically responsibility in the broken world. That is to say, the
homiletical appropriation of biblical passages generate in the SAT an unexpected ethical
reality through the totality of the triune God’s authoritative speech act in which the Holy
Spirit gives the energy to accomplish the alternative reality.

iii
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
OPSOMMING
Hierdie navorsing stel 'n alternatiewe homiletiese aanwending van Bybelse gedeeltes voor
deur gebruik te maak van die taalhandelingsteorie (SAT). In die lig van SAT, word die
verkondigde teks (preek) nie bloot as die basis van tydlose beginsels, betekenis en idees uit
die Skrif beskou, of as die klem op menslike ervaring van die moderne wêreld wat dien as 'n
hervertelling van die teks, benadernie. Die uitvoer van die beweging van teks na preek in
SATword eerder verstaan as die performatiewe aksie van die teks self. Die essensie van
interpretasie in prediking is dus die Bybelse illokusionêre kragte (BIF) in die Skrif wat die
perlokutionêre homiletiese reaksie (PHR) in die verkondigde teks tot uitvoering bring. Dit
vorm die middelpunt van die gebruik van die prediking as 'n uitvoering van die Bybelse teks
in 'n gebroke wêreld.

Die studie dui aan dat SAT in ooreenstemming is met die Gereformeerde Belydenisse in hul
klem op die lewende Drie-enige God, wat steeds in die teenswoordige tyd praat deur die Skrif.
Die Trinitariese argetipe van die SAT standpunt is dat die kommunikasie-agent God is
(spreekwyse vlak); die kommunikatiewe aksie deur die Seun is (illokusie vlak); en die
kommunikatiewe uiteindedeur die Heilige Gees bewerk word (perlokutionêre vlak). Volgens
hierdie perspektief, is die Heilige Gees die bemagtiger van 'n geopenbaarde en deurlopende
Bybelse illokusionêre krag in die teks,wat op die perlokusionêre vlak beskikbaar is, in die
verkondigde teks. Die Heilige Gees stel voortdurend die Christelike gemeenskap in staat om
die Skrif te verstaan en te implementeer in die konteks van teologiese onderskeiding en
praktiese verantwoordelikheid, ook in die moderne wêreld. Die beweging van die teks tot
preek in SAT hou dus nie slegs verband met die drievoudige beweging van die grammatikale
en literêre struktuur binne die teks, die beweging van 'n kreatiewe hermeneutiek en die
iv
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
beweging van die uitgevoerde interpretasie van die gemeenskap, of 'n kombinasie van al drie
nie. Die drie bewegings moet saamsmelt in die beweging van die teks na die preek, en dan na
die erediens, voordat dit die gemeentebereik, in die beweging na 'n ontmoeting met God in
die moderne wêreld. Die homiletiese drietal van identiteit, teleologie en verantwoordelikheid
bied praktiese riglyne vir die bevordering van menswaardigheid en die generering van
teologiese verantwoordelikheid in die gebroke wêreld. Die homiletiese aanwending van
Bybelse gedeeltes genereer in SAT 'n etiese werklikheid deurdeur die totaliteit van die Drie-
enige God se gesaghebbende gespreksdaad, waarin die Heilige Gees die energie gee om die
alternatiewe werklikheid te bereik, honoreer word.

v
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My overseas experience has come to an end. Personally, this has been a most memorable
journey. Starting from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Hong Kong my journey has
ended at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. I would firstly like to show my
deepest gratitude to Prof. Ted Zimmerman, Professor of the New Testament at the Lutheran
Theological Seminary in Hong Kong, for his guidance and insight in my M.Th research has
provided me in the hermeneutical sensibility of Scripture reading. The two years which I
spent in Hong Kong has served as the stepping stone to my studies in homiletics at
Stellenbosch University. I would also like to thank Prof. J.H Cilliers and co-promoter Prof.
B.A Müller for their supervision in my M.Th and Ph.D at Stellenbosch University. The able
guidance they have provided me from their wealth of experience and knowledge has been
most enriching.

I am most grateful and regard it a privilege to join my dissertation as part of the HOPE
project in promotion of human dignity at the Faculty of Theology in Stellenbosch University.
In the light of this event, the Faculty of Theology confirmed that a full scholarship has been
awarded for my Ph.D work. In addition, I have also been informed that the University of
Stellenbosch is pleased to grant me with the Exchange Award in provision for my
supplementary research at the Department of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina
in Charlotte 2014. The independent study with Prof. Dan, Boisvert on the department of
philosophy, he is an expert about the philosophy of linguistics in context of the ethic study.
My supplementary research under his guiding will be greatly helpful to develop chapter 3 and
4 in my Ph.D thesis. As well as Prof. Lisa Marie Rasmussen, she allowed me to join her
seminar course as the Philosophical Methods in the fall semester 2014. I personally believe
that both opportunity in UNCC will be most beneficial and will be especially helpful in the
vi
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
furthering of my scholarly experience.

I would also like to mention Prof. Ezra Sang-Beop Shim, the Vice President of the Chong
Shin Seminary and University in South Korea for helping me realizes the delight in theology
as well as its responsibilities and moreover he let me be.

I would also like to dedicate this dissertation to my family, mainly my mother, my mother in
law and father in law who has been praying for me night and day. I would also like to thank
my lovely wife and daughter, Ji Yung Park and Eun Su Kim for the countless ways they have
been assisting me. Words alone could not do full justice of the extent of their contribution and
value.

Above all, I must acknowledge that God is my Lord and has always been my Great Helper
throughout my journey. Soli Deo Gloria!

vii
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background and Motivation of the Thesis/ 1
1.2. Statement of the Problem/ 8
1.3. Aim of the Research/ 10
1.4. Hypothesis/ 10
1.5. Methodology/ 11
1.5.1. The Descriptive-Empirical Task/ 12
1.5.2. The Interpretive Task/ 12
1.5.3. The Normative Task/ 13
1.5.4. The Pragmatic Task/ 17
1.6. Structure of the Dissertation/ 20

CHAPTER 2
BRIEF SURVEY OF PERSPECTIVES ON THE READING AND PREACHING OF
SCRIPTURE

2.1. Introduction/ 23
2.2.1. Reading and Preaching Scripture with the Propositional Centred Approach/ 24
2.2.2. Purpose of Homiletical Movement in PCP/ 25
2.2.3. Rethinking the Reading and Preaching of Scripture in PCP/ 27

2.3.1. Reading and Preaching Scripture in the Narrative Centred Approach/ 28
2.3.2. Purpose of the Homiletical Movement in NCP/ 30
2.3.3. Rethinking the Reading and Preaching of Scripture in NCP/ 32

2.4.1. Alternative Reading and Preaching through the Linguistic Force Centred Preaching/ 36
2.4.1.1. Buttrick’s Goal of Reading and Preaching in the Context of the Performative Aspect
of Biblical Language/ 37
2.4.1.2. Purpose of the Homiletical Appropriation of the Text in Buttrick’s Homiletical
Movement/ 38
2.4.1.3. Buttrick’s Homiletical View in the Context of the Performative Aspect of Biblical
Language/ 40

2.4.2.1. Campbell’s Goal of Reading and Preaching Scripture in the Context of the
Performative Aspect of Biblical Language/ 41
2.4.2.2. Purpose of the Homiletical Appropriation of the Text in Campbell’s Homiletical
Movement/ 43
2.4.2.3. Campbell’s Homiletical View in the Context of the Performative Aspect of Biblical
viii
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Language/ 46

2.4.3.1. Long’s Goal of Reading and Preaching Scripture in the Context of the Performative
Aspect of Biblical Language/ 47
2.4.3.2. Purpose of the Homiletical Appropriation of the Text in Long’s Homiletical
Movement/ 49
2.4.3.3. Long’s Homiletical View in the Context of the Performative Aspect of Biblical
Language/ 51

2.5. Summary and Conclusion/54

CHAPTER 3
RECONCEPTUALIZING THE HOMILETICAL EXEGETIC METHOD BASED ON
“BIBLICAL ILLOCUTIONARY FORCES” (BIF) AND “PERLOCUTIONARY
HOMILETICAL RESPONSE” (PHR)

3.1. Introduction/ 60
3.2.1. J.L. Austin’s Preliminary Aspect of SAT/ 61
3.2.2. Austin’s Formulation of SAT - Locution (content), Illocution (function) and Perlocution
(response)/ 62
3.2.3. The Potential of Illocutionary Action as the Inherent Force in the Text/ 66

3.3.1. John Searle’s Theoretical Development of SAT/ 67
3.3.2. The Production of Meaning in SAT/ 71
3.3.3. Classifying Illocutionary Acts in terms of the Direction of Fit/ 73
3.3.4. The Reality of Institutional Fact/ 78

3.4.1. Donald Evans’ Interdisciplinary Link between SAT and Biblical Interpretation/ 80
3.4.2.Reconceptualization of Homiletical Exegesis in terms of Self-Involving Activity and its
Theological Reflection from Trinitarian Logic/ 83

3.5. Summary and Conclusion/ 88

CHAPTER 4
REVISITING THE REFORMED HOMILETICAL LEGACY IN THE LIGHT OF
SCRIPTURE AS GOD’S AUTHORITATIVE SPEECH ACT

4.1. Introduction/ 97

4.2.1. Revisiting “Christ’s teleological Preaching” according to SAT/ 99
4.2.2. Revisiting the Homiletical Approach to Narrative Plots in the Stories of Jesus
According to the “Messianic Illocutionary Force” (MIF)/ 103
4.2.3. Revisiting the Homiletical Contribution of Christology in the Modern World according
ix