What Is Narrative Criticism?

by Mark Allan Powell

Overview

The first nontechnical description of the principles and procedures of narrative criticism. Written for students' and pastors' use in their own exegesis.

With great clarity Powell outlines the principles and procedures that narrative critics follow in exegesis of gospel texts and explains concepts such as "point of view," "narration," "irony," and "symbolism." Chapters are devoted to each of the three principal elements of narrative: events, characters, and settings; and case studies are provided to illustrate how the method is applied in each instance. The book concludes with an honest appraisal of the contribution that narrative criticism makes, a consideration of objections that have been raised against the use of this method, and a discussion of the hermeneutical implications this method raises for the church.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781451413724
Publisher:	Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date:	01/28/1991
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	341 KB

About the Author

Mark Allan Powell taught New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary for 32 years. He is author of 40 books on the Bible and editor of the Harper-Collins Bible Dictionary.

Table of Contents

Editor's Foreword

Acknowledgments

1. Scripture as Story

The Bible and Literary Criticism

Literary Criticism and Historical Criticism

2. Ways of Reading

Structuralism

Rhetorical Criticism

Reader-Response Criticism

Narrative Criticism

3. Story and Discourse

Point of View

Narration

Symbolism and Irony

Narrative Patterns

4. Events

A Narrative Understanding of Events

Case Study: The Plot of Matthew

5. Characters

A Narrative Understanding of Characters

Case Study: The Religious Leaders in the Synoptic Gospels

6. Settings

A Narrative Understanding of Settings

Case Study: Settings in the Gospel of Mark

7. Story as Scripture

The Benefits of Narrative Criticism

Objections to Narrative Criticism

An Expanded Hermeneutic

Appendix: Using Narrative Criticism in Exegesis

Abbreviations

Notes

For Further Reading

Part 1: Secular Literary Theory

Part 2: Literary Criticism and Biblical Narrative