st Century An applied Hermeneutics of Resonance For the Lectionary Year B 2014 Fidon Mwombeki Trust Analogy A view from somewhere The hermeneutic contrary to some contemporary views supposes that an ancient text can still speak to a modern world ID: 339519
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Matthew for the 21st CenturySlide2
An applied Hermeneutics of ResonanceFor the Lectionary Year B, 2014Slide3
Fidon Mwombeki
TrustAnalogy“A view from somewhere”
The hermeneutic, contrary to some contemporary views, supposes that an ancient text can still speak to a modern world.Hermeneutics of ResonanceSlide4
Textual-canonicalTheological Ecclesial
Socio-culturalParticularly we focus on the move from socio-cultural resonance to theological and ecclesial
Hermeneutics of ResonanceSlide5
Our society disguises its values as “common sense”Sociologists call this a “hegemony”- an engineered consensus
The gospel calls us to examine the values on which our society is based.We look critically at the “common sense” hegemony.
The 21st Century ContextSlide6
Since Marx, “common sense” has been dominated by economics.This applies to both left and right.
Alisdair MacIntyre on the effects of utilitarianism:
the values that modernity imbibes are those of profit, power and status. These have become the goods of effectiveness replacing goods of excellence. (summary)
Common Sense Today 1Slide7
A market economyAn “economy of scarcity”The promotion of competition
The fear of loss.How does this shape our behaviour? As Individuals?
As a society?Common Sense Today 2Slide8
Who thinks this?David Hume:“If nature supplied abundantly all our wants and desires…the
jealousy of interest, which justice supposes, could no longer have a place”
Treatise of Human Nature, III.2Common Sense Today 3Slide9
Nicholas Rescher:
“An economy of scarcity is, by definition, one in which justice (in a restricted sense of the term) cannot be done because there is not enough to go around: if everyone is given a share proportional to his claims and desert then someone- or everyone- is pressed beneath the floor of the minimally acceptable level.”
Public Concerns: Philosophical Studies of Social Issues, 123Common Sense Today 4Slide10
An Honour/Shame Society Cultural anthropology and ancient rhetoric
but like ours one living in tension between goods of excellence and goods of effectiveness
Ancient Common SenseSlide11
1. Honour is the pivotal social value2. Seeking honour for the family was the primary task of males
3. Honour was limited in supply: to gain honour meant someone else lost it.
4. A loss of honour demanded retaliation of some form. The society was thus agonistic and competitive in nature.5. Status and honour were revealed in the ways in which participants were treated in social settings such as meals. Ancient Common SenseSlide12
Desirable attributes in a spouse include:Rank ( citizenship, social rank)
WealthCharacterLooks
HealthAre these goods of excellence or external goods? How might our values compare?Ancient Common SenseSlide13
The contexts align: limited good/scarcityInverting or rejecting “common sense”?
Putting a stress on goods of excellence through the rejection of goods of effectiveness
Matthew’s Jesus in ContextsSlide14
The Kingdom of God“The Bible gives us a perfectly consistent pattern. God has absolute sway in heaven. He should have absolute sway also on earth” (O’Neill 1993, 131)
This geographical or territorial aspect is echoed in the OT imagery used of the kingdom which is frequently described as a town or a city.
And we also need to note a rabbinic convention that the Kingdom stands for a “coming kingdom” which is taken on by the believe, meaning, “acknowledging the effective sovereignty of God, an acknowledgment made by someone living in the world, but expecting the coming of the kingdom” (O’Neill 1993, 133).With this background in mind, we can note a common schema in the NT:“(I) the Kingdom is like a delectable house or city or territory which people long to be able to enter when it comes; (II) people can talk about the kingdom; and (III) people can prepare to enter the Kingdom by taking its yoke upon themselves now.”(O’Neill 1993, 134)
Jesus’ “Goods of Excellence”Slide15
Dikaiosune- righteousnessNot based on huma
n conventions (how often are popular views of justice reflections of the
lex talionis)Righteousness to be based on God’s character and actionAvailable for everyoneBased on a paradigm of forgiveness and loveSee how this expands to include all: the inclusivist biblical tradition, but not universalism
Jesus’ “Goods of Excellence”Slide16
The gospel often stresses the difficulty of attaining goods of excellence.This can make M
atthew look very legalistic and depressing.An alternative view: the impossibility of DIY demands a different approach: reliance on God
Means of AcquisitionSlide17
Many readings are parables. Greek parabole
Hebrew mashal
The dynamic of the story may be more important than the details ( allegorical reading)Consider how parables are comments on the lfe and ministry of Jesus.ParablesSlide18
Suggestions for further Reading