The Convergence of Discourse Analysis and Rhetorical Criticism in Luke 3-5

Among many recent methods within New Testament studies, two approaches, rhetorical criticism and discourse analysis, offer distinct interpretive methods. Both approaches are predicated on a close analysis of the Greek text, each one claiming to make a significant, even essential, contribution to elucidating the writer’s intended meaning. However, both approaches differ in orientation and may be perceived as offering differing interpretive outcomes, thereby encouraging the notion that they are theoretically and practically incongruent. Such a posture is assisted by the notion that these two approaches are exclusively focused upon isolated elements in communicative meaning, with discourse analysis grounded in text-linguistics, and rhetorical criticism directed toward persuasive intent through shared literary conventions. Few attempts have been made to appropriate select components of both methods to combine them for practical exegesis. Therefore, this project seeks to address these deficiencies by considering the extent to which discourse analysis and rhetorical criticism may converge in identifying textual meaning of select narratives of the New Testament. To assess the feasibility of such congruence, this project explores mutual relationships in a portion of New Testament Greek texts—a continuous passage in Luke’s Gospel. Chapter I investigates general approaches within each method and presents shared communicative features that may display congruence. Chapter II expands upon the relevance of systemic functional linguistics as an approach within discourse analysis while Chapter III provides specific details related to rhetorical criticism, involving classical rhetoric as found in Aelius Theon’s Progymnasmata. Chapters IV and V offers practical exegesis of twelve consecutive scenes within Luke’s Gospel to determine to what extent congruence of discourse analysis and rhetorical criticism may be possible. Finally, Chapter VI compares the results of this exegesis alongside three representative commentaries, elucidating potential and practical outcomes of this project for New Testament Gospel studies.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Nicholls, Timothy

• BL Crefydd

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:1513