John as Storyteller Narrative Criticism and the Fourth Gospel [Paperback]

A widely-acclaimed study which suggests a new, holistic approach to the gospel literature.Integrating literary and historical methodologies within a narrative criticism, this study reveals how the fourth evangelist uses all the tactics of a skilled storyteller to promote his distinctive Christology, and suggests thereby a new, holistic approach to gospel literature.Integrating literary and historical methodologies within a narrative criticism, this study reveals how the fourth evangelist uses all the tactics of a skilled storyteller to promote his distinctive Christology, and suggests thereby a new, holistic approach to gospel literature.In this widely acclaimed study of John's Gospel, Mark W.G. Stibbe shows how the fourth evangelist uses all the tactics of a skilled storyteller to promote his distinctive Christology. Literary and historical methodologies are integrated by the author in his narrative criticism, and a new, holistic approach to the gospel literature is suggested thereby.Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part I. The Method of Narrative Criticism and the Gospel of John: 1. The practical criticism of John's narrative; 2. Genre criticism of John's narrative; 3. The social function of John's narrative; 4. The narrative-historical approach to John's story; Part II. An Application of the Method of Narrative Criticism to John 1819: Introduction; 5. A practical criticism of John 1819; 6. A genre criticism of John 1819; 7. A sociological reading of John 1819; 8. A narrative-historical approach to John 1819; Conclusion; References; Index of names and subjects. Stibbe has...tackled an ambitious and important project, executing it with care, clarity, erudition, and in full awareness of the difficulties involved. By the questions that it both answers and stimulates, John as Storyteller usefully points up many of the problems that attend biblical hermenuetics generally, and Johannine interpretation in particular. Journal of the American Academy of RellsH