spring break update
Spring Break always seems to arrive a little too late and fly by far too fast, leaving not much semester and a lot of work still to do.
My foremost project continues to be a thesis paper on the use of narrative in Deuteronomy. I've started writing it even though I'm not yet sure all the paths my arguments my travel down, because I've realized that I'm not the kind to perfectly outline my thoughts and then put them into prose. Somehow the paper writing process is the thing that frees me to think in new ways, in directions that I couldn't if I was still just reading and doing research. So the paper has begun.
The outline goes something like this so far:
Thesis: Our believing (i.e. acting, knowing) is shaped by our belonging (cf. Polanyi, PK)
A. Our Belonging = our worldview/tradition/fundamental assumptions imparted to us by our culture
B. Worldviews are narrative in structure/authoritative narratives shape our view of the world (cf. Wright, many others)
C. In Deut., Moses shapes the belonging and worldview of the people at least in part by use of the story of the Exodus. (this, as far as I can tell, is my original contribution)
1. By authoritatively telling it--i.e. give the authoritative version of the Exodus in summary statements
2. By setting the story of the Exodus as an authority:
A. to compel their ethical action
B. to compel their graditude
C. to shape their identity
3. By setting up ritual recitation and enactment of the story (Deut 6 & 26)
D. Conclusions for the church's use of its own narrative of deliverance?
My foremost project continues to be a thesis paper on the use of narrative in Deuteronomy. I've started writing it even though I'm not yet sure all the paths my arguments my travel down, because I've realized that I'm not the kind to perfectly outline my thoughts and then put them into prose. Somehow the paper writing process is the thing that frees me to think in new ways, in directions that I couldn't if I was still just reading and doing research. So the paper has begun.
The outline goes something like this so far:
Thesis: Our believing (i.e. acting, knowing) is shaped by our belonging (cf. Polanyi, PK)
A. Our Belonging = our worldview/tradition/fundamental assumptions imparted to us by our culture
B. Worldviews are narrative in structure/authoritative narratives shape our view of the world (cf. Wright, many others)
C. In Deut., Moses shapes the belonging and worldview of the people at least in part by use of the story of the Exodus. (this, as far as I can tell, is my original contribution)
1. By authoritatively telling it--i.e. give the authoritative version of the Exodus in summary statements
2. By setting the story of the Exodus as an authority:
A. to compel their ethical action
B. to compel their graditude
C. to shape their identity
3. By setting up ritual recitation and enactment of the story (Deut 6 & 26)
D. Conclusions for the church's use of its own narrative of deliverance?
