The Doctrine of Humankind
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 63, No. 2 – Spring 2021
Editor: David S. Dockery
By Jeannine K. Brown. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2020, xiv+210pp., $21.99
If probing the world of biblical studies were like visiting a museum with an entire gallery devoted to the Gospels, having Jeannine K. Brown as your docent would be make all the difference, moving you from interest and appreciation to a paradigm shift in your perspective. As both a seasoned professor of NT—having taught at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, for two decades—and an accomplished author, Brown’s pedagogical experience and depth of scholarship meld in the expert guidance she provides to engaging the narrative dimensions of the four canonical Gospels.
In the brief preface, Brown shares her own journey from interest in narrative criticism to appreciation of its value for her students. What began with her dissertation on Matthew’s characterization of Jesus’s disciples has developed into the more comprehensive method outlined and illustrated in The Gospels as Stories. Written in a personable style and clearly structured, the book supplies a content-rich introduction to narrative criticism while remaining accessible to a wide audience. Like a good docent, Brown immediately invites the readers’ interest in the subject matter, wins their confidence in her expertise, and challenges them to examine the literary craftsmanship of the Gospels.
The book is organized in six parts of approximately twenty pages each, except for the three-page conclusion. Several features enhance the book’s usefulness as a text both for college or graduate level courses and for readers new to the subject matter. Key terms are noted in bold and appear in a glossary with concise definitions. A few pages of “Recommended Resources,” provide a handful of bibliographic references pertinent to parts 1 through 5. The book also has a Scripture index and a subject index. Throughout the book, Brown includes twenty-three figures or charts visually organizing key details or data.
Part 1: “The Turn to Gospels as Stories” surveys “some of the key ways scholarship and the church have read the Gospels” and introduces narrative criticism “as a beneficial and developing methodology” (p. 19). Readers can easily imagine themselves as students in Brown’s classroom as she employs three versions of a well-known fairy tale (the original account written by Hans Christian Andersen, a picture book, and a musical) to illustrate other approaches to the Gospels. Brown openly invites the audience to consider the analogy, asking for example, “What do you notice about these various methods applied” to the fairy tale? (p. 7). As she guides the reader through her own thought process in response to such questions, terms that would be unfamiliar to those outside the domain of academic biblical studies—like source criticism and redaction criticism—become both clear and memorable. Brown further extends the analogy to provide three basic categories for these approaches that fail to account for “the narrative character of the Gospels in some significant way” (p. 7). This exercise establishes context for introducing “the role and contribution of narrative criticism” through a concentrated summary of the method’s emergence and implementation in academic study of the Gospels.
Parts 2 through 5 are each comprised of two chapters. In parts 2, 3, and 4, the first chapter concentrates on a major strategy for analyzing the Gospels, with examples drawing on facets of all four Gospels. The second illustrates the strategy’s application to reading one of the Gospels. Part 2 focuses on “Plot and Plotting” illustrated in the structure of Luke’s Gospel. Part 3 addresses characterization and draws on Brown’s extensive study of Matthew’s portrayal of the disciples as a character group. Part 4 counters atomization of Scripture with exploration of intertextuality, specifically the Gospel writers’ use of the OT. Brown’s research for previously published articles undergirds her demonstration of the way two major themes of John’s Gospel—Jesus as the Passover Lamb and the renewal of creation—unfold through OT allusions and echoes. Part 5 also follows the pattern, but instead of highlighting a narrative strategy, the first chapter explores “How a Story Theologizes.” In the second, Brown performs a “kind of integrated reading” of the Gospel of Mark, walking through it sequentially and noting “how Mark’s plotting, characterization, and use of the Old Testament intersect to illuminate his understanding of God” (p. 168). In the few pages of part 6, Brown succinctly summarizes the narrative method proposed in the book. However, the concluding remarks also capsulize her overarching apologetic for reading each Gospel as a whole story, not merely a series of loosely related pericopes, and for attending to “how a particular Gospel writer shapes his narrative” (p. 185).
The Gospels as Stories will prove to be an eminently teachable and accessible text in a variety of settings. Brown successfully showcases four major strategies and clearly demonstrates the value of each. She is judicious in use of Greek vocabulary, which is limited to transliteration. The chapters are well-organized with sensible subheadings. Footnotes do not overwhelm, but neither are they skimpy in providing pertinent clarifications or directing the reader to important sources or concepts. Compared with the substantive content and even the insightful choice of cover art for the book, the subject index was disappointing. Numerous terms and authors cited are entirely missing from the index or lacking a complete list of page numbers. In addition, a handful of literary terms used in the text could have been included among those appearing in bold and in the glossary.
Apart from these relatively minor shortcomings, weaknesses are few. First, because Brown has clearly situated her narrative approach within the field of biblical studies, its relationship to theological interpretation is treated tangentially, mentioned as merely one “reading strategy” among many with which narrative criticism can easily be in conversation (p. 18). Consequently, the introductory chapter’s account of the method’s historical development is narrowly limited in scope, with no mention of such key movements as new criticism and study of patristic reading strategies or of the contributions of such scholars as Hans Frei or Brevard Childs. Perhaps the addition of a bibliography could supply references to some of the more important works without detracting from the appropriate focus on narrative criticism alone. Especially since Brown devotes a section of the book to narrative theology (part 5), at least initiating “conversation” between narrative criticism and theological interpretation would help readers distinguish between them. Second, the conclusion seems exceptionally brief. Although it works well as it is, Brown’s readers would benefit from an expanded essay, especially one that extended the practical dimensions of her narrative approach. These comments aside, Bible teachers, seminary professors and students, ministers, pastors, and, as argued below, oral communicators of the gospel who follow Jeannine Brown’s guidance to reading the Gospels as stories can expect to experience, potentially, a paradigm shift in the way they detect and are transformed by the distinctive narrative shape of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
A particularly significant strength of Brown’s proposal is its potential for practical application. The Gospels as Stories defines and illustrates the narrative critical approach in a masterful manner. In addition to providing a theoretical framework for an in-depth understanding of the biblical stories, this book can contribute significantly to the practical task of communicating the gospel to oral communicators. Grant Lovejoy estimates that “there are 5.7 billion people in the world who are oral communicators because either they are illiterate or their reading comprehension is inadequate. That is over 80% of the world’s total population.”1 Lovejoy explains that
The oral cultures of the world pose a particular challenge for conventional Christian ministry. Oral cultures are not print-oriented and do not respond well to forms of witnessing, discipling, teaching and preaching that are based on print. . . . Sermons built around outlines and lists of principles communicate poorly with people whose life is lived in oral cultures.2
To address this need, Jim Slack and J.O. Terry designed an approach to telling stories called “Bible Storying.” “It is a method of sharing biblical truths by telling the stories of the Bible as intact stories in the order they happened in time. The person using this method leads the hearer to discover the truths in the stories for the purpose of evangelization, discipleship, church planting, and leadership training.” 3 While this method has been very effective in reaching oral communicators,4 it has encountered resistance in some highly literate, propositional, and Western academic circles in which the mere mention of the word “orality” sets off red flags.5 In light of this, Jeannine Brown’s The Gospel as Stories can be of great benefit to those employing oral methodologies to share the gospel message with oral communicators in the following ways.
First, the manner in which this book defines and illustrates narrative criticism can provide a validation for Bible Storying. While form criticism, source criticism, and redaction criticism have their place in interpreting other genres in Scripture,6 by focusing on the literary and storied qualities of a narrative portion (e.g., the Gospel of John), narrative criticism can facilitate its interpretation in a clear and precise manner. Bible Storying, by employing narrative criticism properly, does not need to be perceived as a “light” or non-exegetical form of communication. Instead, it will be recognized as instrumental in allowing the stories in the Bible to be clearly understood and internalized by oral communicators, resulting in the transformation of their lives.
Second, Bible Storying can benefit from the emphasis in this book focusing on the final form so the entire storyline is understood. While Bible Storying correctly emphasizes the importance of telling the complete story without interruption,7 the advice that the storyer should read the entire book (e.g., the Gospel of Matthew) repeatedly to grasp the entire story at the book level is well taken. While Bible Storying emphasizes the importance of selecting specific stories to communicate specific biblical truths,8 it is extremely important that the storyer understand the entire storyline if the story to be shared is going to be properly interpreted. What the author recommends about the Gospels needs to be applied to the other books of the Bible from which the stories are taken.
Third, the discussion in this book on characterization can be very helpful to Bible Storying. While Bible Storying has stressed the importance of knowing the characters in the story, characterization provides the additional dimensions of knowing the relationship of the character to the narrator, to other characters, to the reader, and to the narrative features like the plot, setting and theme. Oral communicators have the tendency to identify with the characters in the story. Being informed about characterization can enable the storyer to select the stories and to present them in such a way that they relate to the spiritual needs of the oral communicators.
Fourth, a strength of Bible Storying is that it strongly emphasizes the importance of studying the worldview of the hearers of the story not only to learn about their central assumptions, concepts and premises but also to identify the bridges and barriers that must be addressed in communicating the Gospel story.9 An area in which this book can be of great help is in focusing on understanding the cultural context of the first hearers (readers) of the Gospels.10 As Brown points out, “Reading the characters of the Gospels today, we will be better interpreters if we fill in narrative gaps as much as possible with relevant historical information” (p. 78).
Fifth, for a number of years Bible Storying has entertained the idea that oral communicators can learn sufficient stories as to have an “oral Bible” in their hearts and minds.11 This is based on the observation that some oral communicators have an extraordinary capacity to retain Bible stories and that many people groups have neither a written Bible nor the capacity to read one if it existed. A dimension that The Gospel as Stories can add to this concept is that oral communicators can theologize as they listen to the stories and reflect on their implications for their lives. While I (Daniel) was ministering to a Kekchi tribal group in Guatemala that had been trained through Bible Storying, I was amazed that every time I asked a theological question they would answer with a Bible story. This book can help Bible storyers know how to enable narrative theological reflection among oral communicators. This book can enhance the Bible Storying effort to evangelize oral communicators in other ways. Due to space limitations, we will confine ourselves to these observations with the disposition to continue to dialogue about this vital topic.12
Overall, we recommend The Gospels as Stories as an excellent book providing perspectives and strategies that enable its readers to understand and apply narrative analysis in teaching, preaching, and story-telling settings in such a way that the story of Jesus will transform the lives of its hearers.
- Grant Lovejoy, “The Extent of Orality: 2012 Update,” Orality Journal 1 (November 1, 2012), 31. ↩︎
- Lovejoy, “The Extent of Orality: 2012 Update,” 13. ↩︎
- Samuel E. Chiang and Grant Lovejoy, eds., Beyond Literate Western Models: Contextualizing Theological Education in Oral Cultures (Richmond, VA: International Orality Network, 2013), 205. ↩︎
- J. Dudley Woodberry, ed., Seed to Fruit, 2nd ed. (Pasadena: William Carey Press, 2011), see the technical data article on CD that is included with the book. ↩︎
- Larry Dinkins, “Presenting Orality in Academic Contexts,” in Beyond Literate Western Practices: Continuing Conversation in Orality and Theological Education; eds., Samuel E. Chiang and Grant Lovejoy (Richmond, VA: International Orality Network, 2014), 103. ↩︎
- David S. Dockery and George H. Guthrie, The Holman Guide to Interpreting the Bible (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2005). ↩︎
- J.O. Terry, Basic Bible Storying (Fort Worth, TX: Church Starting Network, 2008), 2. Terry defines Bible Storying as “the intentional and uninterrupted sharing of God’s Word primarily as stories.” ↩︎
- Terry, Basic Bible Storying, 45–49. ↩︎
- Daniel R. Sanchez, J.O. Terry, and Lanette W. Thompson, Bible Storying for Church Planting (Fort Worth, TX: Church Starting Network, 2008), 56–62. ↩︎
- Anthony C. Thiselton, The Two Horizons: New Testament Hermeneutical and Philosophical Description (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980). ↩︎
- Terry, Basic Bible Storying, 147–50. ↩︎
- It has been my (Daniel’s) privilege to teach Bible Storying courses with J.O. Terry at Southwestern we are continuing to learn about the use of narrative approaches to reach oral communicators. Baptist Theological Seminary for the past ten years. He would agree with me when I say that we are continuing to learn about the use of narrative approaches to reach oral communicators. ↩︎
