Metaphor, Canon and Community: Jewish, Christian and Islamic Approaches: v. 1 (Religion & Discourse) - Softcover

Francis, James A.; Bisschops, Ralph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3906762408 ISBN 13: 9783906762401

Publisher: Verlag Peter Lang, 1999

Synopsis

Every religion interprets its metaphors according to a specific model. Such differences tend to be largely determined by dogmatic principles underlying a specific religion. This volume contains a selection of the papers originally delivered at the 25th LAUD-symposium on 'Metaphor and Religion'. It presents the unusual attempt of gathering viewpoints from the three great religions within monotheism: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and it includes contributions from renowned authors such as Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, Anna Wierzbicka and Mehmet Aydin. The volume covers a wide range of theological subjects from mysticism to pastoral care. It also contains case studies illustrating the methodology used by today's scholars of metaphor in the field. The volume poses important challenges to mainstream metaphorology. It presents a significant range of discoveries, instances, and new interpretative models. The book, however, not only addresses theorists of metaphor but all students, scholars and religious leaders engaged in cross-religious studies or ecumenical dialogue.

About this title

From the Author:

Synopsis
The volume contains 15 essays examining a great diversity of religious images and expressing various viewpoints on the interpretation of canonical metaphors in the great monotheistic religions. Many fascinating metaphors originate in religion. But how is one to interpret them? Many scholars believe that metaphors can only be interpreted by following certain semantic or linguistic mechanisms. This approach is largely insufficient to grasp the broad range of possible interpretation techniques that have emerged in the history of religions, and to cope with the deep debates about whether a given religious expression is to be considered as a metaphor. The crucial point is that every religion interprets its metaphors according to a more or less different model. Such differences are largely determined by dogmatic principles. An undecided question in most religious orientations is therefore: to what extent is it legitimate to interpret a given religious expression as a metaphor and according to what rules can the metaphorical interpretation be carried through? The volume presents the unusual attempt of gathering viewpoints from the three great religions within monotheism: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It covers the wide range of theological subjects from mysticism to pastoral care. It also contains case studies illustrating the methodology used by today’s scholars of metaphor in the field. Apart from the theoretical challenges to mainstream metaphorology, the volume presents a great bulk of new and fascinating examples. As Recep Yaparel writes in this volume, "through the knowledge of metaphors employed by other people we can learn the depths of their culture." Indeed, metaphor is a good starting point to become familiar with the habits of thought specific to each religion.

Table of contents

James FRANCIS (University of Sunderland): God as Worker. A Metaphor from Daily Life in Biblical Perspective. Robert PLATZNER (California State University at Sacramento): In the Cleft of a Rock. Metaphors of Divine Concealment and Disclosure in the Hebrew Bible. Martin PÖTTNER (University of Heidelberg): Metaphors of Universal Love, (Mt. 5:13a, 14a). Francesca RIGOTTI (University of Lugano): Cultura animi, cultura dei. Worship as Agriculture in Early Christianity. Recep YAPAREL (University of Izmir): The Role of Religious Symbols and Metaphors in Relation to Positive Mental Health with a Reference to Islamic Mysticism (Sufism). Bernd KUSCHNERUS (University of Marburg): "You Yourselves are our Letter." 2Cor 3 as an Example for the Usage of Metaphor in Paul. Lawrence A. HOFFMAN (Hebrew Union College New York): Healing the Sick as an Exercise in Religious Metaphor. Daniel LOUW (University of Stellenbosch): Diagnostic Criteria for an Assessment of God-Images in Pastoral Counselling. Recai DOGAN (Ankara University): Metaphorical Expressions in the Prophet Muhammad's Hadith. Anna WIERZBICKA (Australian National University): What did Jesus Mean? The Lord's Prayer Translated into Universal Human Concepts. Marc Z. BRETTLER (Brandeis University): The Metaphorical Mapping of God in the Hebrew Bible. Berel Dov LERNER (Western Galilee College): Oppressive Metaphor and the Liberating Literal Sense. Mehmet AYDIN (Dokuz Eylül University): Al-Ghazâli on Metaphorical Interpretation. Frank MIEGE (University of Heidelberg): Sacramental Semeiosis - Fragmentary Reflection in Connection with a Semiotic Reconstruction of the Debate between Luther and Zwingli over the Lord's Supper. Ralph BISSCHOPS (Brussels): Metaphor as the Internalisation of a Ritual. With a Case Study on Samuel Holdheim (1806-1860).

About the Author:

The Editors: Ralph Bisschops earned his doctorate in Germanic philology at the Free University of Brussels. As a visiting professor he has taught theory of metaphor and German-Jewish religious history of the 19th century at the University of Duisburg. He is the author of a book on metaphor as value judgement.
James Francis is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Sunderland UK, teaching New Testament Studies and Christian Theology and with a particular interest in Biblical imagery. He is a non-stipendiary minister in the Church of England and is the co-author of a recent book on self-supporting ministry which draws upon metaphorical insights.

About this edition

• Publisher: Verlag Peter Lang
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 3906762408
• ISBN 13: 9783906762401
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 307
• Editor: Bisschops Ralph, Francis James, Editors