This dissertation examines the portrayals of the Temple, synagogue, and house-churches in Luke-Acts to pose a Lukan challenge to the Korean church by using a model of architectural space which is derived from social-scientific ideas originating in anthropology, sociology and social psychology. The dissertation proposes the relevance of the Lukan house-church to the Korean church today so as to transform the latter's character in its architecture and use of space into the inclusive and missionary one which is featured in Luke-Acts. The argument of the dissertation begins with an exploration and defence of social-scientific method (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 begins with a history and analysis of Korean Christianity which raises problem surrounding its use of architectural space, before setting out a socialscientific model of architectural space, which is then applied to contemporary Korean church architecture. Challenging current understandings of a positive Lukan attitude toward the Temple, this study proposes in Chapter 3 that Luke had a negative understanding of the Temple in that it was an oppressive institution characterised by segmented spaces which divided the people of God and thus showed its illegitimacy in relation to the saving plan of God in Jesus. The dissertation next proposes in Chapter 4 that first-century synagogues were subsidiary Temple spaces which were extended to most parts of Mediterranean world from the central sanctuary in Jerusalem, and that Luke portrays the synagogues as similar to the Temple. Contrary to the Temple and synagogue, the house in Luke-Acts expresses the inclusive salvation of the gospel which incorporates a variety of people regardless of social status, gender, age and ethnic origin (Chapter 5). In this interpretation, the house-church is represented as an inclusive space accessible without institutional constraints. In the Gospel, it serves to express the Kingdom of God into which sinners are invited to enter through meals and to be incorporated into a fictive-kinship group created by Jesus. In Acts, the house is not only a locus of Christian meetings in which the social relationships, characteristic of family, are practised to enhance and legitimise the social identity of Jesus' followers, but also the modus operandi of Christian mission through which the Christ-movement spreads throughout the Mediterranean world. This study concludes with an Epilogue containing brief suggestions for changes in Korean church architecture and use of space based on these Lukan insights, which have the potential radically to transform Korean Protestant Christianity.

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No description available.

The preface to Luke's gospel (Lk. ill-4), when properly exegeted, says this: "(1) Since many have undertaken to draw up a narrative account of the things that are well-established among us, (2) just as those who from the beginning have been eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us, (3) I have decided, for my part, having been a follower of them all for a long time, to write an accurate narrative for you, most excellent Theophilus, (4) in order that you may know what is certain with regard to the matters in which you have been instructed." Luke's claim to have been a follower of the apostles (vs. 3), and thus conversant with their oral gospel tradition (vs. 2), is confirmed by an ecclesiastical tradition that can be traced back to one of those very apostles. Luke implies that he did not use written sources in the composition of his gospel, for unlike ancient historians who did use written sources, he does not acknowledge any use of his predecessors' narratives. In writing "an accurate narrative" he would not have relied upon what he considered to be the inaccurate narratives of his predecessors. Luke indicates that his gospel records the oral tradition that he has learned directly from the apostles. The leading theories of synoptic origins tend to collapse into an oral theory under the weight of Luke's literary independence. The arguments hitherto advanced against the oral theory are inadequate. The oral tradition consisted of a basic narrative tradition (which is reconstructed) and a body of independent tradition. Luke and Matthew drew upon both traditions, but Mark confined himself to the former. Our two-tradition theory is corroborated, especially in comparison with the standard two-source theory, by various literary and stylistic phenomena.

ABSTRACT (deutsch) Das Lukasevangelium ist ein literarisches Werk in Form einer Erzählung. Die Pharisäer spielen darin eine zentrale Rolle als wichtigste Gruppe der Gegenspieler Jesu. Die Methode der narrativen Exegese ist daher geeignet, die Darstellung der Pharisäer zu analysieren und eine literarische Charakterisierung vorzunehmen. Eine Untersuchung aller Texte des Lukasevangeliums, in denen Pharisäer erwähnt werden, ergibt ein komplexes und facettenreiches Pharisäerporträt. Die Pharisäer werden primär negativ dargestellt, als religiöse Führer, die die göttliche Sendung Jesu, seine Vollmacht und seinen Auftrag, nicht erkennen und ablehnen. Die Pharisäer haben eine Kontrastfunktion innerhalb der Gesamterzählung des Lukasevangeliums. Sie dienen als Negativfolie, auf der die Bedeutung der Hauptfigur Jesus umso heller aufleuchtet. Ein Merkmal des Lukasevangeliums ist jedoch, dass dieses primär negative Bild durch die erzählerische Darstellung mehrfach abgeschwächt wird. Der Erzähler zeichnet kein einseitiges Pharisäerbild (flat character), sondern differenziert deutlich (mehr als die anderen Synoptiker). Er verzichtet bei der Präsentation ihres Verhaltens und ihrer Worte weitgehend auf explizit feindliche Aspekte. Er deutet eine relative Nähe zwischen Jesus und den Pharisäern an. Eine abschließende negative Wertung oder Verurteilung der Pharisäer unterbleibt. Auffällig ist die komplette Auslassung der Rolle der Pharisäer beim Prozess gegen Jesus. Die Reaktion Jesu auf die Pharisäer ist geprägt von Milde und Hoffnung, trotz vereinzelter scharfer Auseinandersetzungen. Jesus ist bei allen Begegnungen mit den Pharisäern bemüht, ihnen zur Erkenntnis seiner Person als göttlichem Gesandten zu verhelfen und sie zur Umkehr zu bewegen. ABSTRACT (english) The Gospel of Luke is a literary work in narrative form in which the Pharisees play a central role as the most important group in opposition to Jesus. Thus narrative exegesis is an appropriate method to analyse the presentation of the Pharisees and to undertake a literary characterisation of their role. An examination of all the texts in Luke's Gospel which mention the Pharisees yields a complex, multi-facetted portrait of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, characterised primarily negatively as religious leaders, neither recognise nor acknowledge the divine mission of Jesus, nor his authority nor mandate. Rather the Pharisees function in juxtaposition to Christ and his ministry within the overall narrative of Luke's Gospel. They serve as a negative backdrop against which the central figure of Jesus appears all the more significant, indeed even radiant. However, it is one trait of Luke's Gospel that this primarily negative picture is repeatedly softened by the narrative presentation. The narrator does not paint a one-sided picture of the Pharisees (flat character) but differentiates clearly in his presentation (more than the other Synoptic Gospels do). In his presentation of the Pharisees' behaviour and words the author to a large extent forgoes mentioning explicitly hostile aspects, but rather intimates the relative proximity between Jesus and the Pharisees. There is no final negative evaluation or judgement passed on the Pharisees. It is noteworthy that there is a complete omission of the role of the Pharisees in the legal proceedings and court trials against Jesus. Jesus' reaction to the Pharisees is nevertheless one of gentleness and hope, despite a few acrimonious conflicts recounted in the narrative. In all of his encounters with Pharisees Jesus endeavours to help them recognise himself as divine envoy and to move them to repentance. / New Testament / M.Th.

ABSTRACT (deutsch) Das Lukasevangelium ist ein literarisches Werk in Form einer Erzählung. Die Pharisäer spielen darin eine zentrale Rolle als wichtigste Gruppe der Gegenspieler Jesu. Die Methode der narrativen Exegese ist daher geeignet, die Darstellung der Pharisäer zu analysieren und eine literarische Charakterisierung vorzunehmen. Eine Untersuchung aller Texte des Lukasevangeliums, in denen Pharisäer erwähnt werden, ergibt ein komplexes und facettenreiches Pharisäerporträt. Die Pharisäer werden primär negativ dargestellt, als religiöse Führer, die die göttliche Sendung Jesu, seine Vollmacht und seinen Auftrag, nicht erkennen und ablehnen. Die Pharisäer haben eine Kontrastfunktion innerhalb der Gesamterzählung des Lukasevangeliums. Sie dienen als Negativfolie, auf der die Bedeutung der Hauptfigur Jesus umso heller aufleuchtet. Ein Merkmal des Lukasevangeliums ist jedoch, dass dieses primär negative Bild durch die erzählerische Darstellung mehrfach abgeschwächt wird. Der Erzähler zeichnet kein einseitiges Pharisäerbild (flat character), sondern differenziert deutlich (mehr als die anderen Synoptiker). Er verzichtet bei der Präsentation ihres Verhaltens und ihrer Worte weitgehend auf explizit feindliche Aspekte. Er deutet eine relative Nähe zwischen Jesus und den Pharisäern an. Eine abschließende negative Wertung oder Verurteilung der Pharisäer unterbleibt. Auffällig ist die komplette Auslassung der Rolle der Pharisäer beim Prozess gegen Jesus. Die Reaktion Jesu auf die Pharisäer ist geprägt von Milde und Hoffnung, trotz vereinzelter scharfer Auseinandersetzungen. Jesus ist bei allen Begegnungen mit den Pharisäern bemüht, ihnen zur Erkenntnis seiner Person als göttlichem Gesandten zu verhelfen und sie zur Umkehr zu bewegen. ABSTRACT (english) The Gospel of Luke is a literary work in narrative form in which the Pharisees play a central role as the most important group in opposition to Jesus. Thus narrative exegesis is an appropriate method to analyse the presentation of the Pharisees and to undertake a literary characterisation of their role. An examination of all the texts in Luke's Gospel which mention the Pharisees yields a complex, multi-facetted portrait of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, characterised primarily negatively as religious leaders, neither recognise nor acknowledge the divine mission of Jesus, nor his authority nor mandate. Rather the Pharisees function in juxtaposition to Christ and his ministry within the overall narrative of Luke's Gospel. They serve as a negative backdrop against which the central figure of Jesus appears all the more significant, indeed even radiant. However, it is one trait of Luke's Gospel that this primarily negative picture is repeatedly softened by the narrative presentation. The narrator does not paint a one-sided picture of the Pharisees (flat character) but differentiates clearly in his presentation (more than the other Synoptic Gospels do). In his presentation of the Pharisees' behaviour and words the author to a large extent forgoes mentioning explicitly hostile aspects, but rather intimates the relative proximity between Jesus and the Pharisees. There is no final negative evaluation or judgement passed on the Pharisees. It is noteworthy that there is a complete omission of the role of the Pharisees in the legal proceedings and court trials against Jesus. Jesus' reaction to the Pharisees is nevertheless one of gentleness and hope, despite a few acrimonious conflicts recounted in the narrative. In all of his encounters with Pharisees Jesus endeavours to help them recognise himself as divine envoy and to move them to repentance. / New Testament / M.Th.

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Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Critical New Testament study has drawn on analytical techniques and interrogatory methods from a wide range of disciplines. In recent decades the dominance of historical and ecclesiologicallylocated approaches have been challenged by insights from literary, sociological, anthropological, cultural and ideological scholarship. These challenges have proved fruitful and opened biblical scholarship to new and generative interpretation. This plurality of interpretation has in turn challenged the reductionism of biblical scholarship, leading to the now common acknowledgement that a particular reading or reconstruction is but one of many. Unfortunately many new readings have been too tightly bound to a single method or insight. The broad interaction between these readings has been often overlooked. In contrast to this trend an epistemology of text emerging from the poststructural notion of intertextuality allows the construction of links between a range of interpretive methods. Intertextuality emerges from literary and cultural theory but spills over to make hermeneutical connections with historical, cultural and ideological theory. For the most part New Testament scholars who have appropriated the term have noted this but not thoroughly explored it. In this study an ideologically-declared overtly intertextual approach to the third canonical gospel demonstrates the interlinking hermeneutic allowed by intertextuality. John Howard Yoder's reading of the gospel of Luke underscores the development of a Christian social-ethic. This reading in turn forms the framework for the more overtly intertextual reading offered here. An intertextual reading of the New Testament Scriptures is both narratively generative and politically directive for many Christian communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kritiese Nuwe Testamentiese studies het in die verlede gebruik gemaak van analitiese tegnieke en ondervraende metodes uit ‘n wye verskeidenheid van dissiplines. Meer onlangs is die oorheersing van historiese en kerklik-gerigte benaderings uitgedaag deur insigte vanuit letterkundige, sosiologiese, antropologiese, kulturele en ideologiese dissiplines. Hierdie uitdagings het vrugbaar geblyk en het Bybelse vakkennis toeganklik gemaak vir nuwe en produktiewe interpretasies. Hierdie meervoudige interpretasies het op hul beurt weer die reduksionisme in Bybelse geleerdheid uitgedaag, wat aanleiding gegee het tot die nou algemene erkenning dat ‘n bepaalde vertolking of rekonstruksie slegs een van vele is. Die breë wisselwerking tussen sulke vertolkings word dikwels misgekyk. In teenstelling met hierdie neiging, laat ‘n epistemologie van die teks wat te voorskyn kom uit ‘n poststrukturele begrip van intertekstualiteit toe dat verbande gekonstrueer word word tussen ‘n verskeidenheid van vertolkingsmetodes. Intertekstualiteit spruit voort uit literêre en kulturele teorie, maar vorm ook hermeneutiese skakels met historiese, kulturele en ideologie kritiek. Die meeste Nuwe Testamentici wat gebruik gemaak het van hierdie term, het kennis geneem van sulke verbande, maar dit nie altyd volledig verreken nie. In hierdie studie demonstreer ‘n ideologies-verklaarde, openlik intertekstuele benadering tot die derde kanonieke evangelie die gekoppelde hermeneutiek wat toegelaat word deur intertekstualiteit. John Howard Yoder se vertolking van die Evangelie van Lukas plaas klem op die ontwikkeling van ‘n Christelike sosiale etiek. Hierdie interpretasie vorm op sy beurt weer die raamwerk vir die meer openlik intertekstuele vertolking wat hier aangebied word. ‘n Intertekstuele interpretasie van die Nuwe Testamentiese geskrifte is beide verhalend produktief asook polities rigtinggewend vir talle Christelike gemeenskappe.

Luke's gospel is not infrequently referred to as the gospel of mercy. This declaration has rarely, if at all, been seriously subjected to a critical investigation of its validity and the appropriateness of such a nomenclature. In particular, there has been little recognition of subtle and significant distinctions that can be made between mercy and compassion. This thesis therefore seeks to lay bare how the evangelist employed gospel source materials and his own literary talent to create and compose a sequence of narrative moments that lends itself to what is proposed here, especially a proper articulation of compassion as revealed by Luke's Jesus. Limiting its broader investigative focus to Lk 3:1-9:50 this study is primarily interested in Lk 6:36, its role within the oft neglected Sermon on the Plain (Lk 6:20-49), its significance for the content and composition of Lk 7, and then secondarily its connection with the narrative blocks found either side of Lk 6-7, where of particular note is the programmatic sermon of Lk 4:16-30. In this purview a keen eye on detail and patterns relative to word(s) and deed(s) makes it possible to discern certain key theological and Christological authorial assumptions. Specifically, it is through this purposeful depiction of God and Jesus in relation to humankind that Luke insightfully initiates the reader into the mission and ministry of the Christ and his chosen disciples. Observing closely what this Jesus says and does sheds light on the import of extended meaning attaching itself to Luke's writing. To comprehend this better it proves helpful to analyse the meaning and force of Lk 6:36 in its Sermon context, in Luke's larger narrative and within the broad spectrum of ideas that derive from biblical, linguistic, philosophical and theological discussions. Lk 6:36 in translation thus becomes the point of departure for a more expansive treatment of this sometimes elusive theme. Attempting to find the right, appropriately nuanced word in English helps establish an appreciation for the richer strands of meaning that attach to the mercy/compassion realm of language and that with certain conditioning have been either overshadowed or lost sight of altogether. Acquiring that orientation to the biblical concept evoked by Lk 6:36 can only be gained by an investigation that attentively inspects the palette of Hebrew and Greek terminology. A surprising array of interconnected yet distinct words, emphases and associations of image come as a result. When closely examined alongside the linguistic and historical data Luke's composition confirms that the "compassion" Jesus voices / enacts is thoroughly relational; at its core is a personal, life-giving parent-child kinship; God is its primary reference point (invoking the notions of imitatio Dei, imago Dei); its paradigm figure is Jesus whose words and deeds integrally reveal its extravagant, boundary-free, risk-laden outreach to human beings of all sorts; and by natural inclination it redresses suffering and oppression without impossible conditions. To be, feel and act for another in this way is measured ultimately not by a human but a divine standard. The investigative method of this thesis is a redaction-critical / composition-critical analysis of Lukan gospel material where "compassion" is best examined, defined and demonstrated. As a matter of course this approach accepts that Luke is both redactor of received materials (holding to the majority hypothesis on Synoptic sources) and author of a narrative with its own foci, emphases and theological character. Thus to define "compassion" through the words and deeds of the Lukan Jesus is to enter a narrative world virtually unexplored until now.

"I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John" (Luke 7:28). Thus the author of Luke-Acts expresses his basic assessment of John the Baptist. The present study aims to understand the role of John the Baptist as he is portrayed in Luke-Acts through a reading that combines social description and narrative-theological analysis in order to gain hermeneutical access to the subject of our investigation. This study seeks to achieve this aim in two ways. In the first instance there is an attempt (through recourse to a combination of the stated critical methodologies) to provide a reading of Luke-Acts that interfaces social description and narrative-theological analysis in order to make possible a rhetorical engagement with the text in a way that provides hermeneutical access to John the Baptist as he is portrayed in Luke-Acts. In his portrayal of John the Baptist as a prophet and witness who plays a unique role in the history of salvation, the author of Luke-Acts weaves a spell over his readers that draws them into his narrative world and into his particular theological perspective. In the second instance, this study also aims to show how Luke-Acts preserves a unique dynamic of John the Baptist which has rather been buried in the other Gospel traditions. Through this dynamic, Luke seeks to transmit his own ideal of the authentic prophet and witness in such a way that his audience may be moved to emulate John's example with conviction and imagination both in living out their Christian ideal as well as in proclaiming the good news. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.