Family matters : an exegetical and socio-historical analysis of familial metaphors in 1 Thessalonians
Building upon recent insights of classical research re family life in antiquity, this investigation combines the study of the family as social reality and as metaphor in order to explore the relationships between Paul and the Thessalonians and the Thessalonians' relationships to one another. An in-depth investigation of 1 Thessalonians - Paul's earliest extant letter - is justified since it is here that we find a heavy preponderance of fictive-kinship terms. Chapter 1 reviews the most recent literature where we note that Paul's familial metaphors are briefly considered within the broader social context of Pauline Christianity. Some scholars assume (e.g. Meeks et al.) that the terms 'brother/sister' indicate that Paul's earliest communities are non-hierarchical in structure. Others (e.g. Castelli) argue that Paul's paternal role is solely understood in hierarchical terms and take little account of the composite nature of such a role. A full survey of parent-child and brotherly relations in antiquity, and the implications this might have for Paul, is called for. The theoretical base under-girding this study, that of 'metaphor theory', is ten set out. Using the insights of linguists (e.g. Lakoff and Johnson)
Burke, Trevor J.
BS The Bible
Family matters : an exegetical and socio-historical analysis of familial metaphors in 1 Thessalonians. Building upon recent insights of classical research re family life in antiquity, this investigation combines the study of the family as social reality and as metaphor in order to explore the relationships between Paul and the Thessalonians and the Thessalonians' relationships to one another. An in-depth investigation of 1 Thessalonians - Paul's earliest extant letter - is justified since it is here that we find a heavy preponderance of fictive-kinship terms. Chapter 1 reviews the most recent literature where we note that Paul's familial metaphors are briefly considered within the broader social context of Pauline Christianity. Some scholars assume (e.g. Meeks et al.) that the terms 'brother/sister' indicate that Paul's earliest communities are non-hierarchical in structure. Others (e.g. Castelli) argue that Paul's paternal role is solely understood in hierarchical terms and take little account of the composite nature of such a role. A full survey of parent-child and brotherly relations in antiquity, and the implications this might have for Paul, is called for. The theoretical base under-girding this study, that of 'metaphor theory', is ten set out. Using the insights of linguists (e.g. Lakoff and Johnson)
family matter exegetical socio_historical analysis familial metaphor building_upon recent insight classical family_life antiquity investigation combine study family social_reality metaphor order_explore relationship paul relationship one_another depth_investigation paul early extant letter justify since heavy preponderance fictive kinship term review recent_literature note paul familial metaphor briefly_consider within_broad social_context pauline christianity scholars assume term brother sister indicate paul early community non hierarchical structure others argue paul role solely understood hierarchical term take little account composite nature role full survey parent_child relation antiquity implication might paul call for theoretical base under study metaphor theory set_out using insight linguist lakoff_johnson