The Beauty with the Veil: Validating the Strategies of Kierkegaardian Indirect Communication Through a Close Christological Reading of the Hebrew Old Testament
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Beauty with the Veil: Validating the Strategies of Kierkegaardian Indirect Communication Through a Close Christological Reading of the Hebrew Old Testament Presented to the Faculty Regent University School of Communication and the Arts In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy In Communication by Mark A. Paustian Approved By: Benson Fraser, Ph.D., Committee Chair School of Communication and the Arts Michael Graves, Ph.D., Committee Member School of Communication and the Arts Craig Wansink, Ph.D., Committee Member Department of Religious Studies, Virginia Wesleyan College June 2016 School of Communication and the Arts Regent University This is to certify that the dissertation prepared by: Mark A Paustian THE BEAUTY WITH THE VEIL: VALIDATING THE STRATEGIES OF KIERKEGAARDIAN INDIRECT COMMUNICATION THROUGH A CLOSE CHRISTOLOGICAL READING OF THE HEBREW OLD TESTAMENT Has been approved by his committee as satisfactory completion of the dissertation requirement of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Approved By: Benson Fraser, Ph.D., Committee Chair School of Communication and the Arts Michael Graves, Ph.D., Committee Member School of Communication and the Arts Craig Wansink, Ph.D., Committee Member Department of Religious Studies, Virginia Wesleyan College June 2016 ii © 2016 Mark A. Paustian All Rights Reserved iii Abstract This study explores the ways in which the Old Testament complicates and extends Søren Kierkegaard’s strategies of indirect communication. It follows a methodology of close reading within a conceptual frame involving: the limitations of direct communication, the dynamics of overhearing, maieutic communication, and the communication of capability. This is an interdisciplinary investigation at the nexus of biblical theology, literary criticism, rhetorical analysis, and communication theory. These come together for an understanding of how the Christological content of the Old Testament relates to the variety of its literary forms. Biblical texts from several genres were selected: parable, historical prose, cultic and prophetic poetry, ritual, apocalyptic, proverbial and non-proverbial wisdom literature, and love song. The major result of this study is that the presence of indirect communication in the Old Testament validates its usefulness for communicating the grace of Christ. The author appeals for research into indirect communication in the New Testament. Keywords: Kierkegaard, indirect communication, Hebrew, Old Testament, Christianity iv Dedication To Constance The sine qua non. v Acknowledgements “It is an honor to owe everything to Christ.” This summarizes the thought of Søren Kierkegaard and the spirit of this dissertation. The debt extends to the “masks of God” through which a kind Lord has seen to it that I have been served supremely well on this transformative journey. To Abby and Hannah, whose brilliant college and high school careers were not dampened, I pray, by the drama of this long struggle. My every thought of you is a smile. It has always been this way. To Thomas Nass, the hundreds of hours and hundreds of pages of biblical Hebrew we have enjoyed together as brothers have meant more than you can know. To Dr. Ben Fraser, whom I met at a time when I thought there was little yet to learn about the mystery of communication, you opened up a world to me and I am a far richer man for knowing you. To the “Fab Five”—Dr. Melissa Tingle, Dr. Pete Kenney, Dr. Sandra Romo, and Dr. Shannon Leinen— there are no accidents my friends. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, streaming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (Jas 1:17). To members of my Qualifying Exam Committee—Dr. Bill Brown and Dr. Jack Keeler—that was a mountaintop experience and I will not forget the way you welcomed me in. To my Dissertation Committee—Dr. Michael Graves and Dr. Craig Wansink—we trembling Ph.D. candidates were told we would be introduced to the finest scholars in the world in the hopes that we could hold our own. It was an honor even to try. To the people of Martin Luther College, one of the most important institutions in the theological world, I’ve been around the academic block and I can say that few know the unwavering support and collegial warmth that is our every day. I always thought I had it good. Now I know. To Constance, there are no words. So, overhear this: thank-you, Father, for this lovely Christian soul, my bride. I have forgotten what it’s like to be alone. And to you, Lord Jesus, you make me nothing and then love the nothing you have made. Receive, I pray, my faltering Hallelu-yah. vi Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………...………………………iv Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………..…….v Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………...…………….….vi Table of Contents…..…………………………………………………………………….....……vii Chapter 1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………….…1 1.1 The Purposes of the Dissertation…….....………..……...…………..………………...6 1.1.1 Validation of indirect communication for the church……………….….……8 1.1.2 Extending Kierkegaard’s use of indirect communication……………….…..9 1.2 The Reasons for Indirect Communication………………………………….………..13 1.3 An Overview of Strategies for Indirect Communication…………………………….16 1.4 Maieutic Communication and the Communication of Capability...........................…19 1.5 Indirect Communication as a Uniquely Christian Endeavor……………………..….22 1.6 Historical Background: Taking Kierkegaard in Context………………….…………28 1.6.1 Kierkegaard as a Lutheran……………………………………………....... 29 1.6.2 The church of Kierkegaard’s day…………………………………….…….32 1.6.3 The philosophy of Kierkegaard’s day…………………………….………..34 1.6.4 Kierkegaard and modernity………………………………………….……..35 1.6.5 A note of admiration…………………………………………….…………37 1.7 Kierkegaard and Communication Theory……………………………………………38 1.8 Kierkegaard Today………………………………………………………………...…40 Chapter 2 Scholarly Contributions………………………………….………………………...….42 2.1 Contribution #1: Insights in Indirect Communication through the Hebrew Text..…....42 2.1.1 The genres of the Old Testament………………………………….……….43 2.1.1.1 Hebrew narrative…………………………………………...…….45 2.1.1.2 Hebrew poetry……………………………………………...…….47 2.1.1.3 The relationship between theology and genre………………..…...48 vii 2.1.2 The Old Testament flavor of Kierkegaard’s thought…………………..…....49 2.2 Contribution #2: Insight into the Scriptures through Indirect Communication….....…51 2.2.1 Beyond historical criticism……………………………………..……….....51 2.2.2 In support of a literary approach to the Old Testament……………...………54 2.2.3 The vital link between the two Testaments……………………...…………58 2.3 Contribution #3: Reading Kierkegaard in a Hermeneutic of Trust…..………..……....62 2.4 Kierkegaard’s Use of the Old Testament………..……………………….………..…68 2.5 A Research Question to Fill the Current Gap………………………..………………..74 Chapter 3 Methodology…………………………………...……………………………….……..76 3.1 Values for Rhetorical Study…………………………………………………….……77 3.2 The Old Testament Text as Rhetorical Territory………………………………...……81 3.3 Indirect Communication as Rhetorical Map…………………………………………84 3.4 Close Reading as Methodological Vehicle……………………………….………….85 3.5 Guides for the Journey………………………………………………………….……87 3.5.1 Theologians……………………………………………………...…………87 3.5.2 Biblical literary theorists……………………………………………..…….88 3.5.2.1 Narrative…………………………………………………………88 3.5.2.2 Poetry…………………………………………….………………90 3.5.3 Rhetorical critics………………………………………….………………..91 3.5.3.1 Kenneth Burke………………………………………..………….91 3.5.3.2 Walter Fisher……………………………………………………..92 3.5.3.3 Rhetorical critics of the Bible………………………….………...94 3.6 Scholarly Reflexivity………………………..………………………………...……..95 3.6.1 A hermeneutic of what and how……………………….……....…………....95 3.6.2 Authorial intention…………………………………………………..…..…98 3.6.3 Definition of communication……………………………………………...102 3.6.4 Erasing the false dichotomy in biblical scholarship…………………….…102 3.7 Preview of Dissertation Chapters…………………………………………..…….....104 viii Chapter 4 “I Am who I Am”: Indirect Communication in Hebrew Historical Prose……..……105 4.1 Chapter Preview……………………………………………………….……………107 4.2 A Literature Review of Exodus Scholarship and Historical Prose………………....108 4.3 Preliminary Analysis: Genre Characteristics and Mosaic Authorship……………. 111 4.4 Paying Attention to Narrative Choices……………………………………………...114 4.4.1 Introducing God………………………………………………….……….115 4.4.2 “Like a breeze blowing overhead”…………………….………………….117 4.4.3 “And Moses hid is face”………………………………………………….119 4.4.4 The Angel of the LORD………………………………………………….120 4.4.5 “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”………………………...………122 4.5 The Hiddenness of God and Divine Indirect Communication……………………...126 4.5.1 Deus Obsconditus.……………………………………………….…….....126 4.5.2 “I Am who I Am”………………………………………………...………129 4.5.3 Idem per idem……………………………………………………….……130 4.6 Performative Utterance as a Communication of Capability…………….………….132 4.6.1 A God who speaks………………………………………………....…..…134 4.6.2 Divine performative utterance………………………………...………….134 4.6.2.1 “The LORD was concerned”—the capability of courage………136 4.6.2.2 “Remember Abraham”—the capability of resorting to grace…..141 4.6.2.3 “Someday your children will ask”—the capability of hope…....146 4.6.2.4 “We were in Egypt”—the capability of identity………………..147 4.7 The “Infinite Qualitative Difference”: Findings and Discussion…………………...152 Chapter 5 “Warmed by Contact”: Indirect Communication in Hebrew Short Story…………...155 5.1 Chapter Preview……………………………………………………………...……..156 5.2 A Literature Review of Ruth Scholarship………………………………………..…157 5.2.1 The story of Ruth…………………………………………………………157