Toward a Corporeal, Biblical Narrative: a Study in Church Transformation David C
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Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 3-1-2015 Toward a Corporeal, Biblical Narrative: A Study in Church Transformation David C. Scafide George Fox University, [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Scafide, David C., "Toward a Corporeal, Biblical Narrative: A Study in Church Transformation" (2015). Doctor of Ministry. Paper 95. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/95 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY TOWARD A CORPOREAL, BIBLICAL NARRATIVE: A STUDY IN CHURCH TRANSFORMATION A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GEORGE FOX EVANGELICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY DAVID C. SCAFIDE PORTLAND, OREGON MARCH 2015 George Fox Evangelical Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of David C. Scafide has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 18, 2015 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Jared Roth, EdD Secondary Advisor: Phillip Carnes, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD Copyright © 2015 David C. Scafide All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ii To my wife, Joy, who is the embodiment of her name. iii A man is always a teller of tales, he lives surrounded by his stories and the stories of others, he sees everything that happens to him through them; and he tries to live his own life as if he were telling a story. - JEAN-PAUL SARTRE iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………..ix ABSTRACT……………………………………………………….……………….xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION……………………………….........……………1 The Problem………………………………………………….........………..1 Transformation Defined……………………………………………...…….5 Corporeal Biblical Narrative Defined……………………………..…….…7 Current Trends……………………………………………………………..12 Ecclesiological Trends…………………………………....…….….12 Lack of Transformational Change……………………….…..…….15 Theological Shifts………………………………………..…….…..18 Resurgence of Narrative Focus……………………………………..…...…22 Conclusion…………………………………………………………..……..26 CHAPTER 2: SCRIPTURE AS IDENTITY NARRATIVE………………..…….28 Introduction……………………………………………………...……..….28 Identity and Narrative…………………………………………….…….…28 Identity Narrative and Interpretation of Scripture……………………....…31 The Narrative Approach to Scripture……………………………………...35 Act 1: Creation…………………...………………………………..37 Act 2: Fall………………………….………………………………41 Act 3: Redemption Initiated……….………………………………44 Act 4: Redemption Accomplished……………...………………….49 Act 5: Mission of the Church.…………………….………………..53 v Act 6: Redemption Completed…………………………………….56 Conclusion……………………………………………………....…………59 CHAPTER 3: NARRATIVE FORMATION IN CHURCH HISTORY……..…...61 Introduction……………………………………………………………......61 The Early Church and Identity Formation….……………………………...61 The Loss of an Identity Focus……………………………………………..66 Middle Ages and Cenobitical Monasticism…………………………….….71 Martin Luther…………………………………………………………...…76 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………80 CHAPTER 4: NARARTIVES AND THEIR INFLUENCE……………………...81 Introduction………………………………………………………………..81 Organizational Culture……………………….……………...…………….82 How Underlying Narratives Dictate Organizational Culture……...84 The Reinforcing Nature of Organizational Culture….…………….89 How Organizational Change is Resisted…………………………..91 Summary………………………………………………………...…95 Narrative Identity……………………………………………………….…95 Why Narratives are Significant…………………………………....96 Narrative Identity and Organizational Change…………………………97 Summary…………………………………………………………..103 Psychology of Narrative…………………………………………………...103 Schema…………………………………………………………….104 Belief Defined as Schema…………………………………………105 vi Sensemaking……………………………………………………….106 Summary……………………………………………………………109 Narratives Related to Church Culture……………………………………...110 How Corporeal Narratives Affect Programs and Processes……….110 How Corporeal Narratives Affect the Individual………………….111 How Narratives Shape Belief, Faith, and Identity………………...113 Summary…………………………………………………………...116 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………117 CHAPTER 5: ELEMENTS AND EXPRESSIONS OF NARRATIVE……….….119 Introduction………………………………………………………………..119 Interactive Elements of Narrative………………………………….………120 Play……………………………………………………….………..120 Rituals…………………………………………………...…………122 Role Elements of Narrative……………………………………...…………126 Mythologies……………………………………………..…………127 Heroes…………………………………………………...…………130 Symbolic Elements of Narrative………………………………..………….133 Sacred Stories…………………………………………..………….133 Language…………………………………………….…………….135 Metaphor………………………………………….……………….139 Context Elements of Narrative………………………………...…………..141 Memory…………………………………………………..………...141 Differentiation…………………………………………….……….144 vii Conclusion………………………………………………………….……...146 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION……………………………………………....……148 Introduction………………………………………………………….……148 Discussion Review…………………………………………………...……148 Key Findings………………………………………………………………152 Assumptions and Limitations……………………………………………...156 Ministry Application………………………………………………………156 Suggestions for Further Research…………………………………………162 Concluding Remarks……………………………………………………....163 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………...165 viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation represents the culmination of a three year story. There were challenges and villains and setbacks, as all good stories have. But there was also a fellowship of others who have gone before, some who have gone with, and others who supported even though they could not make the journey themselves. This epic would never have existed had it not been for many significant people participating in the journey with me. I want to give my heartfelt thanks to those who sacrificed and encouraged me the most during this journey. To my academic support who helped get me across the finish line. George Fox Seminary directors and administrators and especially Dr. Cliff Berger who was so faithful to my cohort always seeking to understand and encourage us when we came to you with our problems. Dr. Leonard Sweet who taught me, against my initial desires, how to live freely in the story of God. My advisor, Dr. Jared Roth, for his encouraging nudges that helped me get to the end of the journey in one piece. My readers, Sonja Madera, Lindsay Folkerts and Dr. Randy Millwood, for their tireless efforts wading through my drafts. Your questions and insights helped me refine the thesis and keep me on track. My editor extraordinaire, Dr. Donna K. Wallace, who helped polished this dissertation and make it shine much brighter than I could alone. To my cohort, SFS11, I am eternally indebted. The wisdom I gleaned from each of you and your own stories with Christ have enhanced my own. I thank God often for your friendship and partnership in the narrative God is unfolding within us and around us. To my family, I love you and thank you. My grandmother who covered me with prayer every day of this journey. Mimi and Uncle Richard without whose support and ix encouragement to do my best, I would never have finished. My mother who first taught me the story. My children, Sam, Micah, and the one I will meet in a few months, who daily show me new insights and wonders contained within the story of God. And to my wife, Joy, who constantly supported me and gave me the space and time to complete this adventure. x ABSTRACT This dissertation claims that church leaders can enact healthier church-wide transformation when changes are processed on the narrative level of culture. As the church’s narrative is transformed, the church lives out her new identity more readily and with less resistance. Chapter 1 defines key terms and examines the state of current transformation models and why they are not having widespread impact in transforming churches. Without understanding underlying narratives, church leaders face unnecessary resistance resulting from the attempt to impose changes that are not assimilated by the narrative of the church. Chapter 2 demonstrates how people always live out their perceived identity and that identity is always in narrative form. The chapter concludes with examining Scripture as an identity narrative and how it can be used to shape the identity of parishioners. Chapter 3 explores how church leaders have used narratives throughout history to facilitate healthy transformation. The chapter also explores the consequences of diluting a strong biblical narrative. Chapter 4 discusses the power of narrative. People tend to organize themselves around a narrative. This narrative is what all information is processed though. If any transformational concept does not fit into the perceived story, it may be rejected. Chapter 5 gives examples of how narratives can be altered within a church context. Using the various expressions of narrative, church leaders begin enacting healthy change at a narrative level. Chapter 6 presents