Critical Theory and Johannine Mission a Test Case: the Johannine Community As Divine Communicative Action
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Middlesex University Research Repository CRITICAL THEORY AND JOHANNINE MISSION A TEST CASE: THE JOHANNINE COMMUNITY AS DIVINE COMMUNICATIVE ACTION A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Steven David Galbo Middlesex University Supervised at London School of Theology March 2014 ii ABSTRACT Steven D. Galbo CRITICAL THEORY AND JOHANNINE MISSION A TEST CASE: THE JOHANNINE COMMUNITY AS DIVINE COMMUNICATIVE ACTION Doctor of Philosophy Middlesex University Supervised at London School of Theology 2014 This dissertation explores the potential for utilizing Jürgen Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action (TCA) as a hermeneutical method in biblical studies—in this case—Johannine agency and mission. The thesis is developed by means of TCA and four “contextual anchor points.” These components of critical and literary theory are used in a sequential argument to examine the thesis: The Johannine community was portrayed by John as divine communicative action to the world. After a brief introduction, chapter two discusses TCA, differentiating its relevant aspects from those unsuitable. An examination of the intertextual interface between John and his readership is performed in chapter three. Chapter four analyzes John’s call for unity in the face of cosmic brokenness and division over Jesus. Though John portrays a closed κόσμος, opposed to its creator, he demonstrates openness, showing interest in gathering exiles. Unity is for the sake of the world (13:35; 17:21, 23). Chapter four discusses the possibility that the AD 70 loss of the temple was John’s motivation for communicative action to his fellow “Jews.” Chapter five examines re-creation. Humanity separated from its creator was incapable of communicative reason. Jesus therefore served as God’s communicative act and Tatwort (deed-word, sign) to set it free. Chapter six concerns the mediatorial role of the παράκλητος. Central to John’s eschatology was the continued presence of Messiah through the Spirit. The παράκλητος was the communicative glue of the Johannine community, mediating communicative action to the world. Chapter seven concludes the study, demonstrating the community was a provocateur of life and judgment, gathering those who responded to communicative action and relinquishing others to judgment. The community’s oneness served as a Tatwort (deed-word) to the κόσμος. Their words and deed-words served as divine communicative action to re-create the world. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The journey toward a dissertation is a rigorous one. With deep appreciation I wish to thank the people who encouraged me on this odyssey. Dr. Morris Inch, of Wheaton College (emeritus), inspired me to begin the doctoral journey during our long talks over breakfast. Dr. Jeannine Brown of Bethel Theological Seminary challenged me with critical questions, essential to the establishment of my thesis proposal. The research savvy of Dr. Tim Senapatiratne led me to invaluable OT treasures behind the Fourth Gospel. Thank you all. My friend, mentor, and PhD advisor, Dr. Thorsten Moritz of Bethel Theological Seminary revolutionized the way I look at language, story, and the Bible itself. His influence on my understanding of hermeneutics has broadened the way I study, but more importantly, it has deepened the way I live. My appreciation cannot be measured in these few words. Thank you, Thorsten. I wish to thank my Tuesday morning breakfast buddies, Russ and Margaret Terwilliger and Greg Burns. Your encouragement throughout this process has often moved me off “high center.” I also appreciate the board of Fellowship of Christians, whose support empowered me to begin this endeavor. My daughter Stacy, your help with editing was so valuable. Thank you, Teddie Faye Raines, for helping me understand that “this” is the most dangerous word in a dissertation! The proof reading help from you two was invaluable! Thank you all. Last, but not least, I wish to acknowledge the encouragement and support of my family. Susan, Stephanie, and Stacy: your constant love, encouragement and faith have given me strength to push through and finally complete the task. Jane, my wife, my love, best friend, encourager, and strength: your belief in me and in our future together has kept me going. A new day awaits! You’re the best! Thank you, fam-ber-ly! iv ABBREVIATIONS BD Beloved Disciple CA Communicative Action CoP Community of Practice FD Farewell Discourses JCom Johannine Community Jn John, the Gospel of John or its author SAT Speech Act Theory TCA Theory of Communicative Action All other abbreviations conform to the SBL Handbook of Style (1999). v TEXTS AND PERMISSIONS All English quotations from the Old and New Testaments used in this thesis are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Ill. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from the Hebrew OT used in this thesis are taken from the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia by Rudolf Kittel (BHS), copyright 1990, by Deutsches Biblegesellschaft, Stuttgart, DE. Used by permission. All quotations from the Septuagint used in this thesis are taken from Septuaginta : id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interpretes by Alfred Rahlfs (Rahlfs), copyright 2004, by Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, DE. Used by permission. All quotations from the Apocrypha used in this thesis are taken from the Cambridge Annotated Study Apocrypha , New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), copyright 1989, 1994 by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K. Used by permission. All quotations from the Pseudepigrapha used in this thesis are taken from The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha , edited by James H. Charlesworth (Charlesworth), copyright 1983, 1985 by Doubleday, New York, NY. Used by permission. All quotations from the Greek New Testament used in this thesis are taken from the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece , 27th revised edition , (NA-27) copyright 2007, by Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, DE. Used by permission. All quotations from the Dead Sea Scrolls used in this thesis are taken from The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Revised Edition , by Geza Vermes (Vermes), copyright 2004, by Penguin Books, London, U.K. Used by permission. All quotations from the Apostolic Fathers used in this thesis are taken from The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Third Edition, edited and translated by Michael W. Holmes (Holmes), copyright 2007, by BakerAcademic, Grand Rapids, Mich. Used by permission. vi CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Issue: Johannine Communicative Action ..................................................... 1 1.2 Critical Theory as a Johannine Method ................................................................ 2 1.3 Mission Agency and Critical Theory: Differentiating the Emphasis ............. 6 1.4 A Critique of Johannine Mission in Recent Scholarship .................................. 9 1.5 Trajectory—Questions Raised to Guide this Study ........................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY 2.1 Introduction to Critical Theory .............................................................................. 17 2.1.1 Types of Action .......................................................................................... 17 2.1.2 Communicative Action: A Closer Look ....................................................... 19 2.1.3 Validity Claims and Discourse Ethics ........................................................ 20 2.1.4 Lifeworld and System ................................................................................. 22 2.1.5 Colonization of the Lifeworld ...................................................................... 23 2.1.6 Communicative Action in the Public Sphere .............................................. 26 2.2 The Applicability of the Theory of Communicative Action to John’s Gospel .............................................................................................................. 28 2.3 Communicative Action in Habermas and John ........................................... 32 2.4 Conclusion: Evaluating Communicative Action in the Fourth Gospel .... 45 2.4.1 Types of Action Utilized ............................................................................. 46 2.4.2 Use of Validity Claims, Discourse Ethics, and Reason ............................... 47 2.4.3 Use of Speech Acts ...................................................................................... 47 2.4.4 Use of Strategic Action / Indications of Colonization ................................. 48 2.4.5 Communicative Action in the Public Sphere .............................................. 49 2.4.6 Signs of Universal Solidarity ..................................................................... 50 CHAPTER 3 JOHN AND THE READER 3.1 The Reader .................................................................................................................. 51 3.2 Textual Factors that Shape Our Understanding of the Reader ........................ 52 3.2.1 Intertextuality ............................................................................................ 52 3.2.2 Allusions .................................................................................................... 54 vii 3.2.3 Echoes ......................................................................................................... 55 3.2.4 Relecture ...................................................................................................