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Why Scripture Scholars and Theological Ethicists Need One Another: Exegeting and Interpreting the Beatitudes As a Scripted Script for Ethical Living

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Why Scripture Scholars and Theological Ethicists Need One Another: Exegeting and Interpreting the Beatitudes As a Scripted Script for Ethical Living Why scripture scholars and theological ethicists need one another: Exegeting and interpreting the Beatitudes as a scripted script for ethical living Author: Yiu Sing Lúcás Chan Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:104293 This work is posted on eScholarship@BC, Boston College University Libraries. Boston College Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, 2010 Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. Boston College The Graduate School of Arts and Science Department of Theology WHY SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS AND THEOLOGICAL ETHICISTS NEED ONE ANOTHER: EXEGETING AND INTERPRETING THE BEATITUDES AS A SCRIPTED SCRIPT FOR ETHICAL LIVING a dissertation by YIU SING LUKE (LÚCÁS) CHAN submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2010 © copyright by YIU SING LUKE (LÚCÁS) CHAN 2010 WHY SCRIPTURE SCHOLARS AND THEOLOGICAL ETHICISTS NEED ONE ANOTHER: EXEGETING AND INTERPRETING THE BEATITUDES AS A SCRIPTED SCRIPT FOR ETHICAL LIVING Yiu Sing Luke (Lúcás) Chan Advisor: Professor James F. Keenan, SJ For a variety of reasons, in the field of biblical ethics, Scripture scholars do not use much ethical theory, while theological ethicists do little actual exegesis. Even those recent attempts to bridge better Scripture with Christian ethics have either stressed the importance of the scriptural text or the importance of ethical hermeneutics. Throughout this entire work I advocate for a more integrated approach for a Scripture-based Christian theological ethics. In so doing I first propose using Allen Verhey‘s distinction of Scripture as ‗scripted‘ and ‗script‘: The former refers to exegesis and the latter to admonitions for ethical living. A more integrated approach will therefore treat Scripture as both ‗scripted‘ and ‗script‘, taking exegesis seriously and interpreting the text by using a sound hermeneutical framework. Subsequently, we can both acquire a more accurate understanding of the original meaning of the text and obtain a more complete and consistent interpretation of the text for today. From the perspective of Christian ethics, I further suggest virtue ethics as a worthy hermeneutical tool in treating Scripture as ‗script‘. Virtue ethics complements principle-based ethical theories by emphasizing practices and the importance of exemplary models. It also attends to the character formation and identity of both individuals and the moral community. Moreover, as I argue, there exists an explicit link between Scripture and virtue. Both the biblical link and the uniqueness of virtue ethics make it suitable as the hermeneutical tool for doing Scripture-based Christian ethics. In order to demonstrate concretely how the methodological shift into a more integrated scriptural ethics as such leads to actual benefits and improvements, I offer a three-step illustration. I begin with treating the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 as first ‗scripted‘; that is, I exegete the text. Then I look at the text as ‗script‘ through the hermeneutics of virtue ethics. I identify a new set of core virtues (and corresponding practices) not just for personal formation but also for the formation of the community and the larger society. Third, I then bring the fruits of this treatment forward by exploring the possible reception of the Beatitudes and its core virtues by the Confucian tradition. Methodologically speaking, Confucianism goes to its own texts in its search of ethical teachings; and Confucian ethics is primarily the fruit of careful interpretation of their ‗sacred‘ texts. In other words, it is both text-based and interpretative, and shares a common methodological approach with the Scripture-based Christian ethics proposed here. Subsequently, we find significant parallel virtues in Confucian texts although dissimilarities (such as worldview) exist between the two traditions. As a whole, the proposed methodological shift into a Scripture-based Christian ethics produces a more accurate, complete and consistent interpretation of the biblical text for our contemporary audience and makes Christian ethics more explicable to Confucian society and more supportive of cross-cultural dialogue with Confucian ethics. Table of Contents Acknowledgements vii Introduction 1 Part One: Current Attempts at Constructing Scriptural Ethics 20 Chapter I: Foundations: The Tasks of Scripture Scholars and Theological 22 Ethicists 1.1 The Study of Ethics in Scripture 22 New Testament Ethics 22 Methodology 27 The Contents of New Testament Ethics 29 1.2 The Use of Scripture in Ethics 32 How is the Bible Used in Ethics? 32 The Authority of Scripture in Ethics 36 The Bible as a Source for Ethics 42 The Problems of Using Scripture in Ethics 45 1.3 Where are We Now? 48 Chapter II: The Attempt by Scripture Scholars 49 2.1 Wolfgang Schrage 51 2.2 Richard B. Hays 58 2.3 Frank J. Matera 68 2.4 Sandra M. Schneiders 76 2.5 Rasiah S. Sugirtharajah 88 2.6 Where are We Now? 100 Chapter III: The Attempt by Theological Ethicists 105 3.1 Bernard Häring 107 3.2 Gustavo Gutiérrez 116 3.3 Rosemary Radford Ruether 127 3.4 William C. Spohn 142 3.5 Where are We Now? 155 i Chapter IV: The Importance of the Scriptural Text and of Ethical 163 Hermeneutics, or the Scripture as ‘Scripted’ and ‘Script’ 4.1 Richard A. Burridge 164 4.2 Allen Verhey 181 Verhey as a Biblical Theologian 185 Verhey as a Christian Ethicist 189 Scripture as ‘Scripted’ and ‘Script’ 197 4.3 Where are We now? 201 Part Two: The Hermeneutics of Virtue Ethics 205 Chapter V: A Hermeneutic of Virtue Ethics 209 5.1 Some Basic Issues 209 Nature of Virtue Ethics 209 Issue of Methodology 211 Question of Cultural Contextualization 212 Question of Theological Relevance 212 5.2 Historical Development 214 An Overview 214 Reasons for Returning to Virtue 222 5.3 The Revival of Virtue Ethics 224 Attempts from Philosophical and Theological Sectors 224 Limitations and Criticism of Virtue Theory 234 5.4 Contemporary Understanding of Virtue Ethics 238 The Plurality of Virtue Ethics 238 Contemporary Understanding 239 5.5 The Yield of Virtue 245 Practices and Habits 245 Disposition and Character 247 Exemplar 250 Community and Communal Identity 256 5.6 Virtue and Grace 260 5.7 Conclusion 265 Chapter VI: Reading Scripture through the Lens of Virtue 269 6.1 Relating Scripture and Virtue Ethics 272 Scripture and Moral Character 276 Scripture and Exemplar 277 Scripture and Community 279 6.2 Joseph Kotva, Jr. 282 6.3 William C. Spohn 293 ii 6.4 Conclusion 305 Part Three: Exegeting and Interpreting the Text—The Beatitudes as ‘Scripted 309 Script’ Chapter VII: The Exegesis of the Text—The Beatitudes as ‘Scripted’ 322 7.1 The Gospel according to Matthew: Some Basic Issues 323 Authorship, Date and Place of Composition 323 Setting and Purpose 324 Sources and Nature 325 Structure, Style, and Themes 327 Apocalyptic-eschatological Outlook 330 7.2 The Sermon on the Mount: Some Specific Issues 334 Its Place within the Gospel 334 Genre 336 Sources and Settings 337 The Mountain and the Audience 339 Purpose 341 Themes and Structure 341 A Radical Ethics for All? 344 A Summary 347 7.3 The Beatitudes: Some Critical and Immediate Issues 348 The Meanings of ‘beatitude’ and ‘blessed’ 348 ‘Beatitude’ (Macarism) in the Bible 350 Jewish Influences, Sources, and Development of the Beatitudes 351 The Unity and Structure of the Beatitudes 354 The Function of the Beatitudes 357 My own Approach 360 7.4 The Beatitudes: An Exegesis 362 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of 362 heaven 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted 366 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth 370 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 373 for they will be filled 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy 376 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God 380 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called 383 children of God 5: 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ 388 sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven A Summary 394 7.5 Conclusion 397 iii Chapter VIII: The Interpretation of a Key Text through the Hermeneutics 402 of Virtue Ethics—The Beatitudes as ‘Scripted Script’ 8.1 The Virtue of Humility in 5:3 409 Poverty as a Human Condition 410 The Meaning of ‘Poor in Spirit’ 411 Humility as a Virtue 412 The Practice of Humility 414 The Exemplars 415 The Social, Communal Aspect of the Virtue of Humility 417 8.2 Solidarity as a Virtue in 5:4 419 Suffering and Mourning as Human Experience 419 The Meaning of Mourning 421 Mourning as an Expression of the Virtue of Solidarity 422 The Practice of Mourning 423 The Exemplars 424 The Social, Communal Aspect of the Practice of Mourning and 425 the Virtue of Solidarity 8.3 The Virtue of Meekness in 5:5 426 Arrogance in Human World 427 The Meaning of Meekness 428 Meekness as a Virtue 429 The Practice of Meekness 430 The Exemplars 431 The Social, Communal Aspect of the Virtue of Meekness 434 8.4 Striving for and Discerning God‘s Righteousness in 5:6 435 God’s Righteousness or Human Justice? 435 The Meaning of Striving 437 Striving for God’s Righteousness as a Christian Virtue 438 The Practice of Striving for God’s Righteousness 438 The Exemplars 440 The Social, Communal Aspect of Striving for God’s 441 Righteousness 8.5 The Virtue of Mercy in 5:7 442 Miseries in Our Human World 443 The Meaning of Mercy 444 Mercy as a Virtue 445 The Works of Mercy in the Catholic Tradition 446 The Exemplars 448 The Social, Communal Aspect of the Virtue of Mercy 449 8.6 Integrity
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