The Drama Of Doctrine

"Observing a strange disappearance of doctrine within the church, Kevin Vanhoozer argues that there is no more urgent task for Christians today than to engage in living truthfully with others before God. He details how doctrine serves the church - the theater of the gospel - by directing individuals and congregations to participate in the drama of what God is doing to renew all things in Jesus Christ. Taking his cue from George Lindbeck and others who locate the criteria of Christian identity in Spirit-led church practices, Vanhoozer relocates the norm for Christian doctrine in the canonical practices, which, he argues, both provoke and preserve the integrity of the church's witness as prophetic and apostolic."--BOOK JACKET.

Kevin J. Vanhoozer is Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Preface

xi

Introduction: The Way of Truth; the Stuff of Life

1

(36)

The Setting: Theology and the Cultural-Linguistic Turn

3

(13)

The Thesis: The Canonical-Linguistic Approach

16

(9)

The Vision: A Catholic-Evangelical Orthodoxy

25

(5)

The Plot: A Brief Synopsis

30

(7)

PART ONE: THE DRAMA

1 The Gospel as Theo-drama: The Divine Voice and Actor

37

(20)

Entrances, Exoduses, and the Economy of the Gospel

38

(6)

Theo-drama: Divine Speech and Action

44

(13)

2 Theology in the Theo-drama: The Human Voice and Actor

57

(20)

Theo-dramatic Theology: Human Speech and Action

58

(2)

The Mission of Theology and the Trinitarian Missions

60

(17)

3 The Nature of Doctrine: A Dramatic Proposal

77

(38)

To Know God Truly: What London and Broadway Have to Say to Jerusalem

79

(4)

The Natures of Doctrine: Of Propositions, Poems, and Practices

83

(17)

Doctrine as Theo-dramatic Direction

100

(15)

PART TWO: THE SCRIPT

4 Word and Church: The Canon as Covenant Document

115

(36)

The "Gaza Road" Experience: "According to the Scriptures"

116

(4)

Why Turn to Canon? Problems and Possibilities

120

(13)

Canon as Covenant: How Scripture Constitutes the Church

133

(8)

Canon as Criterion: Why Scripture Rules

141

(10)

5 Scripture and Tradition: Two (or More) Kinds of Performance Interpretation

151

(36)

Scripture Becomes Tradition: Ecclesiology as First Theology?

154

(11)

Performance II: The Interpretative Community Authors and Directs

165

(11)

Triune Performance: Divine Canonical Discourse

176

(3)

Performance I: The Interpretative Community Responds and Enacts

179

(8)

6 Jesus, Spirit, Church: Scripture and Tradition in Theo-dramatic Perspective

187

(24)

A Hermeneutics of Pneumatic Reception: The Church as Performance of the Spirit?

189

(4)

Commissio: Canon and the Prophetic Authority of Jesus Christ

193

(6)

Discerning "Spirited" Tradition: The Church as History of Canonical Effects

199

(4)

The Pattern of Ecclesial Authority: The Rule of Faith as Canonical

203

(8)

7 The Work of the Spirit in the Practices of the Canon

211

(32)

Literary Practices: Genres as Types of Social Action

212

(4)

Canonical Practices and Forms of Covenantal Life

216

(4)

Canonical Practices as Practices of Jesus: Figuring and Praying the Scriptures

220

(6)

The Canon as Spirited Practice

226

(5)

The Practice of Sofa Scriptura and the Role of Tradition: The Canon as Sapiential Criterion

231

(12)

PART THREE: THE DRAMATURGE

8 Theology as Dramaturgy

243

(22)

Introducing the Dramaturge

244

(2)

The Theologian as Dramaturge

246

(10)

Faithfulness as Dramatic Fittingness

256

(9)

9 The Canonical-Linguistic Approach, Part One: Scientia

265

(42)

A Postpropositionalist Theology

266

(12)

A Postconservative Theology

278

(13)

A Postfoundationalist Theology

291

(16)

10 The Canonical-Linguistic Approach, Part Two: Sapientia

307

(56)

A Prosaic Theology

309

(15)

A Phronetic Theology

324

(30)

A Prophetic Theology

354

(9)

PART FOUR: THE PERFORMANCE

11 Doctrine, Role, Vocation: The Actors Prepare

363

(36)

Identity Theatrics: Casting Calls, Role-Playing, Being Oneself

364

(5)

The "Method": From Character to Spiritual Formation

369

(11)

From Doctrine to Identity: Atonement and Union with Christ

380

(14)

The Disciple's Vocation: Being Real

394

(5)

12 Doctrine and the Church: The Company of the Gospel

399

(46)

Church as Theater: The Empty Space

401

(6)

A Theater of Word and Sacrament: Playing Corpus Christi

407

(6)

A Community of "Costumed Interpreters": Interactive Theater as Communio

413

(13)

Performing Atonement: A Theater of Martyrdom

426

(15)

A Plea for Amateur Theology: Acting in Parables

441

(4)

Conclusion: Creeds, Confessions, and the Pastor/Director: Doctrine and Theology in the Theater of Congregational Action

445

(14)

Directing the Company: Pastoral Theology

447

(2)

Masterpiece Theater: Creedal Theology

449

(2)

Regional Theater: Confessional Theology

451

(2)

Local Theater: Congregational Theology

453

(6)

Selected Bibliography

459

(12)

Index of Names

471

(6)

Index of Subjects

477

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The Drama Of Doctrine

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials