The Changing Shape Of Form Criticism: A Relational Approach

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In this important collection of essays by the leading theorist of form, Martin Buss presents in Part I, Steps toward a New Form Criticism, several essays that view forms as complexes of relations that constitute possibilities. This relational approach to form criticism rejects, on the one hand, the idea that reality is at base only particular and, on the other hand, an essentialism that holds that forms are firmly structured and there is a single correct way to classify texts. In Part II, Interdisciplinary Ideas of Sitz im Leben, he shows how Gunkel's notion of Sitz im Leben, derived from his knowledge of other fields, made an impact on leading figures in several disciplines. They modified the notion, and their analyses became known to a number of biblical scholars. This cross-pollination introduced a new understanding of the notion of Sitz im Leben into biblical studies, which, in turn, was noted by scholars in other fields. An appendix to the volume reports relational approaches in several disciplines that provide a stimulus for relational form criticism. The volume has been edited by Nickie M. Stipe.

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The Changing Shape of Form Criticism A Relational Approach Martin J. Buss THE CHANGING SHAPE OF FORM CRITICISM Hebrew Bible Monographs, 18 Series Editors David J.A. Clines, J. Cheryl Exum, Keith W. Whitelam Editorial Board A. Graeme Auld, Marc Brettler, Francis Landy, Hugh S. Pyper, Stuart D.E. Weeks THE CHANGING SHAPE OF FORM CRITICISM A RELATIONAL APPROACH Martin J. Buss edited by Nickie M. Stipe Sheffield Phoenix Press 2010 Copyright © 2010 Sheffield Phoenix Press Published by Sheffield Phoenix Press Department of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield Sheffield S3 7QB England www.sheffieldphoenix.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the publisher’s permission in writing. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Typeset by Vikatan Publishing Solutions (P) Ltd., Chennai, India Printed by Lightning Source Inc. in the UK and USA ISBN 978-1-906055-54-7 (hardback) ISSN 1747-9614 CONTENTS Acknowledgments vii Editor’s Preface ix List of Abbreviations xi Introduction Part I. Essays toward Relational Form Criticism xiii 1 1. The Meaning of ‘Cult’ and the Interpretation of the Old Testament 2. Form Criticism and Morphological Method 3. Appropriate and Not-So-Appropriate Ways of Relating Historical and Functional Methods: A Draft 4. The Idea of Sitz im Leben 5. Understanding Communication 6. Principles for Morphological Criticism with Special Reference to Letter Form 7. The Notion of ‘Aptness’ 8. Form Criticism: An Introduction 9. Form Criticism: Hebrew Bible 10. Toward Form Criticism as an Explication of Human Life: Divine Speech as a Form of Self-Transcendence 129 Part II. Interdisciplinary Ideas of Sitz im Leben 143 1. 2. 3. 4. Interdisciplinary Movements Gunkel’s Concept of Sitz im Leben in Biblical Studies In Gunkel’s Cultural Sphere: Simmel, Bally Key English-Language Analyses of Speech Situations Prior to 1960 5. The Bakhtin Circle 3 15 17 33 39 81 95 97 115 145 147 150 152 156 vi The Changing Shape of Form Criticism 6. Other East European and Marxist Considerations of Context 7. Wittgenstein 8. Other Philosophers 9. Some Twentieth-Century Theories of Situation in Rhetorical and Literary Theory 10. Situation in English-Language Sociology and Psychology 11. Discourse Analysis and Sociolinguistics after 1950 12. Speech Contexts