Reclaiming Narrative for Public Theology

by Doak, Mary

• ISBN13: 9780791462331
• ISBN10: 0791462331
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-10-07
• Publisher: State Univ of New York Pr

Summary

Mary Doak is Assistant Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
1. INTRODUCTION: THE NEED FOR A NARRATIVE PUBLIC THEOLOGY	1	(26)
Narrative as a Resource for Historicizing Theology	1	(4)
The Public Theology Project	5	(2)
Why Call It Public Theology?	7	(5)
Achievements in Public Theology Thus Far	12	(7)
The Public Character of Narrative	19	(4)
How This Argument Will Proceed	23	(4)
2. PUBLIC THEOLOGY IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY	27	(44)
Arendt's Defense of a Pluralistic Public Life	31	(17)
Public Life as Resistance to Totalitarianism	31	(4)
The Nature of Public Life and Action	35	(3)
Is Christianity Inherently Antipublic?	38	(9)
Conclusion	47	(1)
Public Theology without Establishment of Religion	48	(19)
The Complex Meaning of Religious Freedom	48	(5)
Case #1. The Zen Commandments	53	(3)
Religious Morality and the Limits of Legislation	56	(4)
Case #2: Lawrence v. Texas and the Legislation of Morality	60	(3)
Religious Freedom and Public Debate	63	(4)
Public Theology Amid Diversity	67	(4)
3. E PLURIBUS UNUM? NATIONAL NARRATIVES AND THE RECOVERY OF PUBLIC LIFE	71	(36)
Introduction: Why Nations and Why Narratives?	71	(6)
A Defense of Public Life on the National Level	77	(9)
Arguments Against the Nation-State	77	(2)
A Qualified Defense of the Nation-State	79	(6)
National Identity	85	(1)
Historical Narratives and the Nation-State	86	(18)
National Narratives and the Repression of the Other	86	(3)
Ricoeur's Theory of Narrative	89	(21)
The Structure of Narrative	89	(1)
The Narrative Structure of Historical Understanding	90	(4)
Identity and Purpose as Conceptualized through Historical and Fictional Narratives	94	(6)
Bifurcated Histories or a Common Narrative?	100	(4)
Conclusion	104	(3)
4. TOWARD A NARRATIVE PUBLIC THEOLOGY	107	(66)
Narrative in a Practical Fundamental Theology: J.B. Metz	110	(16)
A Narrative, Practical Approach to Fundamental Theology	110	(5)
Human Freedom in History	115	(4)
Theology and the Critique of Narratives	119	(3)
Metz's Contributions to Public Theology	122	(4)
North American Narrative Theologians: Stanley Hauerwas and Ronald Thiemann	126	(33)
A Narrative Theological Ethics: Stanley Hauerwas	126	(19)
Narrative as the Basis of Communal Identity	126	(5)
The Christian Task in History	131	(4)
The Public Mission of the Church	135	(5)
The Christian Narrative and Public Discourse	140	(3)
Hauerwas's Contributions and Challenges to a Narrative Public Theology	143	(2)
A Public Narrative Theology: Ronald Thiemann	145	(13)
Thiemann's Argument for Public Theology	145	(2)
Why Narrative in This Public Theology?	147	(3)
Thiemann's Proposal for a Theological Method	150	(3)
Thick Descriptions and Public Debate	153	(5)
Oppositional or Publicly Engaged Narrative Theology?	158	(1)
Conclusion: Towards a Narrative Public Theology	159	(14)
The Importance of Narrative in Christian Theology	159	(4)
A Double Narrative Construction for Public Theology	163	(3)
Narrative and Public Debate	166	(7)
5. LINCOLN, ELIZONDO, AND WILLIAMS AS NARRATIVE PUBLIC THEOLOGIANS	173	(34)
The Argument for a Narrative Public Theology Summarized	173	(4)
Abraham Lincoln: Narrating Judgment	177	(12)
The Narrative Structure in the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address	177	(5)
Public Theology or Civil Religion?	182	(2)
Lincoln's Contributions to a Narrative Public Theology	184	(5)
Virgil Elizondo: Narrating Mestizaje	189	(8)
Three Levels of Narrative	189	(5)
Elizondo's Contributions to a Narrative Public Theology	194	(3)
Delores Williams: Narrating Resistance	197	(8)
Narrating a Womanist Theology	197	(5)
Williams's Contributions to a Narrative Public Theology	202	(3)
Conclusion	205	(2)
Notes	207	(32)
Index	239