A Discourse Analysis of Philippians
Author | : Jeffrey Reed |
Publisher | : Bloomsbury Publishing |
Total Pages | : 525 |
Release | : 1997-02-01 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780567609007 |
ISBN-13 | : 0567609006 |
Rating | : 4/5 (07 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: This large-scale work is the application of modern theories of discourse analysis to questions of Greek grammar, especially with respect to the debate over the literary integrity of Philippians. Chapter 1 introduces the linguistic theory of discourse analysis, defining key terms, sketching its historical evolution and outlining its major tenets. Chapter 2 sets forth a model of discourse analysis primarily based on the systemic functional theories of M.A.K. Halliday. Chapter 3 outlines the historical-critical debate over the literary integrity of Philippians. Chapter 4 inspects the genre of Philippians, challenging rhetorical approaches to the text and proposing instead an epistolary classification, viz. 'personal, hortatory letter'. Chapter 5 focuses on the discourse structure of the letter, investigating its use of ideational, interpersonal and textual functions of Hellenistic Greek. In chapter 6, relevant issues of biblical hermeneutics are addressed.