The Narrative Rhetoric of Speech and Silence in the Acts of the Apostles

Bibliographic Data

ID19293050
AuthorsMichal Beth Dinkler (0000-0002-2999-020X, Episcopal Divinity School, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume67
Issue1
Pages1-21
Publication date2021-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNew Testament Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0028-6885 • E-ISSN: 1469-8145
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0028688520000247
OpenAlexW3113216576
LanguageEN
References cited14

Approaches to ancient texts that focus exclusively on speech are inherently imbalanced. Far from simply an innocuous absence of language, silence can carry thundering significances. Yet, these meanings are not always obvious, and they can be especially difficult to interpret in texts , without attendant non-verbal cues such as facial expressions or gestures. How can New Testament interpreters best discern and describe the interwoven words, whispers, silences and subtexts of ancient narratives? In this article, I seek to build on my earlier narratological study of speech and silence, Silent Statements: Narrative Representations of Speech and Silence in the Gospel of Luke . There, I demonstrate how focusing on silences as well as speech enriches our understanding of the narratological dimensions of Luke's Gospel, including Lukan plot, characterisation, theme(s) and readerly experience(s). The obvious next step is to extend this work to the Lukan sequel. The guiding question of this article is therefore: how do speech and silence contribute to the narrative rhetoric of the Acts of the Apostles

Aesthetics · Art · Gospel · Linguistics · Literature · Narrative · Rhetoric · Silence · Theme (computing) · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Computer Science · Historical and Linguistic Studies · History · Philosophy

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