Using Genesis 34 in Christian Ethics: A Case Study in the Christian Ethical Appropriation of Old Testament Narratives

摘要

This thesis aims to set out parameters within which Christian ethicaludreappropriations of Old Testament Narratives can take place.udChapter One sets out the philosophical foundations for the project makingudspecial use of the work of Paul Ricoeur. It is argued that the notion of audnarrative-self is crucial to understanding how it is that story can ethicallyudshape its audience. Four specific ways in which it does this are set out.udChapter Two argues that story is far more important in OT ethics than hasudusually been appreciated. It moves' on to defend a hermeneutical modeludsuggested by N. T. Wright for Christian interpretation of the OT.udHaving set forth the hermeneutical method in the first two chapters,udChapters Three to Five attempt to apply it to a case study. Chapter Threeudoverviews the ethical use that has been made of Genesis 34 in the history ofudinterpretation, whilst Chapter Four proposes an interpretation. ChapterudFive is an attempt to interpret Genesis 34 within the context of the biblicaludmetanarrative. It is argued that this sheds new light on appropriate andudinappropriate Christian ethical uses of the chapter.