Vernon K. Robbins

Rhetoric and biblical criticism

Books reviewed RHETORICAL CRITICISM: ESSAYS IN HONOR OF JAMES MUILENBURG. Edited by Jared J. Jackson and Martin Kessler. Pittsburgh Theological Monograph Series I. Pittsburgh: Pickwick Press, 1974; pp. xviii+ 287.

Mark 1.14–20: An Interpretation at the Intersection of Jewish and Graeco-Roman Traditions

7.95. EARLY CHRISTIAN RHETORIC: THE LANGUAGE OF THE GOSPELS. By Amos Niven Wilder. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press, 1971; pp. xxx+135.

Precreation Discourse and the Nicene Creed: Christianity Finds its Voice in the Roman Empire

6.50. THE NEW VOICE: RELIGION, LITERATURE, HERMENEUTICS. By Amos Niven Wilder. New York: Herder and Herder, 1969; pp. 269.

The Tapestry of Early Christian Discourse: Rhetoric, Society and Ideology

6.50. THEOPOETIC: THEOLOGY AND THE RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION. By Amos Niven Wilder. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1976; pp. vi+ 106.

Jesus the teacher : a socio-rhetorical interpretation of Mark

5.95. THE POETICS OF FAITH: ESSAYS OFFERED TO AMOS NIVEN WILDER. Edited by William A. Beardslee. Semeia, 12–13. Missoula, Mt.: Scholars, 1978; Vol. 12 pp. vi+277; Vol. 13 pp. vii+287.

Patterns of persuasion in the Gospels

6.00 ea. LANGUAGE, HERMENEUTIC, AND WORD OF GOD: THE PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AND CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGY. By Robert W. Funk. New York: Harper & Row, 1966; pp. xvi+317.

The Woman who Touched Jesus' Garment: Socio-Rhetorical Analysis of the Synoptic Accounts

7.50. THE PARABLES: THEIR LITERARY AND EXISTENTIAL DI...

Comparative Sacred Texts and Interactive Interpretation: Another Alternative to the “World Religions” Class

A deeply-rooted affliction plagues our commentaries on the Gospel of Mark. The problem is this: no contemporary commentaries systematically cite traditions in Graeco-Roman literature as well as traditions in Jewish literature to explicate the text of the Gospel of Mark. There should be no misunderstanding. The interpreter must not forsake intricate analysis of Jewish traditions in order to turn to Graeco-Roman literature. Rather, interpreters should glean insights from Graeco-Roman literature as well as Jewish literature to explain features that usually are not explored in the text.

Socio‐Rhetorical Interpretation

AbstractExploring the emergence of creedal statements in Christianity about non-time before creation, called precreation rhetorolect, this essay begins with the baptismal creed called the Roman Symbol and its expansion into the Apostles’ Creed. These early creeds contain wisdom, apocalyptic, and priestly rhetorolect, but no precreation rhetorolect. When the twelve statements in the Apostles’ Creed were expanded into the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the first three statements added precreation rhetorolect. God the Father Almighty not only creates heaven and earth, but God creates all things visible and invisible. Jesus Christ is not only God’s only Son, our Lord, but the Son is begotten from the Father before all time, Light from Light, and true God from true God. Being of the same substance as the Father, all things were made through the Son before he came down from heaven, the Son was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. With these creedal additions, a precreation storyline became the context for a lengthy chain of argumentation about belief among fourth century Christian leaders.