Story Theology

Terrence W. Tilley, Ph.D., chaired the department of religious studies of the University of Dayton from 1994-2003. He is the author or co-editor of eight books, most recently Inventing Catholic Tradition (Orbis), and scores of articles and reviews in philosophy of religion and theology. He is a past president of the College Theology Society, former co-chair of the Roman Catholic Studies Group of the American Academy of Religion, and served on the board of directors of the Catholic Theological Society of America. He previously taught at Georgetown University, St. Michael's College, Vermont, and Florida State University.

• ContentsAcknowledgments    xiPreface    xiiiIntroduction   xviiChapter One: The Dance of Metaphor   1The Dance of Metaphor   1"A Selfless Humanist"   1"A Seeker of a Wholistic Self"   9The Tasks of Narrative Theology   11Summary   16Chapter Two: Why Story Theology?The Background Story   18The Shaking of the Foundations in Theology   18The Challenge from the Philosophers of Language   20The Narrative Quality of Human Experience   23The Evolution of Biblical Criticism   26The Erosion of the Enlightenment Myths   30Summary: The Emergence of Narrative Theology   36For Further Reading  36Chapter Three: The Shapes of Stories  39Stories That Set Up Worlds  40Stories That Upset Worlds  46Stories Set In Worlds  50Summary: The Shapes of Christian Stories   53For Further Reading   53Chapter Four: Stories of "The End": Eschatology   55The Hermeneutics of Eschatological Assertions   56Eschatological Judgment: Separating Sheep from Goats   60Modern Eschatologies: Some Critical Notes   64Conclusions   70For Further Reading   70Chapter Five: The Stories of Jesus: I   73The Need for Biblical Criticism   73Jesus' Stories   78A Concluding Reflection   97For Further Reading   97Chapter Six: The Stories of Jesus:  II   101On Reading New Testament Stories   101The Actions of Jesus   104Concluding reflections   111For Further Reading   115Chapter Seven: The Stories of Jesus: III   117The Son of Man   118The Son of God   121The New Adam   128The Suffering Servant   130The New Moses   132The Word of God  133The Messiah   136Conclusions: A Myth of a Parabolic Messiah?   140For Further Reading   143Chapter Eight: The Body of Christ   147Inner History and Outer History   148Stories from the Past   152Stories in the Present /Tense   161Summary: Ways of Incarnating Atonement   174For Further Reading   178Chapter Nine: Moments of Truth   182"True" As a Grade   183True Stories as Revealing Stories   187True Stories as Coherent Stories   191True Stories as Stories of Authenticity   196True Stories as Stories of Fidelity  201True Stories as Stories of Constancy   207Moments of Truth, Stories of Truth and the Life of Truth   211For Further Reading   213Epilogue: The Last Act   215Works Consulted   219Index   234