Like all skilful authors, the composer of the biblical books of Luke and Acts understood that a good story requires more than a gripping plot - a persuasive narrative also needs well-portrayed, plot-enhancing characters. This book brings together a set of new essays examining characters and characterization in those books from a variety of methodological perspectives. The essays illustrate how narratological, sociolinguistic, reader-response, feminist, redaction, reception historical, and comparative literature approaches can be fruitfully applied to the question of Luke's techniques of characterization. Theoretical and methodological discussions are complemented with case studies of specific Lukan characters. Together, the essays reflect the understanding that while many of the literary techniques involved in characterization attest a certain universality, each writer also brings his or her own unique perspective and talent to the portrayal and use of characters, with the result that analysis of a writer's characters and style of characterization can enhance appreciation of that writer's work.

This guide to interpreting the characters in Luke-Acts, the longest and most complex of New Testament narratives, uses the latest literary-critical theory and biblical scholarship to construct an understanding of how the characters are formed and how they function in the Lukan writings. It is the author’s contention that the reader plays an important role in character building. The author illustrates this process using three representative characters or character groups: John the Baptist, the Pharisees, and Herod the Tetrarch.

Like all skilful authors, the composer of the biblical books of Luke and Acts understood that a good story requires more than a gripping plot - a persuasive narrative also needs well-portrayed, plot-enhancing characters. This book brings together a set of new essays examining characters and characterization in those books from a variety of methodological perspectives. The essays illustrate how narratological, sociolinguistic, reader-response, feminist, redaction, reception historical, and comparative literature approaches can be fruitfully applied to the question of Luke's techniques of characterization. Theoretical and methodological discussions are complemented with case studies of specific Lukan characters. Together, the essays reflect the understanding that while many of the literary techniques involved in characterization attest a certain universality, each writer also brings his or her own unique perspective and talent to the portrayal and use of characters, with the result that analysis of a writer's characters and style of characterization can enhance appreciation of that writer's work.

Luke-Acts contains many and diverse female characters, many of whom play significant roles in the unfolding drama of God's plan of salvation through Jesus and the early church. Women followers of Jesus are fully-fledged disciples who prove to be reliable and insightful, participating in God's mission at all levels. They act as interpreters of salvation history, God's prophetic mouthpieces, witnesses to the resurrection, proclaimers and teachers of the gospel, and patrons and leaders of the early church. At the heart of this narratival exposure lies a particular theology of women. This narratival presentation and theology is rich and quite remarkable given the socio-religious climate in which Luke wrote. An appreciation of this 'narratival theology' is important, not only for a well-rounded understanding of Luke-Acts, but as a vital part of the variegated witness of the New Testament regarding the role of women in God's new community.

"Were the three rulers with the name "Herod" in Luke-Acts a composite character? Frank Dicken explores their narrative similarities and interprets them as a single character in light of other examples of conflation in Jewish and early Christian literature."--Provided by publisher.

This book surveys the current landscape of New Testament studies, offering readers a concise guide to contemporary discussions. Bringing together a diverse group of experts, it covers research on the most important issues in New Testament studies, including new discipline areas, making it an ideal supplemental textbook for a variety of courses on the New Testament. Michael Bird, David Capes, Greg Carey, Lynn Cohick, Dennis Edwards, Michael Gorman, and Abson Joseph are among the contributors.

Judging by the number of references to Holy Ghost in Luke's gospel and Acts, it is no wonder that Luke is designated as the “enthusiast in/for the Spirit” or that the Acts of the Apostles is called “the Acts of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit has also been one of the most constantly debated subjects among the many issues concerning Luke and/or Acts. This study will re-visit the topic of the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts through a new perspective. Part of this volume discusses three contemporary understandings of Lukan pneumatology; that of J. D. G. Dunn, R. P. Menzies and M. M. B. Turner. These reflect three different positions in regard to this subject.

This guide to interpreting the characters in Luke-Acts, the longest and most complex of New Testament narratives, uses the latest literary-critical theory and biblical scholarship to construct an understanding of how the characters are formed and how they function in the Lukan writings. It is the author’s contention that the reader plays an important role in character building. The author illustrates this process using three representative characters or character groups: John the Baptist, the Pharisees, and Herod the Tetrarch.

In foregrounding the themes of witnessing, 'seeing and hearing', and recognition, Luke urges readers to reflect on their own hearing (= reading) of his story, to become certain kinds of readers and to read in particular ways. So the need for a reader-oriented methodology in interpreting Luke-Acts is evident. But what is the best theory to deploy? Charting a path through the thickets of modern literary theory, Darr develops a new reader-oriented model, insisting that the original 'extratext' (the repertoire of literary and social conventions) of Luke-Acts-and not simply the text itself-should be taken into account in any critical evaluation of how this story works. To demonstrate this new hermeneutical model, Darr undertakes an extensive study of Lukan characterization, and especially his portrayal of Herod the Tetrarch.

This fascinating study explores the enigmatic portrayals of the Pharisees in Luke and Acts. The characterization of the Pharisees is examined in the context of the social dynamics inherent in the narratives. The fusion of these narratological and social modes of analysis represents not only a fresh approach to the Pharisees in Luke and Acts, but also is a significant methodological advance in gospel study.