UNION BIBLICAL SEMINARY, PUNE

Topic: “Socio-Narrative Criticism”

Submitted to Dr. George Philip

In Partial Fulfilment for the Requirement of the Course

Research Methodology (MNT007)

By

Birendra Subba

MTh-I (NT-ATA)

August 4, 2022

Respondent: Seikhochon Hangshing

 Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Socio-Narrative Criticism
1.1. Sociological Criticism
1.2. Narrative Criticism
2. Historical Development of Sociological and Narrative Criticism
3. Principles of Socio-Narrative Criticism
3.1. The Real Author
3.2. The Implied Author
3.3. The Real Reader
3.4. The Implied Reader
3.5. The Narrator
3.6. The Narrate
4. Methodology of Narrative Criticism
4.1. Rhetoric
4.1.1. Repetition
4.1.2. Framing Narrative
4.1.3. Rhetorical Figures
4.1.4. Figures of Thoughts
4.2. Setting
4.2.1. Spatial Settings
4.2.2. Temporal Settings
4.2.3. Social Settings
4.3. Characters
4.3.1. Showing and Telling
4.3.2. Round and Flat Character
4.3.3. Dynamic and Static Character
4.4. Events
4.4.1. Order
4.4.2. Duration

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 4.4.3. Frequency
4.4.4. Causation
4.4.5. Conflict
4.5. Story and Discourse
4.5.1. Point of View
4.5.2. Narration
4.5.3. Symbolism and Irony
4.5.4. Patterns
4.6. Plot
4.6.1. Elements of Plot
4.6.2. Plot Types and Plot Patterns
4.6.3. Order of Narration
5. Sociological Theories
5.1. Structural Functional Theory
5.2. Conflict Theory
5.3. Symbolic Theory
5.4. Mediterranean Model
6. Application of the Sociological and Narrative Criticism in the New Testament

Conclusion

Bibliography

2
Introduction

Sociological criticism deals with the social and cultural setting of the text and Narrative
criticism views the text as a whole and examines the text through close reading. Sociological
criticism and narrative criticism are the method of interpretating the biblical text which can be
study together. Therefore, in this paper a researcher brings out the historical development,
principles, methods, and theories of Sociological and Narrative criticism which will be useful for
the interpreting of the New Testament.

1. Socio-Narrative Criticism

Social-scientific approaches address the larger social phenomena but neglect the role of
narratives in identity formation. Recent works that highlight the role of narrative have identified
several helpful elements of narrative that help shape identity but so focus on the text that they
neglect the social processes. The approach to studying early Christian identity formation that
takes seriously both the social context and the role of narratives and combining these
perspectives in what has something been called a socio-narrative approach.1

1.1. Sociological Criticism

The term “sociology” derived from two words: Latin socius which literally means people,
tribe, society and Greek logos meaning reason or knowledge.2 In the interpretation of the Bible,
Social-scientific criticism is the phase of the exegetical task which analyses the social and
cultural aspect of the text.3 Social-scientific interpretation refers to biblical interpretation which
draws upon ideas and perspectives from social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, social
psychology, economies, and so on. This method of interpretation argues that we cannot open a
single biblical text without encountering issues relating to how human being live together in
social groups.4

1
Coleman A. Baker, “Early Christian Identity Formation: From Ethnicity and Theology to Socio-Narrative
Criticism”, Currents in Biblical Research 02, no. 9 (February 2011): 235, accessed July 12, 2022,
DOI:10.1177/1476993X10383834.
2
John J Macionis & Ken Plummer, Sociology: A Global Introduction (London: Pearson, 2012), 4.
3
John H. Elliott, What is Social Scientific Criticism? (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993), 7.
4
Philip F. Esler, “Social-Scientific Approaches”, in Dictionary of Biblical Criticism and Interpretation, ed.
Stanley E. Porter (New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2007), 337.

3
1.2. Narrative Criticism

Narrative criticism considered as a subcategory of literary criticism. In 1950s Narrative

criticism regarded as a critical method of biblical studies.5 Narrative criticism concerns to an
implied reader who is presupposed by the narrative itself. The three middle components (Implied
Author-Narrative-Implied Reader) take the place of what was previously described simply as the
text.6 Narrative Criticism explains that the reader receives the text and ascribes meaning
according to its original intent of the implied reader.7 And it concerned with the literariness of
the biblical narratives-that is the qualities that make them literature.8 The primary understanding
of narrative criticism is that it speaks of an implied reader who is supposed by the narrator itself
and this implied reader is distinct from any real reader. This real author or real reader in the text is
replaced by the implied author and implied reader.9 It is generally achieved by anticipating
various reaction of the reader called “expected response” or how the reader might be expected to
response.10

2. Historical Development of Sociological and Narrative Criticism

Social-scientific criticism analyzed the social and cultural aspects of the Biblical text.
According to Stephen C. Barton, sociological criticism can be understood as s development of
historical criticism.11 John H. Elliot describes the sociological criticism as a “component of
historical-critical method.”12 Historical-critical method deals with authorship, dates, language,
historical event of the text whereas sociological criticism deals with different kinds of social and
cultural related that are characterized in the New Testament world.13 Sociological criticism owes
its development to Max Waber who is considered as one of the pioneers of sociological studies.
He was the first who analyzed the social Christianity in the beginning of 19th century. In 1984,
5
Cynthia Long Westfall, “Narrative Criticism”, in Dictionary of Biblical Criticism and Interpretation, ed.
Stanley E. Porter (New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2007), 237.
6
Mark Allan Powell, What is Narrative Criticism? (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1990), 31.
7
Mark Allen Powell, “Methods for Matthew,” in Literary Approaches and the Gospel of Matthew, ed. Mark
Allen Powell (London: Cambridge University, 2009), 59.
8
James L. Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An Introduction (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Bakers Academic, 2005), 19.
9
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?,32.
10
Norm R. Petereson, Literary Criticism for New Testament Critics (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1978),
37.
11
Stephen C. Barton, “Social-Scientific Criticism”, in Handbook to Exegesis of the New Testament, ed.
Stanley E. Porter (Leiden: Brill, 2002), 277.
12
John H. Elliot, What is Social Scientific Criticism (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993), 15.
13
Barton, “Social-Scientific Criticism”, 277.

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Frederick Engels acknowledged that early Christianity was a social movement of the working-
class people later Karl Kautsky published his thesis from the Marxist perspective about the early
Christianity that inspired the Biblical theologians to broaden the studies of Christianity from the
sociological worldview.14 The work of social historian Edwin A. Judge and other many scholars
and their work also contributed to the development of the sociological criticism.15

Narrative criticism emerged from the literary criticism and considered as a subcategory
which became a critical method of biblical studies in 1980s. In 1981 when Robert Alter
published a book called “The Art of Biblical Narrative” after which the narrative criticism
became more common in New Testament studies.16 The work of R. Alan Culpepper who
published a book called “Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel”: that contribute studying the Johannine
research by narrative elements. Mark Allan Powell also contributed by his book “what is
Narrative Criticism?” that explains the meaning and conflict of narrative criticism. James L.
Resseguie who wrote a book called “Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An
Introduction” also give the details understanding of narrative criticism.17

3. Basic Principles of Narrative Criticism

3.1. The Real Author

The real author is the person whose hand and mind produced the text. However, as the real
author is extrinsic to the narrative text, no attempt will be made to discuss the identity of the
gospel’s author.18

3.2. The Implied Author

The implied author is a fiction, a literary construct, or a concept within the text, distinct from
the real author and is always evoked by narrative.19 According to Booth, the implied author is

14
Dale B. Martins, “Social-Scientific Criticism” in An Introduction to Biblical Criticism and their
Application, eds. Stephan Mckenzie and Stephen R. Haynes (Kentucky: Westminster, 1995), 125-26.
15
Elliott, What is Social Scientific Criticism?, 26.
16
Westfall, “Narrative Criticism,” 237.
17
Westfall, “Narrative Criticism,” 238.
18
B. J. Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52) (Delhi: ISPCK, 2005), 40.
19
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52), 42.

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the one who “chooses, consciously or unconsciously, what we read; we infer him as an ideal,
literary, created version of the real man; he is sum of his own choices.”20

3.3. The Real Reader

The real reader is the person who receives or reads the narrative text. The real reader is an
expression for an indeterminate number of people, which possibly includes a huge galaxy of
personalities from different ages and cultures.21

3.4. The Implied Reader

The implied reader is one who actualizes the potential meaning in a text, who responds to it
in ways consistent with the expectations that we may ascribe to tis implied author. The implied
reader can simply be said to be the kind of reader/s demanded by the narrative text. The implied
reader is an imaginary person who always responds to the story with whatever emotion,
understanding, or knowledge the text ideally calls for.22

3.5. The Narrator

The Narrator is a literary term designating the storyteller of a narrative.23 The narrator can
be pictographically imaged as a guide to the reader through the narrative. It introduces the reader
to the world of the narrative and the characters, which populate it.24

3.5.1. The Narrate

The narrate can be simply described as that entity with which the narrator communicates. It
denotes the person to whom the narrator addresses the discourse.25 Narrate can be variously

20
Wayne Booth, The Rhetoric of Fiction, 2nd edition (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1983), 74-75.
21
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52), 43-44.
22
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52), 45.
23
Alan Culpepper, Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel: A Study in Literary Design (Philadelphia: Fortress Press,
1983), 16.
24
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52), 16-17.
25
J. A. Cuddon, “Narratee,” The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, 4th edition
(London: Penguin Books, 1999), 529.

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manifested. It can appear in the guise of one of the characters in the story world and is fed
information by one of the other characters, and it can be hidden behind the narrative.26

4. Methodology of Narrative Criticism

Narrative criticism views the text as a whole and it avoids the fragmentation of the text
associated with forms of historical criticism. Narrative criticism emphasized the effects of a
narrative on the reader. The narrative critic asks: What point of view does the narrative want the
reader to adopt or to reject? Does the narrative want the reader to see reality differently? How
does the narrative undermine or subvert the reader’s accepted norms, values, and beliefs? What
are the standards of judgment (ideological point of view) present in a narrative?27 The
methodology of narrative criticism is complex and by no means unified but may be summarized
in following.

4.1. Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. It breathes life into a narrative and influences how we feel
and think about what the author says. Rhetoric helps us to understand author’s ideological point
of view, norms, beliefs.28 Narrative criticism interprets the text from the perspective of an
idealized implied reader who is presupposed by and constructed from the text itself.29

4.1.1. Repetition

Repetition is a stylistic device that reiterates words, phrases, themes, patterns, situations,
and actions for emphasis. It helps identify the norms, values, beliefs, and point of view that the
narrator considers important.30

4.1.2. Framing Narrative

A framing narrative is an envelope for another narrative, thus forming an ABA' pattern.
The embedded narrative (B) interrupts the framing narrative (A, A'), which is resumed after the
embedded narrative ends.31

26
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52), 49.
27
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 38-40.
28
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 41.
29
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 26.
30
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 42.

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4.1.3. Rhetorical Figures

Rhetorical figures or figures of speech depart from customary or standard usage of

language by the order and pattern of words and phrases. They use words and phrases in their
customary or literal manner, but they achieve special effects by the arrangement of words,
phrases, clauses, and syntactical forms.32

4.1.4. Figures of Thoughts

Figures of thought or tropes use words and phrases that depart from customary or standard
ways of using the language. Some figures of thought are exaggeration, irony, simile,
synecdoche, metonymy, metaphor, understatement, double meaning, misunderstanding, and
carnivalesque.33

4.2. Setting

Setting represent that aspect of narrative that provides context for the actions of the
characters. Settings serve a variety of functions. They may help to reveal characters, determine
conflict, or provide structure for the story.34 Setting is the background against which the
narrative action takes place. It may be the physical, social-cultural, temporal, or religious
environment. A setting may be geographical (Jerusalem, Jericho, Judea, Samaria, Galilee),
topographical (mountain, sea, desert, river), religious (sabbath, festival), or architectural (house,
pool, synagogue, temple, tomb). It may be social or cultural (Jew, Gentile, Samaritan, clean,
unclean), political (Rome, Pharaoh, Kingdom of God), temporal (night, day, forty days,
millennium), or spatial (heaven, earth, abyss).35

4.2.1. Spatial Settings

Settings that pattern to location or space are the most widely discussed in literary theory.
They include the physical environment in which the characters of the story live as well as the

31
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 54.
32
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 56.
33
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 61.
34
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 84.
35
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 88.

8
‘props’ and ‘furniture’ that make up the environment, such as articles of clothing, modes of
transportation and so on.36

4.2.2. Temporal Settings

References to temporal settings are of two types; chronological which refers to point of time
in which the given action takes place. And typological setting refers to the final indication that
the kind of time within which an action transpires.37

4.2.3. Social Settings

Social settings include the political institutions, class structures, economic systems, social
customs, and general cultural context assumed to be operative in the work.38

4.3. Characters

Narrative also includes characters. “Characterization” refers to authors’ bringing characters

to life in a narrative by telling about them and/or by showing them through (1) what they say, (2)
what they do, and (3) how other characters perceive them or react to them.39 Characters are a
central element in a story. They are the actors in a story.40 Characters also reveal themselves in
their clothing (what they wear), in their gestures and posture (how they present themselves).41
Characters may appear in the form of animals (serpent of Gen 3), plants (the tree of Judg 9:8-15),
and other nonhuman entities (angels and demons).42 Therefore, in narrative characters are
studied.

4.3.1. Showing and Telling

The implied author can reveal the characters by telling the story or showing the readers what
the character is like.43 The characters are brought to life for the reader by the implied author

36
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 70.
37
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 73.
38
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 74.
39
David Rhoads, “Narrative Criticism and the Gospel of Mark,” Journal of the American Academy of
Religion 50, no. 3 (September: 1982): 417.
40
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52), 51.
41
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 121.
42
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 65.
43
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 52.

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through narrating words and actions. This words (telling) and actions (Showing) may be those of
a character himself or herself, those of another character or those of the narrator.44

4.3.2. Round and Flat Character

E. M. Forster distinguished character types as either round or flat.45 Round character are
those who are inconsistent, and flat characters are those who are tempered and consistent.46

4.3.3. Dynamic and Static Character

A dynamic character undergoes a radical change throughout the course of a narrative,

displaying new behaviors and changed outlooks. A static character, however, does not develop or
change; he or she remains stable in outlook and disposition throughout the story.47

4.4. Events

Events story encompasses three elements: events, characters, and settings. Events are the
incidents or happenings that occur within a story and a story cannot exist without them.48

4.4.1. Order

The order of events in the gospel provides a beginning point. The order of event in the story
can be concluded with changeable steps of truth from clues in the narrative or from external
data.49 An important distinction is made between story time- which refers to the order in which
the events are conceived to have occurred by the implied author in creating the world of story
and discourse time which refers to the order in which the events are described for the readers.50

44
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives, 54.
45
E. M. Forster, Aspects of the Novel (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1927), 78, cited by James L. Resseguie,
Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An Introduction (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Bakers Academic, 2005),
123.
46
E.V. McKnight, “Literary Criticism,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospel, eds. Joel B. Green and Scot
McKnnight (Illinois: Intervarsity, 1992), 475.
47
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 125.
48
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 48.
49
Culpepper, Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel, 165.
50
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 36.

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4.4.2. Duration

It is the factor that tells the relationship of the length of the narrative to the length of the
story.51 Powell quoted Gerard Genette five ways in which the duration of discourse time related
to the story time. Summary- refers to instances when discourse time is briefer than story time,
Scenerefers to instance when the duration of discourse and story time is equivalent, Stretch-
when story time is briefer than discourse time, ellipsis- when discourse time stops while story
time continues, and Pause-when story time stops, and discourse time continues.52

4.4.3. Frequency

Narrative Critics are also interested in frequency with which events occur in a story and in
the frequency with which they are reported. Culppeper quoted Genette treatment of frequency
as, narrating once an event that happened once (the singular narration), narrating repeatedly
happened once (repetitious), narrative repeatedly events that happened repeatedly (repetitive),
and narrating once events that happened repeatedly (iterative).53

4.4.4. Causation

To understand the plot of the story it is important to see the elements of casualty that link the
events to each other. Casual relationships between events may be divided into possibility,
probability, and contingency.54

4.4.5. Conflict

Conflict may occur in any given time between the characters, which can usually be defined in
term of inconsistent point of view or incompatible character trait.55

4.5. Story and Discourse

Narrative has two aspects: story and discourse. Story refers to the content of the narrative,
what it is about. Discourse refers to the rhetoric of the narrative, how the story is told.56

51
Culpepper, Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel, 70.
52
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 38.
53
Culpepper, Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel, 73.
54
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 40.
55
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 42.
56
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?,34.

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4.5.1. Point of View

Point of view signifies the way a story gest told. The actions of the characters, their dialogue,
their rhetoric, and the setting are presented through the narrator’s perspective.57 The narrative
reveals the point of view of the narrator, and the narrator in turn shows us the points of view of
58
the characters, in the course of telling the story. In narrative criticism, the evaluative point of
view refers to the norms, values, and general perspective or worldview that the implied author
establishes as operative and normative for the story.59 Points of view taken by various characters
are identified.60

4.5.2. Narration

Another way the implied author guides the reader is through the narrator’s voice. Narrator
differs in important respects. Some works has first person and other has third person who may
also be character in the story.61

4.5.3. Symbolism and Irony

The silent communication between the author and reader assumes its most fascinating form
in the ironies of the Gospel. forms such as smiles, winks, raising eyebrows and other forms add
to the irony. Symbol is a connecting link between two different spheres. The vehicle for
symbolism is mostly done by using metaphors.62

4.5.4. Patterns

The implied author may also guide the reader in understanding the texts through narrative
patterns. Patterns include the recurrent structural devices and design features that are used to
organize and present the story such as arrangement of the text into sentences, paragraphs, and
chapters.63

57
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 167.
58
Rhoads, “Narrative Criticism and the Gospel of Mark,” 421.
59
Syiemleh, God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan Infancy
Narratives, 59.
60
Westfall, “Narrative Criticism”, 237-238.
61
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 167.
62
Culpepper, Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel, 165.
63
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?, 32.

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4.6. Plot

An understanding of plot is important to determine structure, unity, and direction of a

narrative. It is the designing principle that contributes our understanding of the meaning of a
narrative. Plot is the sequences of events or incidents that make up a narrative. When we ask,
“What do characters think, feel, or do, and how does this change the characters themselves?” we
are asking a question about plot.64

4.6.1. Elements of Plot

A plot usually has unity of action; a beginning, middle and end, and is linked by cause and
effect. Almost all plots involve some clash of actions, ideas, points of views, desires, values, or
norms. The conflict may be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, or moral.65

4.6.2. Plot Types and Plot Patterns

Master plots are "recurrent skeletal stories, belonging to cultures and individuals that play a
powerful role in questions of identity, values, and the understanding of life. The choice of plot
pattern depends on the emotional or artistic effects that the writer wants to achieve. Some types
of plots are; a U -shaped plot begins at the top of the U with a state of equilibrium, a period of
prosperity or happiness, which is disrupted by disequilibrium or disaster. An inverted U-shaped
plot is the shape of a tragedy.66

4.6.3. Order of Narration

Ordering alone is not the only way to achieve these effects, but it is a common and forceful
way to convince, persuade, or move the reader to a particular end. Two concepts are helpful for
understanding the order of narration in a plot: (1) fabula (story) and sjuzet (plot) and (2) primacy
and recency effect.67

5. Sociological Theories

Sociological theories attempt to explain the interaction of human beings.

64
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 198.
65
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 199-200.
66
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 203-207.
67
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 208.

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5.1. Structural Functional Theory

This theory presupposes that every society is a relatively persistent, stable, well integrated
structure of elements. Every society has its purpose, a function; it renders a contribution to the
maintenance of the society as a whole.68

5.2. Conflict Theory

Every society consisted of interrelated social structures. Most of these structures favour the
upper class over against the lower class of the society. Therefore, conflicts arise as the upper class
or the elite tires to maintain their social status whereas the lower class or the non-elite tries to
come up from their usual situation.69

5.3. Symbolic Theory

In this theory, the main purpose is the human existence. Every individual tries to live in
relation with other human beings. This theory explains the social system as a “system of
symbols” that consists of three things: persons (self and others), things (nature, time and space),
and events (activities of persons and things).70

5.4. Mediterranean Model

Mediterranean model is derived from the contemporary anthropological research. This model
reads the Biblical text from the social scenario of cultures that originated in a “group-oriented”
and “honor-focused” culture. Thus, the reading of the text from this model provides a fresh
understanding of the text as compared to other criticisms which read the text from an
individualistic understanding of the world.71

6. Application of the Sociological and Narrative Criticism in the New Testament

Sociological criticism tries to take up the issues like the conflict between Jesus and the folks
of Nazareth where the narrative talks about the rejection of Jesus in His hometown, Nazareth.
From the sociological viewpoint, few points are worth mentioning. The first one is the

68
Bruce J. Malina, “Social Scientific Approaches and the Gospel of Matthew”, in Methods in Biblical
Interpretation: Methods for Matthew, ed. Mark Alan Powell (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009), 155.
69
Malina, “Social Scientific Approaches and the Gospel of Matthew,” 156.
70
James Dvorak, “John H. Elliot’s Social-Scientific Criticism” TRINJ 28 (2007): 251-78.
71
Esler F. Philip, “Social Scientific Approaches”, in Dictionary of Biblical Criticisms, ed. Stanley E Porter
(New York: Routledge, 2009), 339.

14
importance of conflict. Conflict is one of the models of Sociological criticism in interpretation of
the text. Thus, conflict between Jesus and the people of Nazareth highlights the “hidden
assumptions” about norms, values, etc. The second is that conflict focuses on the issues related to
identity and authority. Barton argues that in many traditional societies is not something that we
acquired but it is ascribed. “I is not so much of Who am I? but to whom I belong?” Therefore, in
the case of Jesus, the people are not concerned much about who Jesus is but to whom He belongs
(Is no this carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon?).
Therefore, an individual existence is not important rather family is the defining factor for
identity. Moreover, from the sociological standpoint, the people of Nazareth not only they fail to
look beyond the occupational identity of Jesus, but they also failed to look beyond their own
identity and authority.72

Narrative criticism looks at a narrative as an organic whole and pays close attention to its
nuances. It examines New Testament literature as literature-not as history or dogma, or as social
or political criticism.73 Narrative criticism focuses on understanding the Gospel as entire books.
In practical terms, however, exegesis that serves the teaching and preaching ministry of the
church is usually expected to elucidate single texts or pericopes. Such an interpretation of
“episodes” can be accomplished from the perspective of narrative criticism by asking the sorts of
questions regarding events, characters, settings, and overall interpretation.74

Conclusion

In conclusion socio-narrative criticism interprets the biblical text in the social and reader
context. Sociological criticism understands the social and cultural setting of the text and study
the social life of the first century which helps to understand the social and cultural setting of the
biblical text at the same time Narrative Criticism explained the text using the various tools to
give the right meaning of the text. Therefore, Socio-narrative criticism clarifies the biblical text
regarding their social background as well as life situation of implied author and implied reader.
This method helps to interpret the biblical text however there are some limitations or some
weakness of this method where interpreter must be careful while applying this method for
interpreting the text.

72
Barton, “Social-Scientific Criticism,”283- 284.
73
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament, 241.
74
Powell, What is Narrative Criticism?,103-104.

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 Bibliography
Books
Barton, Stephen C. “Social-Scientific Criticism.” In Handbook to Exegesis of the New
Testament. Edited by Stanley E. Porter. Leiden: Brill, 2002.
Booth, Wayne. The Rhetoric of Fiction, 2nd edition. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1983.
Cuddon, J. A. “Narratee.” The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, 4th
Edition. London: Penguin Books, 1999.
Culpepper, Alan. Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel: A Study in Literary Design. Philadelphia:
Fortress Press, 1983.
Elliot, John H. What is Social Scientific Criticism. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993.
Elliott, John H. What is Social Scientific Criticism?. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993.
Forster, E. M. Aspects of the Novel. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1927. Cited by James L.
Resseguie, Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An Introduction. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Bakers Academic, 2005.
Macionis, John J and Ken Plummer. Sociology: A Global Introduction. London: Pearson, 2012.
Malina, Bruce J. “Social Scientific Approaches and the Gospel of Matthew.” In Methods in
Biblical Interpretation: Methods for Matthew. Edited by Mark Alan Powell. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Martins, Dale B. “Social-Scientific Criticism” in An Introduction to Biblical Criticism and their
Application. Edited by Stephan Mckenzie and Stephen R. Haynes (Kentucky:
Westminster, 1995), 125-26.
Petereson, Norm R. Literary Criticism for New Testament Critics. Philadelphia: Fortress Press,
1978.
Powell, Mark Allan. What is Narrative Criticism?. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1990.
Powell, Mark Allen. “Methods for Matthew.” In Literary Approaches and the Gospel of Matthew.
Edited by Mark Allen Powell. London: Cambridge University, 2009.
Resseguie, James L. Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An Introduction. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Bakers Academic, 2005.
Syiemleh, B. J. God’s Favourites: A Socio-Narrative Analysis of the Characters in the Lukan
Infancy Narratives (Luke 1:5-2:52). Delhi: ISPCK, 2005.

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Journal Articles
Baker, Coleman A. “Early Christian Identity Formation: From Ethnicity and Theology to Socio
Narrative Criticism.” Currents in Biblical Research 02, no. 9 (February 2011): 235,
accessed July 12, 2022, DOI:10.1177/1476993X10383834.
Dvorak, James “John H. Elliot’s Social-Scientific Criticism.” TRINJ 28 (2007): 251-78.
Rhoads, David. “Narrative Criticism and the Gospel of Mark.” Journal of the American Academy
of Religion 50, no. 3 (September: 1982): 417.
Dictionaries
Esler, Philip F. “Social-Scientific Approaches.” In Dictionary of Biblical Criticism and
Interpretation. Edited by Stanley E. Porter. New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis
Group, 2007.
McKnight, E.V. “Literary Criticism.” In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospel. Edited by Joel B.
Green and Scot McKnnight. Illinois: Intervarsity, 1992.
Philip, Esler F. “Social Scientific Approaches.” In Dictionary of Biblical Criticisms. Edited by
Stanley E Porter. New York: Routledge, 2009.
Westfall, Cynthia Long. “Narrative Criticism.” In Dictionary of Biblical Criticism and
Interpretation. Edited by Stanley E. Porter. New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis
Group, 2007.

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