Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Essays: Biblical and Early Christianity Studies from Malawi

Chapter Thirteen - Ritual and Symbolism as a Hermeneutical Approach

ϭϱϭ   Chapter Thirteen Ritual and Symbolism as a Hermeneutical Approach Introduction The study of the New Testament which was previously dominated by philosophical, historical and literary approaches is now coming more and more under the influence of sociological and anthropological methods. New Testament scholars are now turning to the study of the Mediterranean world in search for clues that would enhance our understanding of the world in which Jesus lived.1 It is now generally understood that the culture of the ancient Mediterranean world would be similar to the cultures of traditional societies who are currently the object of anthropological inquiry. Within the wide range of issues that provide material for this inquiry, the phenomenon of ritual and symbolism takes a central place as a window to the understanding of cultural dynamics in traditional societies. In this chapter I will focus on the contributions of Victor Turner, Clifford Geertz and Talal Asad. Each of them offers new perspectives through which we can understand ritual and symbolism within the wider context of culture.  1 The need for a sociological approach to Biblical Studies was recognized long ago. Max Weber’s Ancient Judaism, transl. and ed. by Hans H. Gerth and Don Martindale, New York: The Free Press; London: Collier Macmillan, 1952, 1967, whose chapters first appeared in 1917-1919, is a clear demonstration of this interest. More recently, some members of the Jesus Seminar have turned to anthropological studies of the Mediterranean world of the New Testament era in an attempt to understand the historical Jesus. In a book on the historical Jesus, John Dominic Crossan, a member of the Jesus Seminar, devotes almost half of the study to anthropological issues of the ancient Mediterranean world before moving to an examination of Jesus himself in the last half of his The Historical Jesus, The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant, New York: HarperCollins, 1992, pp. 1-224, 225-466. For a critical review of the Jesus Seminar project see Birger A. Pearson’s chapter on the Jesus Seminar in his The Emergence of Christian Religion, Essays on Early Christianity, Harrisburg, PA.,: Trinity Press International, 1997, pp. 23-57. For his view on the social science methods as the principal approaches used by the Jesus Seminar, see ibid., especially p. 30. ϭϱϮ   Turner, Ritual and Symbolism Turner’s work on ritual and symbolism is significant both in terms of the methodology he used and the conceptual contributions he made toward a fresh understanding of this cultural phenomenon. Turner’s Methodology Methodologically, Turner departs from the general trend of his predecessors like van Gennep, Durkheim and Weber who attempted to arrange cultural practice by making universal generalizations. Turner argued from specific data particularly from his own findings from his research among the Ndembu people.2 Turner also sought to understand his data in light of the people’s own interpretation of the observed phenomenon. In this way Turner attempted to minimize the gap in the meaning attributed to cultural phenomena by traditional performers themselves and the observing theorist.3 Turner also succeeds in his methodological approach by avoiding overlaying his theoretical constructions with philosophical or "theological" assumptions.4 His theoretical positions are mainly supported by empirical data from a research done on a specific people group, the Ndembu. Turner also approaches his task with a recognition of the complexity of any cultural phenomenon, and collapses the divide between the "simple" traditional cultures and the "complex" technologically developed cultures of the developed world.5 In adopting this perspective, Turner departs from a philosophical assumption which most scholars took for granted. It is, therefore, not surprising to note that his critics accused him of "blurring important differences between simple and complex societies."6 Turner is further able to relate the findings both to general theory and to wider society. This is particularly clear with his concept of communitas. It is generally acknowledged that his development and application of the theoretical concept of communitas constitutes a major contribution to the field of anthropology. Theoretical Contribution In his development of the concept of communitas, Turner builds on the work of earlier scholars, particularly Arnold van Gennep. Van Gennep’s seminal  2 Victor Turner, The Ritual Process, Structure and Anti-structure, New Brunswick (US) and London (UK): Aldine Transaction, 1969, 1997, p. xi. 3 Ibid. pp. 9, 11, 86. 4 Ibid. p., 4. 5 Ibid. p., 3. 6 Ibid. p., ix. ϭϱϯ   contribution is his recognition and discussion of...