Author: Nieman, James Knowing the context viii, 93 p. Publisher: Minneapolis : Fortress Pr, 2008. Series: Elements of preaching

Jacobsen, David Schnasa

English

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 33
Issue 1 In Honour or Dr. Erwin Buck Article 20
11-1-2008
Knowing the context: frames, tools, and signs for
preaching
David Schnasa Jacobsen
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Jacobsen, David Schnasa (2008) "Knowing the context: frames, tools, and signs for preaching ," Consensus: Vol. 33 : Iss. 1 , Article 20.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol33/iss1/20
the essential significance of Isaiah within the NT. If one were to go
by the 27th edition of Nestle and Aland’s Novum Testamentum Graece
(1993), however, complete NT representation would have included at
least seven more potential Isaianic allusions in 1-2 Thessalonians,
four in the Pastoral epistles, three in Philippians, two in Colossians,
and one each in 1 John and Jude. Up for consideration too might be
the link between Is 65:17/66:22 and 2 Pet 3:13, plus up to a dozen or
so possible allusions in Ephesians. Cf., for one example, the article by
Roger D. Aus, “God’s Plan and God’s Power: Isaiah 66 and the
Restraining Factors of 2 Thess 2:6-7,” in the Journal of Biblical
Literature 96 (1977): 537-553.
The writers and editors behind this monograph represent an
international (five Brits, three Americans, two Dutchmen, one
German, and one Irishman) team of experts, with articles,
dissertations, and/or books published in their assigned areas. The
editors, Steve Moyise and Maarten J.J. Menken, reside and teach in
Great Britain and the Netherlands respectively: Moyise at University
College in Chichester, UK; Menken is currently a member of the
newly amalgamated Faculty of Catholic Theology, at Tilburg
University, in Utrecht. This book is the second to appear in the series
The New Testament and the Scriptures of Israel by these same two
editors. Psalms in the New Testament (2004) was their first joint
project; Deuteronomy in the New Testament (2008) is their third and
certainly not last editorial project together.
Roger W. Uitti
Professor of Old Testament emeritus
Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon
Knowing the Context
James R. Nieman
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008.
93 pages, $13.00 Softcover
Nieman’s book is a welcome contribution to understanding the
importance of context for Christian preaching. He clearly
understands the superficial ways in which context is often deployed
Book Reviews 135
Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2008
in preaching and desires instead to push preaching more deeply into
the contexts in which it takes place. In the process preachers learn
various tools that will enable them to think more theologically about
contexts. Toward the end of the book, we see how Nieman’s own
approach plays out in a series of sermon excerpts that seek to connect
word and context more deeply.
The meat of the book is in chapters 2-4. Here Nieman lays out the
elements of doing contextual reflection. Chapter 2 considers how the
interpreter frames a context. A frame selects a certain aspect of a
context out for study and reflection. Within that, Nieman sees frames
operating in three ways: as a border (allowing us to see what the
frame contains), as a support (the structure within something we are
studying), or as a mind set (here frame is viewed as more of a
subjective disposition). When we study context, we necessarily
delimit what we are looking for – frames help us to focus the scope
of that which we wish to understand contextually. Chapter 3 looks at
useful tools for exploring contexts. While considering several such
tools, Nieman divides them chiefly into two categories: tools that
focus on practices and tools that focus on products. The tools that
help understand practices in a context are things like participant
observation and semi-structured interviews. The tools useful for
looking at products are artifact and place study and document
analysis. In the brief description of these tools Nieman helps to see
how and why they might be useful to a parish pastor. Chapter 4 looks
at signs that are helpful for studying contexts. Here we look at how
representation happens within a context. Using the language of index
and icon, Nieman shows that such signs sometimes simply point to
what they mean, while others invite a kind of participation. Signs that
are unusually powerful on the iconic end of the continuum Nieman
calls “strong” signs. Sometimes signs can be used to mirror reality,
exposing what really is. Sometimes signs are used to open up
something not yet seen — which Nieman describes in terms of the
metaphor of the window.
Although this cursory description of the above chapters might
lead a potential reader to think that the book is unduly technical, it is
not. Throughout the book, Nieman is keenly aware of the need to
locate the use of these skills within pastoral ministry itself. In fact, the
beauty of Nieman’s book is that it invites pastors to do more deeply
what they are doing already. Contextual interpretation is a more
136 Consensus
http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol33/iss1/20


Knowing the context: frames, tools, and signs for preaching

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 33Issue 1 In Honour or Dr. Erwin Buck Article 2011-1-2008Knowing the context: frames, tools, and signs forpreachingDavid Schnasa JacobsenFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationJacobsen, David Schnasa (2008) "Knowing the context: frames, tools, and signs for preaching ," Consensus: Vol. 33 : Iss. 1 , Article 20.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol33/iss1/20the essential significance of Isaiah within the NT. If one were to goby the 27th edition of Nestle and Aland’s Novum Testamentum Graece(1993), however, complete NT representation would have included atleast seven more potential Isaianic allusions in 1-2 Thessalonians,four in the Pastoral epistles, three in Philippians, two in Colossians,and one each in 1 John and Jude. Up for consideration too might bethe link between Is 65:17/66:22 and 2 Pet 3:13, plus up to a dozen orso possible allusions in Ephesians. Cf., for one example, the article byRoger D. Aus, “God’s Plan and God’s Power: Isaiah 66 and theRestraining Factors of 2 Thess 2:6-7,” in the Journal of BiblicalLiterature 96 (1977): 537-553.The writers and editors behind this monograph represent aninternational (five Brits, three Americans, two Dutchmen, oneGerman, and one Irishman) team of experts, with articles,dissertations, and/or books published in their assigned areas. Theeditors, Steve Moyise and Maarten J.J. Menken, reside and teach inGreat Britain and the Netherlands respectively: Moyise at UniversityCollege in Chichester, UK; Menken is currently a member of thenewly amalgamated Faculty of Catholic Theology, at TilburgUniversity, in Utrecht. This book is the second to appear in the seriesThe New Testament and the Scriptures of Israel by these same twoeditors. Psalms in the New Testament (2004) was their first jointproject; Deuteronomy in the New Testament (2008) is their third andcertainly not last editorial project together.Roger W. UittiProfessor of Old Testament emeritusLutheran Theological Seminary, SaskatoonKnowing the ContextJames R. NiemanMinneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008.93 pages, $13.00 SoftcoverNieman’s book is a welcome contribution to understanding theimportance of context for Christian preaching. He clearlyunderstands the superficial ways in which context is often deployedBook Reviews 135Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2008in preaching and desires instead to push preaching more deeply intothe contexts in which it takes place. In the process preachers learnvarious tools that will enable them to think more theologically aboutcontexts. Toward the end of the book, we see how Nieman’s ownapproach plays out in a series of sermon excerpts that seek to connectword and context more deeply.The meat of the book is in chapters 2-4. Here Nieman lays out theelements of doing contextual reflection. Chapter 2 considers how theinterpreter frames a context. A frame selects a certain aspect of acontext out for study and reflection. Within that, Nieman sees framesoperating in three ways: as a border (allowing us to see what theframe contains), as a support (the structure within something we arestudying), or as a mind set (here frame is viewed as more of asubjective disposition). When we study context, we necessarilydelimit what we are looking for – frames help us to focus the scopeof that which we wish to understand contextually. Chapter 3 looks atuseful tools for exploring contexts. While considering several suchtools, Nieman divides them chiefly into two categories: tools thatfocus on practices and tools that focus on products. The tools thathelp understand practices in a context are things like participantobservation and semi-structured interviews. The tools useful forlooking at products are artifact and place study and documentanalysis. In the brief description of these tools Nieman helps to seehow and why they might be useful to a parish pastor. Chapter 4 looksat signs that are helpful for studying contexts. Here we look at howrepresentation happens within a context. Using the language of indexand icon, Nieman shows that such signs sometimes simply point towhat they mean, while others invite a kind of participation. Signs thatare unusually powerful on the iconic end of the continuum Niemancalls “strong” signs. Sometimes signs can be used to mirror reality,exposing what really is. Sometimes signs are used to open upsomething not yet seen — which Nieman describes in terms of themetaphor of the window.Although this cursory description of the above chapters mightlead a potential reader to think that the book is unduly technical, it isnot. Throughout the book, Nieman is keenly aware of the need tolocate the use of these skills within pastoral ministry itself. In fact, thebeauty of Nieman’s book is that it invites pastors to do more deeplywhat they are doing already. Contextual interpretation is a more136 Consensushttp://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol33/iss1/20

https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1073&amp;context=consensus

Knowing the context: frames, tools, and signs for preaching

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Scholars Commons

Wilfrid Laurier University