Sensing Salvation in the Gospel of John

The Embodied, Sensory Qualities of Participation in the I Am Sayings

Series: 

Recent scholarship focused on the role of embodiment within cognition and communication reminds us that part of how we “know” is through our physical senses. We only know the softness of a kitten by touching its fur, or the tastiness of bread by eating. How might this influence our understanding of biblical texts, such as Jesus’s claim, “I am the bread of life,” and the invitation to eat? This study explores the I am sayings of John’s Gospel, their sensory elements providing an imaginative entry into the narrative and contributing tangible value to the participatory theology of the Fourth Gospel.
Copyright Year:
2023
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Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-67826-2
Publication:
31 Jul 2023
Hardback
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-67825-5
Publication:
17 Jul 2023
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Jeannine Marie Hanger, Ph.D. (2021), University of Aberdeen, is Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, California. Her current research and publications concentrate on the embodied and sensory aspects of the Gospel narratives.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations

1 Introduction
 1 Why Focus on the Physical Senses? Knowing Is Embodied
 2 Why Focus on the Physical Senses? The Johannine Revealer Is Embodied
 3 Bringing Embodiment and the Physical Senses into Biblical Studies
 4 Recent Research on the I Am Sayings
 5 Recent Research on Physical Sense Approaches to John
 6 Methodology
 7 Hermeneutical Approach and Additional Methodological Considerations

2 Tasting Salvation
 I Am the Bread of Life (John 6:1–71)
 1 Initial Identification of Sensory Elements: Taste
 2 Narrative Context with Sensory Focus
 3 Sensory Memories of the Bread of Life
 4 Responding to the I Am Invitation
 5 Sensory Qualities of Participation with Christ
 6 Conclusion

3 Looking to Stay Near
 I Am the Light of the World (John 8:12–9:41)
 1 Initial Identification of Sensory Elements: Sight, Kinaesthesia (Movement), Touch
 2 Narrative Context with Sensory Focus
 3 Sensory Memory and the Feast of Tabernacles
 4 Sensory Memory and Jesus Creating Sight
 5 Responding to the I Am Invitation
 6 Sensory Qualities of Participation with Christ
 7 Conclusion

4 Listening to Follow the Voice
 I Am the Gate, I Am the Good Shepherd (John 10:1–42)
 1 Initial Identification of Sensory Elements: Hearing, Speech, Movement
 2 Narrative Context with Sensory Focus
 3 Sensory Memories of the Gate and the Good Shepherd
 4 Responding to the I Am Invitation
 5 Sensory Qualities of Participation with Christ
 6 Conclusion

5 The Sounds and Smells of Death and Life
 I Am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:1–12:11)
 1 Initial Identification of Sensory Elements: Movement, Speech, Sight, Touch, Smell
 2 Narrative Context with Sensory Focus
 3 Sensory Memories of Death, the Resurrection, and the Life
 4 Responding to the I Am Invitation
 5 Sensory Qualities of Participation with Christ
 6 Conclusion

6 Following the Way to the Father
 I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 13:1–14:31)
 1 Initial Identification of Sensory Elements: Movement, Touch, Speech, Sight
 2 Narrative Context with Sensory Focus
 3 Sensory Memory: the Way, the Foot Washing, the Truth, and the Life
 4 Responding to the I Am Invitation
 5 Sensory Qualities of Participation with Christ
 6 Conclusion

7 Abiding in Jesus
 I Am the True Vine (John 15:1–17)
 1 Initial Identification of Sensory Elements: Movement and Abiding, Tasting and Abiding
 2 Narrative Context with Sensory Focus
 3 Sensory Memory: Various Associations with Vineyards, Vines, and Branches
 4 Responding to the I Am Invitation
 5 Sensory Qualities of Participation with Christ
 6 Conclusion

8 Conclusions
 1 Primary Contributions of This Study
 2 Salvific Life as Sensory Participation
 3 Sensory Overlaps between the Sayings
 4 Invitational and Divisional Elements in the Sensory Material
 5 Responding to Jesus: Sensory Qualities of Participation
 6 Embodied Readers in Union with Christ
 7 Conclusion

Appendix: Shepherding Imagery Shared between John and Ezekiel
Bibliography
Index
This book would be of interest to research academics, including postgraduate students. This will be particularly relevant for those interested in sensory approaches to ancient texts (especially the Fourth Gospel).

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Publisher:
Brill
Language:
English
Pages:
xii, 226 pp.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004678262

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