Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba

After discussing three models defining the relationship between rhetoric (linguistic form, verba) and theology (content, res) in scholarship’s history (part I), a theoretical discussion attempts to further undergird the third model according to which verba produce res (part II). As a first step, th...

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Main Author: P. Lampe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2013-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2554
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author P. Lampe
author_facet P. Lampe
author_sort P. Lampe
collection DOAJ
description After discussing three models defining the relationship between rhetoric (linguistic form, verba) and theology (content, res) in scholarship’s history (part I), a theoretical discussion attempts to further undergird the third model according to which verba produce res (part II). As a first step, the inseparable intertwinement of res and verba is shown by empirical studies. The linguistic form always carries unspoken semantic content. Altering this form changes the content, even if a phrase’s logical meaning remains the same. As a farther-reaching second step, constructivist philosophy of language is used, holding that language creates reality. “Reality” is defined as constructed by the brain and language and differentiated from ontic reality. Four sources of evidence are identified that make such reality constructs plausible to groups. Part III discusses the theological concept of “new creation” in light of the second part’s findings. Part IV shows a way to overcome postmodern indifference with regard to “truth.”
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spelling doaj-art-2daa3819cead4ec1a791dca2643066ff2025-02-11T09:58:01ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892013-12-0133210.38140/at.v33i2.2554Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verbaP. Lampe0University of Heidelberg, Germany & University of the Free State, South Africa After discussing three models defining the relationship between rhetoric (linguistic form, verba) and theology (content, res) in scholarship’s history (part I), a theoretical discussion attempts to further undergird the third model according to which verba produce res (part II). As a first step, the inseparable intertwinement of res and verba is shown by empirical studies. The linguistic form always carries unspoken semantic content. Altering this form changes the content, even if a phrase’s logical meaning remains the same. As a farther-reaching second step, constructivist philosophy of language is used, holding that language creates reality. “Reality” is defined as constructed by the brain and language and differentiated from ontic reality. Four sources of evidence are identified that make such reality constructs plausible to groups. Part III discusses the theological concept of “new creation” in light of the second part’s findings. Part IV shows a way to overcome postmodern indifference with regard to “truth.” https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2554
spellingShingle P. Lampe
Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba
Acta Theologica
title Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba
title_full Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba
title_fullStr Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba
title_full_unstemmed Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba
title_short Theology and rhetoric: redefining the relationship between res and verba
title_sort theology and rhetoric redefining the relationship between res and verba
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2554
work_keys_str_mv AT plampe theologyandrhetoricredefiningtherelationshipbetweenresandverba