Corpus-Paul

[Jerry Sumney <jsumney AT lextheo.edu>]

David Amador wrote:

The broader question of 'so what?', with respect to rhetoric, however, is
that a text like 2 Corinthians continues to have an important persuasive
impact upon us.  This is something historical criticism can never address,
by dint of its limited purview - to limit the meaning of the text to a
singular moment in time 1900 years ago upon a community half way around the
world.

I respond:

I do not see this as a criticism of the historical method.  This is simply 
recognizing what it was designed to do.  I would hope that this is the 
first task of rhetorical criticism as well.  To move to "its impact on us" 
launches one into a broader arena within the topic of hermeneutics.  That 
is an interesting topic, but one which should not be completely identified 
with the task of understanding an ancient author.

Jerry

Jerry L. Sumney
Lexington Theological Seminary
631 S. Limestone
Lexington, KY 40508
jsumney AT lextheo.edu
(606) 252-0361