Encenando o drama da doutrina

by Kevin J. Vanhoozer

Nesta obra, o aclamado estudioso Kevin Vanhoozer apresenta um modo de pensar teologia cristã que parte de sua obra desbravadora, O drama da doutrina, e nos conduz ao próximo passo. Vanhoozer defende que a teologia não é um simples conjunto de crenças cognitivas, mas também envolve discurso e ação na mesma medida. O autor usa o teatro como modelo para explicar de que maneiras a doutrina modela a compreensão cristã e gera discípulos.

A igreja, propõe Vanhoozer, é o teatro preeminente em que o evangelho é “encenado”, tendo a doutrina a dirigir essa encenação. As doutrinas não são apenas verdades para ser armazenadas, arquivadas e empilhadas, mas indicações e direções a ser seguidas, praticadas e encenadas. Ao “encenar” a doutrina, os cristãos são moldados e transformados desse modo em discípulos ativos de Jesus Cristo. Vanhoozer passa então a examinar o estado da igreja no mundo de hoje e analisa como os discípulos podem fazer ou encenar a doutrina.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Discipleship, Biblical Studies, Faith

349 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2013

About the author

Kevin J. Vanhoozer is currently Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. From 1990-98 he was Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at New College, University of Edinburgh. Vanhoozer received a BA from Westmont College, an M.Div from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, England having studied under Nicholas Lash.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad to say that my wishes in my review of The Drama of Doctrine were granted with the publishing of this book. Classic Vanhoozer in a short(ish) form, Faith Speaking Understanding explores the vocation of the Christian life and discipleship through a theatrical lens. There were so many parts of this book that proved to be profoundly helpful in my thinking, and simultaneously, stirred my heart at the wonder and privilege of being a disciple of Jesus caught up in the drama of redemption. I cannot commend this book highly enough; it will be in my top 5 of books I read this year.

[Lindsay John Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the church we have the theologian and the activist, and the two rarely cross paths. When they do, sometimes things get ugly. What if there were a way to reconcile these two? Having taught Introduction to Theology at CCBCY for a few semesters now, I have felt the anxiety of making sure what I teach is “applicable”. However, I am uncomfortable with the simplistic “but what does this mean for me?” type of approach; as if the worth of a doctrine can be judged a subjective sense of self-improvement. We want something more. We want to be shaped into His image and to be more aligned with His will. But how does doctrine do that? Kevin Vanhoozer, research professor of Systematic Theology at TEDS, has felt the pressure of such questions and in Faith Speaking Understanding he offers a model for thinking about theology that helps us move forward.

Vanhoozer recognizes that “theory-practice dichotomy that still bedevils many a theological curriculum serves neither seminary nor church” (p21) and proposes that a theatrical approach to doctrine helps recognize just how doctrine and practice can and should work hand-in-hand. For Vanhoozer, then, our role as the church is to serve as the theater of the Gospel. We are to show and live what God has done in Christ. In this concept, doctrine is the stage direction that shows believers (actors) how to act in such a way to display the Gospel. So our faith is not simply about “doing” or “thinking”, but “being”. Vanhoozer has written and spoken on such this theatrical model before, but in Faith Speaking Understanding he boils it all down into one accessible and comprehensive book.

Faith Speaking Understanding is structured in two parts. Part 1 establishes the theatrical model and how it is helpful. The theater model keeps faith and practice together. The Gospel is founded upon the work that God has done in history. Doctrine is not a list of propositions to approve, but truths to embody. It also reminds each believer that they have a role.

Part 2 walks through traditional doctrines through the lens of theater and shows how this applies to the church’s mission of disciple-making. The traditional doctrines of Theology proper, creation, Christology, salvation, sanctification and mission are all examined from this unique angle. Somehow Vanhoozer manages to keep this fresh as if it were the first time I had heard these doctrines.

Vanhoozer’s prose is simply delightful. If one has heard him speak, they will recognize the same virtuosity with the English language. There are clever turns of phrase, word plays, clever references and allusions to Scripture or other literature. The book is ever-quotable. Even this fact aids Vanhoozer’s quest of letting theology seep into everything.

Faith Speaking Understanding constantly emphasizes that Christianity is not fundamentally about ethics, but it’s about God’s actions in history and what we should do about it. In this light, understanding is essential. Mere ethics is not enough. We need to live the reality of what God has done in Christ.

Vanhoozer has done the church a service by sharing these insights. I hope Faith Speaking Understanding is widely read and its suggestions put into practice.

Many thanks to Westminster John Knox for providing a copy of this book in exchange for review. Their generosity has not affected my opinions of the book.

[Shane Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Creative and invigorating. Vanhoozer integrates so many ideas and concepts together in this piece.

[Tim Michiemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 Stars

Kevin Vanhoozer does an excellent job shedding new light on the relation between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. His analogy of theatre fits well to the practice of believing right doctrine and applying it to right living. Vanhoozer excels and fleshing out the details of his theatre analogy and helps us to see how it applies all to life. Especially strong is Vanhoozer's chapter on church life and how it acts as a presentation, a space, where the truth of what is in Christ is presented to one another. Vanhoozer is very wordy though and it is often hard to trace the main point he wants to make. Those who are looking for light reading and simple arguments should not look here - Vanhoozer does not shy away from using highly academic language. But at the same time this book is fairly accessible and is a benefit to any Christian or pastor who wants to grow in their understanding of how orthodoxy (right doctrine) relates to orthopraxy (right living).

[Martin Kop · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and surprising take on discipleship that is beautifully set in the world and wonderfully connected to honest deep theological thinking that is rooted in the past and open to the present.

[Spencer R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really my kind of book, but it was good. Hard to follow on audio when working, but that's for most books.

[(US)Debbie Ong Meng Foong · Rating 5 out of 5]

So mesmerising, so brilliant, so insightful, so life-changing! Need I say more?

[Olivia Ankrom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dry had some interesting points and ideas but also looked through a lens that Christianity is the only way.

[Hunter Wheatcraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodrama

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doctrines are important to the church, but is doctrine practical? Kevin Vanhoozer argues in this book that doctrine is the one that shapes the church which in turns shapes the discipleship making process.

This was the first time I read Vanhoozer, and I found that many a times I had to slow down to digest the contents of the book. Vanhoozer’s writing can be dense at times, but has always been very thought-provoking.

Vanhoozer using the drama as a metaphor to understand the christian faith. Like a theatre, the christian faith ought to be a drama set out for the world to see. I felt that the part of the book was how Vanhoozer explored the link between doctrines and disciples.

Often, the disciple making process in our day and age uses the pragmatic approach to answer the question of how we make a disciple. Vanhoozer counterintuitively, moves the readers towards doctrine first and then towards making a disciple. This is a refreshing approach as Vanhoozer seeks first to figure what Jesus has to say about the disciple making process.

Having said that, this book is certainly no light reading. Pastors, church leaders or even cell group/discipleship leaders ought to give this book a read and explore what Vanhoozer has to say about this important topic.

Rating: 4.25 / 5

Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanhoozer presents the Christian experience through the lens of the world of theater. This is not a new idea, dating to Calvin, if not earlier. However, this is probably the fullest-orbed presentation of the concept.

It is clear that the history of redemption is dramatic; you cannot deny that. And we recognize that the drama is not yet complete--the final act awaits. What we so often miss, however, is that we have a role to play. The drama cannot continue if Christians aren't doing their job as the people of God. We have a stage--our daily lives. We have an audience--the watching world. We have a playwright--Yayweh. We have lighting and a script--the Holy Bible. And so on.

So what is our role? We act out Christ as a church (primarily through the sacraments) and through our daily lives (where we act as Christ to a needy world; we're not repeating the cross event, but we are recapitulating it, in a way).

Throughout this process Vanhoozer incorporates every major aspect of the Christian life. This was truly impressive. However, his theory is better than his practice. That is to say, he packages this new way of looking at things very competently, but he struggles at times to show practically how it will change how we life. His best advice, though, is simple--die to self. And perhaps that's all we need.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Kevin Vanhoozer, and his book "The Drama of Doctrine" (TDOD) is one of my all-time favorite theology books. Thus, "Faith Speaking Understanding" (FSU) - a follow-up of sorts to TDOD - should have been a slam dunk for me. And yet, for reasons that I can't quite grasp, it wasn't. FSU touches on most of the same ideas and themes as TDOD, though they have been refined by ten years of reflection and interaction with critics and reviewers of TDOD. However, despite the fact that Vanhoozer claims that TDOD was written for academics and FSU was written for the plebes, I found TDOD easier to understand and a better explanation of his ideas. Part of what made FSU less interesting to me was what felt like an interminable defense of his metaphor of drama. I understand wanting to show all the ways that the metaphor is apt, but I also don't see the need to defend every aspect of the image. Metaphors are helpful pictures, not necessarily perfect analogies.

Despite this, however, the richness of the idea is still there, and I still find it to be a wonderful way to look at the life of a believer. This certainly isn't a bad book, even if it doesn't quite live up to the legacy of its older brother.

[Josh Shelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanhoozer captures the 3 dimensional aspects of Christian life by demonstrating the reality that theology, if done properly, requires deep and constant meditation on Scripture, combined with a commitment to improvise ways that we can enact and demonstrate its truths in our contemporary context. This can only be done faithfully with a strong "catholic sensibility" which is a commitment to learn from the history of the church as it has done this. Very helpful stuff in here.

[Daniel Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canon sense, playerhood of believers, fittingness, Bible as Script, interactive theatre, Theodrama, faithful improvisation....

This is a summary of Vanhoozer's project of theology as drama. It is great and will aid Pastor-Theologians as they shape their flocks to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Probably he only flaw is that Vanhoozer states this book is written with laypeople in mind, but I am not sure what kind of layperson he has in mind! The book is sense even for Pastors.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro to understanding/ doing theology with a theatrical model. I've found Vanhoozer can be pretty complex at times and needs to be read slowly. Very stimulating and no doubt has shaped how I read, understand and live out (preform) theology in the theater of God's glory, this world.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and makes a good case for Vanhoozer's theater model. Not as accessible as I was led to believe but a good follow up to his other work.

[Peter Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, shortish book on Christian doctrine. Lots of good stuff here. His appendix (to the book) is enlightening. Easy enough to read.