Characters and Characterization in Luke-Acts

Like all skilful authors, the composer of the biblical books of Luke and Acts understood that a good story requires more than a gripping plot - a persuasive narrative also needs well-portrayed, plot-enhancing characters. This book brings together a set of new essays examining characters and characterization in those books from a variety of methodological perspectives.

The essays illustrate how narratological, sociolinguistic, reader-response, feminist, redaction, reception historical, and comparative literature approaches can be fruitfully applied to the question of Luke's techniques of characterization. Theoretical and methodological discussions are complemented with case studies of specific Lukan characters. Together, the essays reflect the understanding that while many of the literary techniques involved in characterization attest a certain universality, each writer also brings his or her own unique perspective and talent to the portrayal and use of characters, with the result that analysis of a writer's characters and style of characterization can enhance appreciation of that writer's work.

• Table of contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• Introduction - Frank Dicken, Lincoln Christian University, USA and Julia Snyder, Humboldt Universität, Germany
• Part 1: The Gospel of Luke
  • Chapter 1. The Woman Who Crashed Simon's Party: A Reader-Response Approach to Luke 7:36-50, James L. Resseguie, Winebrenner Theological Seminary, USA
  • Chapter 2. Levi's Banquet (Lk 5.39-39) and Lukan Discipleship: Group Characters and Christian Identity Formation, John A. Darr, Boston College, USA
  • Chapter 3. Zechariah and Gabriel as Thematic Characters: A Narratological Reading of the Beginning of Luke's Gospel (Luke 1.8-20), Hannah M. Cocksworth, King Edward's School, UK
  • Chapter 4. The Characterization of the Two Brothers in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15.11-32): Their Function and Afterlives, David B. Gowler, Oxford College of Emory University, USA
  • Chapter 5. A Woman's Touch: Manual and Emotional Dynamics of Female Characters in Luke's Gospel, F. Scott Spencer, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, USA
  • Chapter 6. The Rich Are the Bad Guys: Lukan Characters and Wealth Ethics, Cornelis Bennema, Union School of Theology, UK
  • Chapter 7. A Cognitive Narratological Approach to the Characterization(s) of Zacchaeus, Joel B. Green, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA
• Part 2: The Acts of the Apostles
  • Chapter 8. Jesus, Present and/or Absent? The Presence and presentation of Jesus as a Character in the Book of Acts, Steve Walton, St Mary's University, UK
  • Chapter 9. Sight and Spectacle: 'Seeing' Paul in the Book of Acts, Brittany E. Wilson, Duke University Divinity School, USA
  • Chapter 10. The Characterization of Disciples in Acts: Genre, Method and Quality, Sean A. Adams, University of Glasgow, UK
  • Chapter 11. Sociolinguistic Dynamics and Characterization in the Acts of the Apostles, Julia A. Snyder, Humboldt Universität, Germany
  • Chapter 12. Simeon in Acts 15.14 Simon Peter and Echoes of Simeons Past, Stephen E. Fowl, Loyola University Maryland, USA
  • Chapter 13. Herod As Jesus' Executioner: Possibilities in Lukan Reception and Wirkungsgeschichte, Frank E. Dicken, Lincoln Christian University, USA
• Bibliography