John, a Postmodern Gospel: Introduction to Deconstructive Exegesis Applied to the Fourth Gospel (Biblical Interpretation Series)

2000 Brill hardcover edition. ex library copy with stamps and labels else good condition. From the cover: This study deals with the postmodern philosophy of language as developed mainly by French authors such as R. Barthes, J. Derrida and J.-F. Lyotard. The four chapters of the first part are theoretical and relate the literary concepts of postmodernity, poststructuralism and deconstruction to the practice of biblical exegesis. One important conclusion is that deconstruction affects both diachronic and synchronic approaches of texts. The four chapters of the second part apply this strategy of reading to the Fourth Gospel as a whole (chapter five), to John 6 (chapter six), to John 17 (chapter seven) and to John 21,24-25 (chapter eight). This deconstructive reading shows the differential and apophatic character of Saint John’s Gospel. CONTENTS Achilles and the Tortoise: untraceable meanings Expressibility versus inexpressibility positions, questions, presuppositions Mysteries of the Fourth Gospel according to Rudolf Bultmann Diachronic perspective on the historical problem: the Johannine community Historical reconstructions Poststructural annotations to historical-critical and diachronic research Synchronic perspective on the exegetical-theological puzzle: the 'Sache' of John's Gospel Bultmann (postmodern) and Ashton (deconstructive) Revelation as transcendental signifier Narrative approaches to the second puzzle: 'reader-oriented exegesis' Culpepper's view of the 'implied author' Staley's 'victimisation of the reader' Synchronic research PART 1 1. Poststructuralism and Exegesis Pragmatic variation of poststructuralism: 'reader-oriented exegesis' and the problem of unending semiosis Weak and strong pragmatism Roland Barthes' pluralism Neo-pragmatism: Fish and Rorty Eco versus Derrida: on the limits of interpretation Derrida's reception of Peirce: the idea of unending semiosis Neo-pragmatic orientation on a postmodern deconstructive strategy of reading Differential variation of poststructuralism LANGUE: Saussurian positive differentiation ECRITURE: Derridean negative differentiation 2. Postmodernity and Exegesis The postmodern in philosophy: the unpresentability of the unpresentable 'Modern' versus 'postmodern': Habermas versus Lyotard Figurality The absence of a meta-language covering all language games Evaluative remarks on Lyotard's postmodernity 3. Deconstruction and Exegesis Deconstruction: concepts, notions, motives Methexis 'Deplacement', supplement, dissemination 'Arche-ecriture': the conceptual priority of writing Apophatic speech: promise, decay No negative theology: not-Pseudo-Dionysius & not-Eckhardt Not-Heidegger Not-Plato 4. Postmodern Deconstructive Reading Hermeneutics versus deconstruction The Gadamer/Derrida debate Anti-hermeneutic points of attention for the design of a postmodern, deconstructive strategy of reading Deconstructive exegesis as an interactive game, methexis, apophatic speech 5. Logocentrism in the Fourth Gospel Logocentrism versus differentiation Implicit values versus logocentric confessions The logocentric confessions Ideal-typical disciples: Martha & man born blind The anonymity of beloved disciple Jesus as postmodern paradigm Jesus' ego eimi statements The paramia in John 16,25 as a Derridean supplement The 'linguistic elusiveness' of the Johannine Jesus Jesus' supplementary speaking 6. Deconstructive Perspective on John 6: Sarcophagus of the Word Flesh as dissemination of a eucharistic practice John 6 and the Last Supper according to John 13 and the Synoptics Theory of metaphors Derrida on the radical metaphoricity of language Davidson on the non-fitting metaphor Presence and absence of metaphors in John 6,26-58 'differance' of the bread Hegel and the bread of spiritualised religion Derrida and the material remains of the spiritualisation The sarx sentences in John 6,51-58 The sarcophagus of the Word 7. Apophatic Structure of John 17 8. Logos in the Beginning: John 21,24-25.…