What is Structural Exegesis?

Structural exegesis is a major recent development in biblical studies and is related to simultaneous currents in other fields of academic study. Here, at last, is an introduction to structuralism and structuralist methods that does not presuppose advance knowledge of linguistics or anthropology. Traditional exegetical methods follow a historical paradigm; structuralism follows a linguistic paradigm. Thus, these two approaches involve significantly different attitudes toward the biblical text. Through clear analytic explanations illustrated by application to specific texts, Daniel Patte shows how structuralism and traditional scholarship must go hand in hand so that together they can carry the exegetical task to its end-opening the possibility for fresh insights based on clear understandings.

Daniel Patte is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt University.