What Is Narrative Criticism?

This valuable volume presents the first widely accessible description of the principles and procedures of narrative criticism written for students and pastors to use in their own exegesis. With great clarity, Powell outlines the principles and procedures that narrative critics follow in exegesis of gospel texts and explains concepts such as point of view, narration, irony, and symbolism. Chapters are devoted to each of the three principal elements of narrative—events, characters, and settings—and case studies are provided to illustrate how the method is applied in each instance. The book concludes with an honest appraisal of the contribution that narrative criticism makes to biblical studies, a consideration of objections that have been raised against the use of this method, and a discussion of the hermeneutical implications this method raises for the church.