Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology
Focusing on semantics and semiotics, this article will suggest new and renewed approaches to studying the construction of New Testament theology. First, the relation between Saussure and Peirce will be analyzed because the interpretation of their relationship is crucial for understanding the process...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/9/776 |
| _version_ | 1827681425775656960 |
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| author | Timo Juhani Eskola |
| author_facet | Timo Juhani Eskola |
| author_sort | Timo Juhani Eskola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Focusing on semantics and semiotics, this article will suggest new and renewed approaches to studying the construction of New Testament theology. First, the relation between Saussure and Peirce will be analyzed because the interpretation of their relationship is crucial for understanding the process of signification. A critical stance will be taken towards Derrida and Eco’s interpretation of signification and towards deconstruction. Applying Benveniste’s development of Saussure’s semantics will introduce a discursive theory. Linguistic signs are not simply linguistic units as such. A sign is about conditions and functions. A sign as a role is a manifestation of participation. For anything to serve as a sign entails participation in a web of relations, participation in a network of meanings, and adoption of a set of rules. In the act of encoding there are elements that resist the free selection of components in encoding, such as narratives and metaphors. Therefore, they also become a means of appropriation: the construction of the sentence is not spontaneous but constrained. When, for instance, the metanarrative of enthronement directs the construction of a Christological statement, the basic theme dominates the process and becomes compelling for the ancient author. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:15:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e99c5ec96a2a44119984eb07c0ed5c92 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:15:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-e99c5ec96a2a44119984eb07c0ed5c922023-11-22T15:04:30ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442021-09-0112977610.3390/rel12090776Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament TheologyTimo Juhani Eskola0Department of Biblical Studies, Theological Institute of Finland, 00100 Helsinki, FinlandFocusing on semantics and semiotics, this article will suggest new and renewed approaches to studying the construction of New Testament theology. First, the relation between Saussure and Peirce will be analyzed because the interpretation of their relationship is crucial for understanding the process of signification. A critical stance will be taken towards Derrida and Eco’s interpretation of signification and towards deconstruction. Applying Benveniste’s development of Saussure’s semantics will introduce a discursive theory. Linguistic signs are not simply linguistic units as such. A sign is about conditions and functions. A sign as a role is a manifestation of participation. For anything to serve as a sign entails participation in a web of relations, participation in a network of meanings, and adoption of a set of rules. In the act of encoding there are elements that resist the free selection of components in encoding, such as narratives and metaphors. Therefore, they also become a means of appropriation: the construction of the sentence is not spontaneous but constrained. When, for instance, the metanarrative of enthronement directs the construction of a Christological statement, the basic theme dominates the process and becomes compelling for the ancient author.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/9/776New Testament theologysemioticssemanticsmetanarrativesignificationdiscursive resistance |
| spellingShingle | Timo Juhani Eskola Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology Religions New Testament theology semiotics semantics metanarrative signification discursive resistance |
| title | Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology |
| title_full | Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology |
| title_fullStr | Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology |
| title_short | Grounding the Theory of Discursive Resistance: Language, Semiotics and New Testament Theology |
| title_sort | grounding the theory of discursive resistance language semiotics and new testament theology |
| topic | New Testament theology semiotics semantics metanarrative signification discursive resistance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/9/776 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timojuhanieskola groundingthetheoryofdiscursiveresistancelanguagesemioticsandnewtestamenttheology |