Narrative theology

Narrative theology was a late 20th century theological development which supported the idea that the Church's use of the Bible should focus on a narrative presentation of the faith, rather than on the development of a systematic theology. The Christian faith is thus also to be interpreted by the Christian community, and not by outside scholars or explorers. Narrative theology has also been referred to as post-liberalism.

Beginning as a reaction to theological liberalism, important narrative thinkers included George Lindbeck, Hans Frei, Stanley Hauerwas, and William Willimon. While the movement still exists in the 21st century, much of its thrust was absorbed by other movements, such as paleo-orthodoxy, the emerging church movement, and traditional evangelicalism.

Books

• The Art of Biblical Narrative by Robert Alter (1981, ISBN 046500427X)
• The Gospel in Parable: Metaphor, Narrative, and Theology in the Synoptic Gospels by John R. Donahue (1990, ISBN 0800624807)
• Theology and Narrative: A Critical Introduction by Michael Goldberg (1982, ISBN 1563380102)
• A Community of Character by Stanley Hauerwas (1981, ISBN 0268007357)
• Why Narrative? Readings in Narrative Theology, edited by Stanley Hauerwas & L. Gregory Jones (1989, ISBN 1579100651)
• Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony by Stanley Hauerwas & William Willimon (1989, ISBN 0687361591)
• Unleashing the Scripture: Freeing the Bible from Captivity to America by Stanley Hauerwas (1993, ISBN 0687316782)
• The Nature of Doctrine: Religion and Theology in a Postliberal Age by George Lindbeck (1984, ISBN ISBN 0664246184)
• The Story of God: Wesleyan Theology and Biblical Narrative by Michael Lodahl (1994, ISBN 0834114798)
• The Use and Abuse of the Bible: A Study of the Bible in an Age of Rapid Cultural Change by Dennis Nineham, (1976, ISBN 0333104897)
• The Promise of Narrative Theology: Recovering the Gospel in the Church by George W. Stroup (1997, ISBN 1579100538)