Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05

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B I B L E I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

A P P E N D I X 2 6

Story, Theology, and Church William J. Bausch. Storytelling: Imagination and Faith . Mystic, CT: 23rd Publications, 1984. pp. 195-199.

At this point in our book, drawing to a close as it is, it might be well to put aside for the moment the direct story and illustration (to be resumed, however, in the final two chapters) and briefly list ten propositions of a theological nature. This exercise will, I hope, not be heavy or obtuse. It will serve as a means of extracting, for the sake of clarity and reflection, the theological implications of what has been stated here and there in the past chapters. So this is a very brief chapter-an interlude really-and is intended as a kind of theological summary, an overall view of how stories relate to theology and the structures of the church.

First Proposition: Stories introduce us to sacramental presences.

Stories are designed to force us to consider possibilities. To that extent they are grounded in hope. Even the most outlandish fairy tales, for example, raise possibilities and tease our hopes. The biblical stories do the same, only more overtly. Their whole point is to coax us to look beyond our limits and experiences of limitation and to suggest, through the wonderful, Wonder itself. Stories hint that our taken-for-granted daily realities may, in fact, be fraught with surprise. There are “rumors of angels” and grace abounding in our world. If a frog might be a prince, a lost sailor an angel, a pilgrim the Christ, then all of creation may be a sacramental presence pointing to “Something More.” Stories declare that this just might be the case.

Second Proposition: Stories are always more important than facts.

Facts, in relation to story, are inert. It is the genius of story to arrange the facts and proclaim the good news about them. For example, the pivotal “fact” of the resurrection is fundamentally less important in its description and verification as a statement of Jesus of Nazareth rising from the dead than as a central proposition of hope. What counts are the implications the resurrection story has for us in our living and in sustaining our outlook on life and death. Otherwise you have reportage, not gospel.