Life in the Eucharistic Community: An Empirical Study in Psychological Type Theory and Biblical Hermeneutics Reading John 6:5–15

Abstract

This study employs psychological type theory to analyse the ways in which a group of 13 newly ordained Anglican priests (in priest’s orders for 3 or 4 months) reflected on the Eucharistic imagery of the Johannine feeding narrative. In the first exercise, the priests worked in two groups distinguished according to their perceiving preference (7 sensing types and 6 intuitive types). In the second exercise, the priests worked in three groups distinguished according to their judging preferences (4 thinking types, 4 feeling types, and 5 feeling types). The data supported the significance of psychological type in shaping the hermeneutical process (the theory underpinning the SIFT method of biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching). Sensing types grappled with the plethora of detail within the text. Intuitive types looked for the bigger picture and identified major themes. Thinking types looked for and organised the major issues raised by the passage. Feeling types focused on the human and relational implications of the narrative.