Reading the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1–10) through the lenses of introverted intuition and introverted sensing: Perceiving text differently

Leslie J Francis,Duncan Strathie,Christopher F Ross

doi:10.4102/hts.v75i4.5475

Abstract

Working within the reader perspective approach to biblical hermeneutics, a recent series of empirical studies has tested the theory that the readers’ psychological type preferences between sensing and intuition (perceiving functions) and between feeling and thinking (judging functions) shape distinctive readings of biblical texts. This study advances the debate by distinguishing between the two orientations within which the functions are expressed (introverted and extraverted). The added clarity offered by this refinement is illustrated by the distinctive voices of introverted intuition and introverted sensing engaging with the Matthean Beatitudes, eight verses rich in materials to engage the perceiving functions.

Highlights

The sensing, intuition, feeling and thinking (SIFT) approach to biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching is related both to wider reader response theory (Bleich 1978; Booth 1984; Fish 1980) and to the wider reader-perspective approach to the reading and interpretation of scripture
This study was designed to build on and to extend the insights afforded by the SIFT approach to biblical hermeneutics
The SIFT approach, as described by Francis and Village (2008), and as deployed in the series of empirical studies identified in the introduction of this article, identified the distinctive perspectives that characterise the readings of scripture voiced by the two perceiving functions and the two judging functions proposed by the Jungian psychological type theory

Summary

Introduction

The sensing, intuition, feeling and thinking (SIFT) approach to biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching is related both to wider reader response theory (Bleich 1978; Booth 1984; Fish 1980) and to the wider reader-perspective approach to the reading and interpretation of scripture (see Village 2007). In an independent initiative, which drew on psychological type theory, a series of theoretically driven studies by Francis (1997), Francis and Atkins (2000, 2001, 2002) and Francis and Village (2008) proposed the SIFT approach. The SIFT approach has been explored in a sequence of qualitative studies in which ‘readers’ have been invited to work in groups that share the same psychological type preferences to explore specific passages of scripture. The theory is that such groups (constituted on the basis of psychological type preference) lead to greater clarity and greater distinctiveness of the typeassociated readings of text. The following passages from the gospels have been explored in this way: the feeding of the 5000 reported in Mark 6:34–44 (Francis 2010); the resurrection narratives reported in Mark 16:1–8 and Matthew 28:1–15 (Francis & Jones 2011); the cleansing of the Temple and the incident of the fig tree reported in Mark 11:11–21 (Francis 2012a; Francis & ap Siôn 2016b); the Johannine feeding narratives reported in John 6:4–22 (Francis 2012b) and John 6:5–15 (Francis & Jones 2014); the narrative of separating sheep from goats reported in Matthew 25:31–46 (Francis & Smith 2012); the birth narratives reported in Matthew 2:13–20 and Luke 2:8–16 (Francis & Smith 2013); two narratives concerning John the Baptist reported in Mark 1:2–8 and Luke 3:2b–20 (Francis 2013; Francis & Smith 2014); two passages exploring different aspects of discipleship reported in Mark 6:7–14 and 6:33–41 (Francis & Jones 2015a); the foot washing account reported in John 13:2b–15 (Francis 2015); two healing narratives reported in Mark 2:1–12 and 10:46–52 (Francis & Jones 2015b); the narrative of blind Bartimaeus reported in Mark 10:46–52 (Smith & Francis 2016); the Road to Emmaus narrative reported in Luke 24:13–35 (Francis & ap Siôn 2016a; Francis & Smith 2017); the Lucan call of the first disciples reported in Luke 5:1–7

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Discussion

Conclusion