‘This is my story, this is my song’ the legacy of Walter J. Hollenweger’s narrative theology

Abstract

ABSTRACT Narrative theology is a facet of Hollenweger’s work that, so far, has not received much attention in the English-speaking world, although Hollenweger has on numerous occasions undertaken to relate critical biblical exegesis with narrative perspectives on faith and life. He entertained not only an engagement with his Pentecostal roots and rigorous Reformed theological training but also a dialogue with non-Western cultures and a conversation with the world at large. Narrative theology from Hollenweger’s perspective allows all Christians to be involved in the process of interpreting God’s Good News. This article illustrates Hollenweger’s narrative exegesis and shows how he employed this hermeneutical approach to open doors to share the gospel with the unchurched. After an introduction explaining his background and discovery of narrative communication, a look at one of his biblical plays provides a concrete example of Hollenweger’s narrative theology.