Ritröð Guðfræðistofnunar - 01.09.2012, Side 21

but, as Hartman also notes, it is not the only one. From a communication
perspective, a text relates to its sender, recipient and the historical context
where it is meant to operate. Hartman writes, “In a given Situation and
with a certain Purpose a Sender communicates a Message through a Text
to a Recipient.” However, a text also has a symbolic function and refers to
the reality about which it makes assertions (God, Jesus, the Spirit, man,
sin, evil, etc.). This makes possible several ways of dealing with the biblical
text. Some may want to reduce the historical dimension of the text and
read it as a contribution to a general Christian discourse, giving legitimacy
to or constituting a stimulating challenge to the Christian vocabulary.
Others may want to limit their focus to actualizing esthetic or existential
questions and read the biblical text similar to how one might read poetry.
Such readings are more open than historical readings to implicit and deeper
meanings of a text (sensus plenior).
I want to focus on the communicative function of a text and consider
a tripartite process of communication where the biblical text, the author of
the commentary and the one who reads the commentary, constitute the
crucial components.
First Communication Second Communication Tbird Communication
(Coml) (Cotn2) (Com3)
S1----Tl/Ml------R1 S2-------T2/M2------R2 S3--------T3/M3-----R3
In this diagram of the commenting process, three communications
(Coml, Com2, Com3) are listed, each of them pertaining to different
situational, cultural and social contexts. To begin with, we shall describe
the components.
Coml:
S1 the sender who produces the bible text
T1 the bible text produced by S1
R1 the recipient who reads or hears Tl
M1 the message communicated by S1 to R1
P1 the purpose intended by S1
Sitl = the situation of Sl, Tl and R1
Medl = the medium of communication chosen by S1
The second communication (Com2) consists of components analogous
to Coml: S2 = the commentary writer, R2 = the commentary reader, T2
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