ENGL / COMM 4103 RHETORIC AND PERSUASION Introduction to Christian & Medieval Rhetoric

In its purest form, Judeo-Christian rhetoric shows some similarity to philosophical rhetoric: it claims to be the simple enunciation of truth, uncontaminated by adornment, flattery, or sophistic ornamentation; it differs from philosophical rhetoric in that this truth is known from revelation or established by signs from God, not discovered by dialectic through human effort. (Kennedy 138) Kennedy on Christian Rhetoric

Old Testament Rhetoric  Rhetor as mouthpiece of God:  Examples: Moses, Aaron, the Prophets  Focus on content, not form.  Style and ornamentation viewed with suspicion, except in poetic literature  Judeo-Christian Occasions for Discourse:  Covenant speeches.  Prophecy.  Epideictic Rhetoric in praise of God.  Rhetorical Theory / Precepts  Advice from wisdom literature concerning how, when, and why to speak. (Kennedy 143)

New Testament Rhetoric  Preaching:  Jesus’ and apostolic preaching and teaching draws primarily on the Jewish tradition.  Emphasis on the authority of the speaker, granted by God, and not based on special eloquence.  Emphasis on the response of the audience to the truth delivered by the speaker.  Paul seems to have the most comprehensive rhetorical background of any NT writer.  Persuasion depends on proclamation, not proof.

Early Christian Rhetoric  Preaching:  Missionary Sermon  Prophetic Preaching  Homily Most important / prevalent of the four. “[O]ral interpretation of a text of Scripture” (156).  Biblical Interpretation:  Dialectic : Rhetoric :: Hermeneutics : Homiletics

Greek and Latin Christian Rhetoric  Constantinople vs. Rome  Split empire / split approach to rhetoric  Constantinople: Greek; maintained close ties to Greek rhetorical tradition.  Rome: Suspicion of Hellenistic culture derogated the role of rhetoric.  Divide in the empire also stopped the flow of ideas.

“What has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church?” (Saint Jerome) Rhetoric and Latin Christianity

Rhetoric under Suspicion  Proclamation, Proof, and Pagans  Because of the Judeo-Christian tradition of proclamation, rather than proof, the logical proofs of classical rhetoric were suspect.  Because of the Judeo-Christian tradition of proclamation, rather than eloquence, stylistic adornments of classical rhetoric were suspect.  Because the major figures in rhetorical history— Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian—were pagans, their work was viewed as suspect and potentially corrupting.

“The medieval rhetorical tradition... Evolved within the dual influences of Greco-Roman and Christian belief systems and cultures” (Glenn 75). Medieval Rhetoric

Medieval Rhetoric: The Three Ars  Ars Poetica:  The art [work] of poetry.  Concerned “literary” discourse, especially concerning style, organization, and figures of speech.  Ars Dictaminis:  The art [work] of letter-writing.  Letter-writing took on immense importance during the Middle Ages.  Ars Praedicandi:  The art [work] of preaching.  Because of the tension between proclamation and proof, the art of preaching received little attention between Augustine in the 4 th century and Robert of Basevorn in the 13 th century.