Healing Discourses In The Gospel of Mark - A Socio-Political Reading

This book is an attempt to reimagining healing stories in the Gospel of Mark using the methodology of critical discourse analysis. Critical discourse analysis is a critical study of the text by keeping the tension and struggle reflected in the text. The analysis takes linguistic and psycho-social approaches one step further by analysing the data from a decidedly critical stance. This book depicts a new set of reflections on the healing stories. The study identifies healing stories beyond the familiar understanding of the miracles performed by Jesus Christ, finding out 'healing' as a socio-political discourse. This book proposes a new hermeneutical paradigm for studying the healing discourse and open new perspectives to the miracle stories as well.

Rev. Arun Thomas is an ordained minister of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, Kerala, India. He did his Post Graduation and Master of Philosophy from University of Madras, Chennai. He completed Bachelor of Divinity from United Theological College, Bangalore. He has written a book titled, Charithram Thedunna Vakkukal in 2009 and has contributed several articles in various national and international publications.

The Bible, as the word of God, surprises us by the fact that the newer approaches to the bible brings forth newer dimensions of the text. In the 21" century Biblical and theological researches propose new horizons of the text using interdisciplinary methodologies, especially that of the social sciences. Critical Discourse Analysis is one of such methodological searches for the new meaning and exploration of truth. Critical Discourse Analysis is used to understand society on the basis of language. This analysis emphasises that ideas, facts and knowledge are not static, but change as the discourse(s) change.

There are numerous ways to study the healing stories in the New Testament. But, a focused attempt to study on the healing stories recorded in the Gospel according to Mark, through the methodological framework of Critical Discourse Analysis is a rare attempt. In this book Rev. Arun Thomas Abraham, has delineated such a study on the healing stories in the Gospel according to using the methodology of Critical Discourse Analysis. Therefore, this study deserves our attention and appreciation.

Rev. Arun Thomas has written a beautiful interpretation of the scripture by applying Critical Discourse Analysis. He critically evaluated the healing stories in mark 2:1-12, mark 5:1-12 and mark 10:46-52 in the light of Critical Discourse Analysis. By exposing the genre and social location on marken text, Rev. Arun Thomas was able to propose a new hermeneutical paradigm for studying the text. In todays context a proper and possible exposition of Bible is mandatory as the people of God encounter many issues of faith. Anthony C. Thiselten, a pioneer of biblical hermeneutics considers hermeneutics provides exposition and critical discussions of hermeneutics as a multidisciplinary area". It is important to note that only through interactive and multidisciplinary approaches; one can enter into this world of biblical hermeneutics.