Metaphors and Social Identity Formation in Paul's Letters to the Corinthians

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Wipf and Stock Publishers, May 5, 2017 - Religion - 266 pages
Why did Paul frequently employ a diverse range of metaphors in his letters to the Corinthians? Was the choice of these metaphors a random act or a carefully crafted rhetorical strategy? Did the use of metaphors shape the worldview and behavior of the Christ-followers?
 
In this innovative work, Kar Yong Lim draws upon Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Social Identity Theory to answer these questions. Lim illustrates that Paul employs a cluster of metaphors--namely, sibling, familial, temple, and body metaphors--as cognitive tools that are central to how humans process information, construct reality, and shape group identity. Carefully chosen, these metaphors not only add colors to Paul's rhetorical strategy but also serve as a powerful tool of communication in shaping the thinking, governing the behavior, and constructing the social identity of the Corinthian Christ-followers.
 

Contents

Pauls Use of Metaphors in the Corinthian Letters
3
Reading Pauls Metaphor through Social Identity Theory
26
Sibling Metaphor
51
Familial Metaphors
93
Temple Metaphor
137
Body Metaphor
159
Paul Metaphors and Social Identity Formation
191
Bibliography
203
Author Index
229
Ancient Document Index
235
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About the author (2017)

Kar Yong Lim is Lecturer in New Testament Studies and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (Malaysia Theological Seminary), Seremban, Malaysia.

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