Perspective Criticism: Point of View and Evaluative Guidance in Biblical Narrative

This illuminating book sets out a new methodology designed to help the reader of biblical narratives which present a character engaged in action, but no explicit indication from the storyteller on how the action is to be evaluated. Gary Yamasaki convincingly asserts that in these cases we are receiving guidance in a less obvious fashion, although not told what opinion to form, through the point of view of the story. In such cases Perspective Criticism may be applied, an approach designed to uncover the evaluative guidance that may be encoded in the point of view crafting of biblical narratives. Yamasaki provides a series of frameworks for analysis such as: spatial, psychological, informational, temporal, phraseological, and ideological. His clear and accessible style provides modern cultural references and points of comparison with biblical narrative, which may be evaluated in the same ways: a cinematic example of the spatial point of view may be seen in the 1985 film Das Boot, which deals with submarine warfare. Yamasaki concludes by applying his method to two useful case studies; the New Testament story of Gamaliel, and the Old Testament story of Gideon. In his work Yamasaki creates a valuable foundation for the deeper understanding of biblical narrative, a gift to anyone who has struggled with the messages that should be received from biblical point-of-view narratives. Gary Yamasaki is Professor of Biblical Studies at Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, British Columbia. He is the author of 'Watching a Biblical Narrative: Point of View in Biblical Exegesis' (2007), and is the founder of the Perspective Criticism website (www.perspectivecriticism.com). "Yamasaki has created a new lens through which to view biblical studies. He combines three underexamined lenses - literary theory, perspective criticism, and film studies - to produce fresh perspectives on seemingly familiar biblical stories." Matthew G. Whitlock, Assistant Professor of New Testament, Seattle University