The realities people live by: a critical reflection on the value of Wolfgang Iser's concept of repertoire for reading the story of Susanna in the Septuagint
Abstract
The article investigates the value of Wolfgang Iser’s concept of repertoire for reading the
apocryphal story of Susanna. The viewpoint is that fictional literature such as the Susanna
narrative and reality are not opposites of each other, but that fictional texts tell us something
about reality. The investigation will also include Peter L. Berger’s theory on how religion
contributes to construct social reality. The study will show that religious texts construct the
reality(ies) in which people interact and try to make sense of everyday existence. Two stories
contemporary to the writer of the article are employed to show that in a certain sense male
perceptions about women have not changed much over two millennia. The critical engagement
with the narrative will also ask how Susanna’s story can be interpreted in a responsible
and ethical way that is conducive for the constructive development and transformation of
individuals and communities.
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- Faculty of Theology [980]