The Spirit and the 'Other': Social Identity, Ethnicity and Intergroup Reconciliation in Luke-Acts (The Library of New Testament Studies)

In this title, Kuecker uses social identity theory to examine the interface between the Holy Spirit and ethnicity in “Luke-Acts”. Kuecker uses an artillery of social identity theory to demonstrate that in “Luke”'s narrative the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity. In his argumenation, Kuecker provides extended exegetical treatments of “Luke” 1—4 and “Acts” 1-15. He shows that “Luke” 1—4 establishes a foundation for “Luke”'s understanding of the relationship between human identity, the Spirit, and the 'other' — especially as it relates to the distribution of in-group benefits beyond group boundaries. With regard to “Acts” 1—15, Kuecker shows that the Spirit acts whenever human identity is in question in order to transform communities and individuals via the formation of a new social identity. Kuecker argues that “Luke” depicts this Spirit-formed social identity as a different way of being human in community, relative to the normative identity processes of other groups in his narrative. This transformed identity produces profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in “Luke-Acts” expressed through reformed economic practice, impressive intergroup hospitality, and a reoriented use of ethnic language. Formerly the “Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement”, this is a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. “The Early Christianity in Context” series, a part of “JSNTS”, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins and “Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement” are also part of “JSNTS”. CONTENTS Acknowledgments Abbreviations Chapter 1. THE HOLY SPIRIT IN LUKE–ACTS: TRACING THE HISTORY OF RESEARCH 1.1. History of Research: Pre-1900–Present 1.2. Gaps in the Study of the Spirit in Luke–Acts 1.3. The Thesis of this Study 1.4. Outline of the Argument 1.5. Assumptions Concerning Luke’s Audienceand Occasion for Writing Chapter 2. SOCIAL IDENTITY AND THE “OTHER”: A METHODOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 2.1. Social Identity Theory 2.2. Ethnicity and Social Identity 2.3. Ethnic Identity and Israel 2.4. Conclusion 2.5. Social Identity Theory Glossary Chapter 3. EXPANDING THE ETHNIC HORIZON: THE SPIRIT AND ALLOCENTRIC IDENTITY IN LUKE 1–2 3.1. Zechariah and Elizabeth: Awakening Israelite Ethnic Identity 3.2. The Spirit, John and Jesus: The Nexus of Identity and Activity 3.3. The Spirit and the Birth Hymns: Expanding the Field of Ethnic Vision 3.4. Conclusion Chapter 4. CRITIQUING DEFECTIVE IDENTITIES: SPIRIT-EMPOWERED FIGURES AND IN-GROUP BIAS IN LUKE 3–4 4.1. The Spirit and the Baptizer: Critiquing a Distortion of Ethnic Social Identity 4.2. The Spirit and Jesus: Identifying the Son of God 4.3. Jesus’ Genealogy: Incorporating Ethnic Out-groups 4.4. Jesus and Satan: Testing Privileged Identity 4.5. Jesus and His Townsfolk: Ethnic Identity, Resource Allocation and the “Other” 4.6. Conclusion Chapter 5. INITIATING A SCANDAL OF UNIVERSAL PARTICULARITY: THE SPIRIT IN ACTS 1–2 5.1. The Spirit and Social Categories in Acts 1:1–11: Initiating an Allocentric Identity 5.2. Old Identity Paradigms Before Pentecost: Choosing One Like Us 5.3. Pentecost and the Scandal of Universal (Ethno-linguistic) Particularity 5.4. Peter’s Pentecost Discourse 5.5. Conclusion Chapter 6. CONSUMMATING A NEW IDENTITY: THE COMMUNITY SUMMARIES AND THE IDENTITY-FORMING POWER OF A GROUP 6.1. Understanding the Baseline Significance of the New Community 6.2. The Spirit and the “Other,” Satan and the Self: Barnabas, Ananias and Sapphira as Exemplars of Identity 6.3. Conclusion Chapter 7. INCORPORATING THE “OTHER”: THE SPIRIT AND SUPERORDINATE IDENTITY IN ACTS 6–9 7.1. Acts 6:1–7: Subgroup Salience and Community Dysfunction 7.2. Acts 8: Incorporating Those Who Identify Themselves With the God of Israel 7.3. Acts 8:26–40: The Ethiopian Eunuch 7.4. Acts 9: Spirit-orchestration and Identification for the Incorporation of an Enemy 7.5. Conclusion Chapter 8. TRANSCENDING ETHNICITY: THE SPIRIT AND TRANS-ETHNIC IDENTITY IN ACTS 10–15 8.1. Interpreting Acts 10:1–11:18 8.2. Criticism in Jerusalem: Evidence of an Intractable Boundary 8.3. Acts 15: The Spirit and the Intragroup Expression of a New Identity 8.4. Conclusion Chapter 9. CONCLUSION 9.1. A Summary of Luke’s Portrait of the Spirit, Social Identity and the “Other” 9.2. Social Identity Theory and a Different Way of Being Human in Community 9.3. Possibilities for Future Comparative Work on Identity Within the Early Jesus Movement 9.4. Possibilities for Contemporary Application 9.5. Conclusion Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors In this title, Kuecker uses social identity theory to examine the interface between the Holy Spirit and ethnicity in Luke-Acts . Kuecker uses an artillery of social identity theory to demonstrate that in Luke 's narrative the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity. In his argumenation, Kuecker provides extended exegetical treatments of Luke 1-4 and Acts 1-15. He shows that Luke 1-4 establishes a foundation for Luke's understanding of the relationship between human identity, the Spirit, and the 'other' - especially as it relates to the distribution of in-group benefits beyond group boundaries. With regard to Acts 1-15, Kuecker shows that the Spirit acts whenever human identity is in question in order to transform communities and individuals via the formation of a new social identity. Kuecker argues that Luke depicts this Spirit-formed social identity as a different way of being human in community, relative to the normative identity processes of other groups in his narrative. This transformed identity produces profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in Luke-Acts expressed through reformed economic practice, impressive intergroup hospitality, and a reoriented use of ethnic language. Formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement, this is a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS. The Spirit and the "Other" 1 a clearer grasp of both the role of the Spirit and the place of ethnic identity among the earliest followers of Jesus, Luke's distinctively Israelite Messiah and unambiguously cosmic Lord. ## History of Research: Pre-1900-Present There are many profitable avenues to explore in the history of research on Luke-Acts, but I will restrict myself to literature that deals specifically with Luke's view of the Spirit. It will become quickly apparent that the relationship between the Spirit and ethnic identity has not yet been pursued. 1 This fact is not surprising, given that we are only just beginning to come to an awareness of the complex dynamics associated with ethnic identities and their social impact. Two primary questions have driven the past century of research on the Spirit in Luke-Acts: 1. What contexts form the background for Luke's pneumatology? 2. What does Luke think the Spirit does? ## A Scholarly Consensus? Just over a decade ago, Max Turner distilled five points of consensus for research on Lukan pneumatology. I will begin by demonstrating briefly the way in which this consensus has emerged in the history of research. I will then highlight several deficits in the study of the Spirit in Luke-Acts and situate this study in the context of the ongoing scholarly conversation. First, however, Turner's five points of consensus: 2 1. The contextual background for Luke's view of the Spirit is the Old Testament/Second Temple period. 2. The Spirit is "the uniting motif and driving force within the Lucan salvation history, and provided the legitimation of the mission to which it leads." 3 1. Works that emphasize "Jew" and "Gentile" issues have largely focused upon the relationship between "Judaism" and "Gentiles," and thus have not specifically worked from an intergroup, inter-ethnic perspective. "Aaron J. Kuecker draws on resources from social identity theory to demonstrate that in Luke's narrative the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity. In his argumentation Kuecker provides extended exegetical treatments of Luke 1-4 and Acts 1-15. He shows that Luke 1-4 establishes a foundation for Luke's understanding of the relationship between human identity, the Spirit, and the 'other'--especially as it relates to the distribution of in-group benefits beyond group boundaries. With regard to Acts 1-15, Kuecker shows that the Spirit acts whenever human identity is in question in order to transform communities and individuals via the formation of a new social identity.... This transformed identity produces profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in Luke-Acts expressed through reformed economic practice, impressive intergroup hospitality, and a reoriented use of ethnic language"--Provided by publisher. "Aaron J. Kuecker draws on resources from social identity theory to demonstrate that in Luke's narrative the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity. In his argumentation Kuecker provides extended exegetical treatments of Luke 1-4 and Acts 1-15. He shows that Luke 1-4 establishes a foundation for Luke's understanding of the relationship between human identity, the Spirit, and the 'other' -- especially as it relates to the distribution of in-group benefits beyond group boundaries. With regard to Acts 1-15, Kuecker shows that the Spirit acts whenever human identity is in question in order to transform communities and individuals via the formation of a new identity. This transformed identity produces profound expressions of interethnic reconciliation in Luke-Acts expressed through reformed economic practice, impressive intergroup hospitality, and a reoriented use of ethnic language."--Back cover Kuecker uses an artillery of social identity theory to demonstrate that in Luke s narrative the Spirit is the central figure in the formation of a new social identity. In his argumenation Kuecker provides extended exegetical treatments of Luke 1-4 and Acts 1-15. He shows that Luke 1-4 establishes a foundation for Luke s understanding of the relationship between human identity, the Spirit, and the other especially as it relates to the distribution of in-group benefits beyond group boundaries. With regard to Acts 1-15, Kuecker shows that the Spirit acts whenever human identity is in question in