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Life Stories and Christian Zionist Ideology : A Theoretical Outline of How to Capture the Interplay between Individual and Ideology

Engberg, Aron LU (2011) Working with Stories: Narrative as a Meeting Place for Theory, Analysis and Practice p.68-77
Abstract
Christian Zionism is usually characterized as a theological and political movement grounded in literalist bible hermeneutics and End-time speculations that dedicate unwavering support to the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The prophetic element in Christian Zionism has in later years been downplayed for a more down-to-earth focus on social and political commitment to the well-being of the state of Israel. This shift in emphasis leaves the floor open to new investigations into the identification with Israel that is central to many western evangelicals’ understanding of their Christian faith. In my research I use narrative methods to investigate contemporary Christian volunteer workers in Israel. I want to investigate how individual... (More)
Christian Zionism is usually characterized as a theological and political movement grounded in literalist bible hermeneutics and End-time speculations that dedicate unwavering support to the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The prophetic element in Christian Zionism has in later years been downplayed for a more down-to-earth focus on social and political commitment to the well-being of the state of Israel. This shift in emphasis leaves the floor open to new investigations into the identification with Israel that is central to many western evangelicals’ understanding of their Christian faith. In my research I use narrative methods to investigate contemporary Christian volunteer workers in Israel. I want to investigate how individual life-stories relate to the grand narrative of Christian Zionism in order to answer the question of the symbolical value that Israel bears to these believers. In the present paper I discuss theoretical and methodological questions in relation to my research project. As the interplay between individual biographies and ideology is the particular focus of my research I use James A. Holstein and Jaber F. Gubrium’s theoretical approach combined with ethnographic methods. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Christian Zionism, Evangelicalism, Identity, Israel, Life Stories, Narrative, Religious Fundamentalism, Volunteer work
host publication
Working with Stories : Narrative as a Meeting Place for Theory, Analysis and Practice. Proceedings from the 2nd ENN Conference, Kolding 2011 - Narrative as a Meeting Place for Theory, Analysis and Practice. Proceedings from the 2nd ENN Conference, Kolding 2011
editor
Krogh Hansen, Per
pages
10 pages
publisher
European Narratology Network
conference name
Working with Stories: Narrative as a Meeting Place for Theory, Analysis and Practice
conference location
Kolding, Denmark
conference dates
2011-03-09 - 2011-03-11
ISBN
978-87-994644-0-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (015017000)
id
b265d534-cb63-44a3-a2f1-cf92e18eba2e (old id 2063225)
alternative location
http://www.narratology.net/sites/www.narratology.net/files/ENN%202011%20Aron%20Engberg%20-%20Life%20Stories%20and%20Christian%20Zionist%20Ideology.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:35:37
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:03:01
@inproceedings{b265d534-cb63-44a3-a2f1-cf92e18eba2e,
  abstract     = {{Christian Zionism is usually characterized as a theological and political movement grounded in literalist bible hermeneutics and End-time speculations that dedicate unwavering support to the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The prophetic element in Christian Zionism has in later years been downplayed for a more down-to-earth focus on social and political commitment to the well-being of the state of Israel. This shift in emphasis leaves the floor open to new investigations into the identification with Israel that is central to many western evangelicals’ understanding of their Christian faith. In my research I use narrative methods to investigate contemporary Christian volunteer workers in Israel. I want to investigate how individual life-stories relate to the grand narrative of Christian Zionism in order to answer the question of the symbolical value that Israel bears to these believers. In the present paper I discuss theoretical and methodological questions in relation to my research project. As the interplay between individual biographies and ideology is the particular focus of my research I use James A. Holstein and Jaber F. Gubrium’s theoretical approach combined with ethnographic methods.}},
  author       = {{Engberg, Aron}},
  booktitle    = {{Working with Stories : Narrative as a Meeting Place for Theory, Analysis and Practice. Proceedings from the 2nd ENN Conference, Kolding 2011}},
  editor       = {{Krogh Hansen, Per}},
  isbn         = {{978-87-994644-0-1}},
  keywords     = {{Christian Zionism; Evangelicalism; Identity; Israel; Life Stories; Narrative; Religious Fundamentalism; Volunteer work}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{68--77}},
  publisher    = {{European Narratology Network}},
  title        = {{Life Stories and Christian Zionist Ideology : A Theoretical Outline of How to Capture the Interplay between Individual and Ideology}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5575637/2063296.pdf}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}