Unbelievers Mock Quote by R.W.L. Moberly
““Nonetheless, Augustine and Pusey are surely clear examples of fighting one’s battle on the wrong ground. They assume that if unbelievers mock and question God’s ability to do the marvelous, then the appropriate response must be to affirm God’s ability to do the marvelous and encourage a stance of reverence. Both elements of the response are indeed appropriate to believers—but this is surely not the place to invoke them. To put it in other terms, one must first consider the genre of Jonah and the literary conventions that it utilizes, and then consider how best to promote a right appreciation and understanding of the book,7 rather than meet flatfooted mockery with equally flatfooted piety.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Book of Jonah: A Critical Introduction, 2005
He argues that responding to mockery with piety misreads Jonah’s genre; proper interpretation requires genre awareness.
In simple terms: Understand a text’s genre before reacting to criticism.
Key Takeaway
Interpret texts within their literary context.
Themes
interpretation
genre
theology
critical thinking
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
scholarly
inquisitive
When to use this quote
- Academic debates
- public sermons
- interfaith dialogues
Key Concepts
Literary criticism
religious studies
contextual analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How does genre shape meaning?
- What is the role of piety in modern critique?
A Different Perspective
Focusing on genre may overlook broader moral messages.
