Narrative Discipleship

Narrative Discipleship examines the thematic and theological impact of women in the Gospel of Mark. Using narrative analysis, Aernie explores how Mark intentionally crafts the narratives of women in the Gospel to extend his portrait of discipleship. Mark portrays these women as exemplars of four key aspects of discipleship--restored life, kingdom speech, sacrificial action, and cruciformity. These portraits of discipleship provide a transformative paradigm for Mark's audience. Mark creates a portrait of narrative discipleship as a means to encourage his audience toward embodied discipleship and faithful participation in God's in-breaking kingdom.
"Through circumspect yet creative narrative exegesis, Jeffrey Aernie makes the compelling case that Mark's depictions of several women characters displays essential dimensions of faithful discipleship in the way of Jesus. Such character sketches of narrative discipleship coalesce to round out what following Jesus entails and thereby elicits embodied discipleship on the part of discerning readers. Insightful and illuminating, this carefully crafted book composes a crucial and constructive contribution to Markan studies."
--David J. Neville, St Mark's National Theological Centre, Canberra
"Jeff Aernie takes readers on a fascinating journey through Mark's portrayal of female figures. He shows how together these 'minor' characters become faithful guides to following Jesus by highlighting specifically four models of discipleship: restored, spoken, active, and cruciform. Far from being left in silence, through Aernie's insightful reading, the voices of the women disciples are heard loud and clear as witnesses to Jesus and the way to live. The book is highly recommended."
--Jason Maston, Houston Baptist University

Jeffrey W. Aernie is Lecturer in New Testament Studies in the School of Theology at Charles Sturt University (Sydney, Australia). He is the author of Is Paul Also Among the Prophets? An Examination of the Relationship between Paul and the Old Testament Prophetic Tradition in 2 Corinthians (2012).