Spirituality of Mark: Responding to God, The

The Spirituality of Mark: Responding to God. By Mitzi Minor. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1996, xi + 141 pp., n.p.

The author is associate professor of NT at Memphis Theological Seminary. This work is the fruit of her study in the academy, personal faith and *living with" the gospel of Mark since 1986. This personal journey culminated in her doctoral dissertation, which she describes as "the embryonic form of this book, which I hope is a more mature perspective on Mark's spirituality" (p. x).

Minor's methodology is a combination of *redaction, narrative, and sociological criticisms" (p. 8). With these tools she exegetes representative passages (3:1-6; 4:134; 4:35-41; 7:1-23; 7:24-30; 8:31-9:1; 9:14-29; 9:30-37; 10:32-45; 11:12-25; 13:137) with a view toward ascertaining authentic spirituality according to Mark. Her conclusions are three.

(1) Mark's understanding of God is that of a transcendent God who has "purposefully drawn near human beings in Jesus of Nazareth" (p. 96), who revealed the basileia of God to those with "eyes to see," and who is powerful to achieve God's purpose (p. 97). Minor chooses simply to transliterate the Greek word basiLeia, allowing Mark's text to "evoke its whole range of meanings" (p. 16), since traditional English translations, especially "kingdom," fall short of Mark's intent. She also avoids the use of masculine pronouns to refer to God.

(2) Authentic spirituality according to Mark is evidenced by the capacity to "see" and "hear" that God's basileia "has drawn near and become experientially available through Jesus" (p. 98) and the creation of an inclusive community that practices the discipleship of equals.

(3) Inauthentic spirituality does not "see" or "hear" the basileia of God, and this is evidenced chiefly in a propensity to focus on one's own or one's group's interests (p. 101). The two groups of people who evidence these characteristics are the religious leaders who never hear Jesus' word but choose evil from the outset and followers of Jesus, most frequently and importantly the twelve disciples, who evidence the same inauthentic responses. "It may be significant for Mark that both groups, even those who choose evil from the outset, appear to be very religious" (p. 101).

Minor's exegesis of Mark and her conclusions are sound but not very original. Originality is not necessarily a virtue, especially in Biblical exegesis, but we find pretty standard fare in the heart of the book, squarely in the mainstream of Markan scholarship and sounding still 'dissertationese."

The place where Minor could have been most helpful and potentially original she correctly identifies as her main point, namely, the application of Mark's spirituality to today. That discussion, however, comes last (perhaps appropriately) and is brief (not as appropriately). To her credit, she admits that her conclusions are inescapably shaped (both as to possibilities and limitations) "by the fact that I am a white, middleclass, North American woman who is an academic, an ordained Cumberland Presbyterian minister, and a feminist" (p. 133, n. 7). Unfortunately, the gap between Mark's authentic spirituality and her appropriation is too wide.

Why Latin American liberation theologians, black theologians and feminist theologians are presented uncritically and almost exclusively as "prophetic voices which are more clearly than ever calling the church to renew its community practices according to the teaching:; of Jesus, including his teachings in Mark" (p. 107), demands more explanation. She may be right, but she fails to make her case.

Robert Herron

Lee University, Cleveland, TN

Copyright Evangelical Theological Society Jun 1999
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