49 2 MARCO CONCEPTUAL
2.11. MODELOS DE LA INNOVACIÓN DESDE UNA PERSPECTIVA PROCESUAL
Thesis Overview
Existing literature on the subject of fire and contemporary culture has catalogued many points of intersection between fire and human society, but contextualising the image of fire for use in a specific setting requires a more selective approach. In order to provide a clear progression from biblical, social, and ritual contexts to specifically Christian applications, this thesis is organised into three movements or phases, each composed of two chapters. As in a musical composition, each movement represents a stage in the development of the whole. The movements are connected not only through a central thread or argument, but through variations on the themes which emerge. This musical terminology is used to suggest
Turner, “Symbolic Studies,” 146; 152.
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Turner, “Symbolic Studies,” 154.
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Geertz, Interpretation, 112.
a dynamic and reciprocal relationship between each section, wherein ideas and observations are presented in conversation with the entirety of the thesis.
The thesis begins by orientating the reader to dominant trends in the reception of fire, both in the biblical texts and in contemporary British society. It is here, in the first movement of the thesis, that we will begin to see how the image of fire may resonate within the theological imagination by virtue of its cultural associations. The second movement explores ways in which contemporary cultural associations around fire are built on, and subverted, by certain communal and ritual practices in Britain and Northern Ireland. Critical observation of specific community events and rituals will reveal ways in which the multivalence of fire imagery is utilised to communicate meaning, construct identity, and enable personal and communal transitions. Possibilities for theological applications of the image will begin to come to the fore, especially through attention to the role of fire imagery in facilitating liminal experiences.
The third and final movement will apply the analytical frameworks developed throughout the thesis to the use of fire imagery in existing Christian practices. Contextual information from previous chapters will guide interpretation of several fire practices found within both established church tradition and alternative expressions of Christianity in contemporary Britain. I will consider the theological resonances of fire imagery in these practices, along with a consideration of how these resonances may be received by participants of Christian fire rites. This will lead to the conclusion of the thesis, which will consider how the theological resonances of fire can be taken forward in Christian contexts in order to facilitate deeper theological and imaginative engagement with the multivalence of fire imagery. In sum, the thesis follows a structure of orientation, observation, and application. The specific aims and methodology of each phase of the thesis are outlined below, with the intention of providing an overview of the research and its trajectory at each stage.
Chapters 2 & 3: Orientation
The opening movement of the thesis highlights ways in which biblical and contemporary fire imagery are compatible with a range of theological concerns, including creation, destruction, cleansing, and renewal. These enquiries into biblical fire imagery and 21st century encounters with fire will form the groundwork for the thesis as a whole. Rather than
focusing on disentangling discrete correspondences between the source and target domains of the image, the discussion will acknowledge the suggestive power of ambiguity in the production and reception of fire imagery. Conceptualising the image of fire as ‘multivalent’ will guard against any temptation to define the image too concretely, and provide room for an analysis which extends beyond simplistic readings of the image.
If the image of fire is to be contextualised for Christian practice, then understanding the fire imagery of Christianity’s sacred text is a necessary part of the process. Biblical fire 209 imagery is theologically nuanced and often ambiguous, but its multivalent character has not always been reflected in Christian thought. The discussion of biblical encounters with fire in Chapter 2 seeks to deconstruct the myth that biblical fire imagery is characterised by ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ theological associations. Instead, an assessment of the varied applications of fire in the text will establish the multivalence of the image in the Bible. Exploring the multivalence of fire imagery will provide fresh insights into the use of fire in biblical texts, reconceptualising fire in the Bible as a means of divine-human interaction. Biblical fire imagery will also indicate that the sensory dimensions of fire can open up new avenues for imaginative and theological engagement.
Once I have established fire as a legitimate and multivalent theological image, I will turn to assess the contemporary British experience of fire. Chapter 3 contends that the multivalence of the image of fire has enduredinto the present age, but has been altered (and oftentimes restricted) by the radical shift in cultural attitudes towards fire. With the rise of electricity and an increased emphasis on fire prevention, Britain’s recent history has seen a decline in the visibility of fire in domestic spaces. In this chapter, I will consider how the defamiliarisation of fire has affected the reception of fire in the British social imagination, as well as considering the implications for how the image of fire is construed within a contemporary context. I will note points of similarity and divergence between the biblical uses of fire imagery and modern associations with the image of fire, focusing on conceptions of fire as practical necessity, entertaining diversion, and unwelcome threat.
Christine Helmer, Steven Linn McKenzie, Thomas Chr. Römer, Jens Schröter, Barry Dov Walfish,
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Eric Ziolkowski, “Introduction,” in Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception Online (Berlin/Boston: De
Gruyter, 2009), accessed 4 May 2018, https://www.degruyter.com/staticfiles/content/dbsup/ EBR_02_Introduction.pdf.
Chapters 4 & 5: Observation
The central movement of the thesis examines how the image of fire has been utilised by certain communities as a means of self-expression. In these instances, communities have integrated particular aspects of the image of fire into their communal practices, utilising the multivalence of fire imagery to facilitate engagement with the values, narratives, and identity of the group. Using insights from previous chapters regarding fire in the social imagination, I will use selected case studies to observe the interplay between community context and ritual applications of the image. This will serve not only to illustrate the complex relationship between imagery and context, but also to indicate ways in which the image of fire can be used to explore abstract concepts and experiences. Drawing on my research thus far, I will then suggest some common themes for the analysis of fire imagery in community ritual contexts. Based on these themes, I will utilise a tripartite analytical framework incorporating communication and participation; purification and creative transformation; and fire as presence.
Chapter 4 will explore the relationship between multivalence and community context in the interpretation of fire imagery. Using the example of David Best’s installation artwork Temple, I will examine how the image of fire is constructed in reference to a community’s specific cultural and historical context; and how dominant associations with fire imagery can nonetheless be subverted by exploiting the image’s multivalence. I will then assess the multiplicity of fire imagery in the ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, arguing that the multivalence of fire imagery allows it to be continually re-applied and re-interpreted even within the same community setting. My observations in this chapter are based on the televised footage of Best’s Temple and the London 2012 ceremonies, as well as primary and secondary sources. Due to the lack of relevant academic source material, it will be necessary to describe these events in some detail to facilitate their analysis. My research, therefore, provides a scholarly account of both Temple and the London 2012 ceremonies which details their use of fire and fire imagery.
As the discussion moves towards locating the image of fire within contemporary Christian practice, we will build on our contextual understanding of fire imagery to consider its role in ritual performance. Chapter 5 will undertake critical observation of three transitional fire rituals in contemporary Scotland. These are the Stonehaven Fireball
Ceremony, a new year celebration in Aberdeenshire; the Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, which marks the transition from winter to spring/summer; and the winter fire festival of Up- Helly-Aa, celebrated in the Shetland Islands. As communal rites of passage, each event uses fire imagery to help participants explore questions of identity and process times of change. The role of fire imagery within these rituals has received limited scholarly attention, despite the centrality of fire in their conception and ritual performance. As a result, a certain amount of descriptive work will be necessary to record the findings of my site visits and develop my research in light of these observations. As in the case of Best’s Temple and London 2012, the description of fire and fire imagery at Stonehaven Fireball Ceremony, Beltane Fire Festival, and Up-Helly-Aa constitutes part of my original contribution to scholarship.
In Chapter 5, I will explore how the image and presence of fire shapes personal and communal identity through its role in generating liminal experience. Analytical frameworks developed throughout earlier parts of the thesis will provide critical tools to conduct our own thorough analysis. The Stonehaven Fireball Ceremony, Beltane Fire Festival, and Up-Helly- Aa are characterised by multivalent and multiplicitous applications of fire imagery. The three themes identified in Chapter 4 will help to disentangle the various forms and functions of the image of fire as it is applied in each ritual. First, the image of fire communicates the ideas and values of the community, inviting physical and imaginative participation in particular forms of community self-expression. Second, the image of fire mediates rites of purification and creative transformation as participants transition from one ritual state to another. Third, fire generates a sense of presence which calls for a response in the form of ritual actions. Considering the significance of fire imagery within these ritual contexts will direct us towards applications for Christian practice, and especially those dimensions of the image which resonate with the Christian theological imagination.
Chapters 6 & 7: Application
In the final movement of the thesis, the findings of the preceding chapters will be applied to the image of fire in Christian contexts. Having gained a fuller understanding of the image of fire in biblical texts, the contemporary imagination, and community ritual, we will be in a position to consider explicitly Christian encounters with fire according to relevant social and theological frameworks. As in other community rituals, the image of fire facilitates
communication and participation, purification and creative transformation, and a sense of presence for Christian fire practices. These themes do not merely describe certain ritual functions of the image and presence of fire, but indicate potential theological applications of fire as well.
Using examples from both established church tradition and alternative Christian practice, Chapter 6 will demonstrate ways the multivalence of fire imagery has been used to convey theological ideas. The physical presence of fire in traditional Easter Vigil liturgies and in Christian token-burning will be of particular interest within this chapter, which will propose that the sensory aspects of fire in these practices provide opportunity for deeper engagement with the image’s multivalence. I will argue that, in contributing to the experience and exploration of ritual liminality, the presence and image of fire can enhance the ritual efficacy of Christian worship. The multivalence of fire imagery is significant for each of these examples, but oftentimes goes unexplored by scholars and practitioners alike. By noting the potential for further theological exploration of fire imagery in such contexts, the assessment of existing Christian practices will highlight the need for critical reflection regarding the use of fire imagery in Christian worship. Considering various applications of fire imagery will demonstrate how, even in similar faith-based settings, the image of fire needs to be approached with careful attention to context, and sensitivity with regard to its social and theological reception.
The conclusions of the research are presented in Chapter 7. In this final chapter, the three movements of the thesis will be synthesised to suggest how the image of fire can be more effectively integrated into contemporary Christian ritual. I will evaluate how biblical interpretation, contemporary associations, and ritual setting affect the presentation and reception of the image of fire for Christian practice. In doing so, I will identify contextual issues to be considered when approaching the application and interpretation of fire imagery in such settings. Drawing together the multivalence of fire imagery with observations regarding the sensory and liminal aspects of the image, the conclusion will assert the value of fire imagery for imaginative engagement in Christian ritual practice. I will highlight a range of theological resonances based on trends evident throughout the thesis. These resonances are not presented as a comprehensive list of correspondences between fire and theological ideas; rather, they will be indicative of the image’s broad theological potential.