Thick Headed?

In preparation for my second chapter, I have been reading articles about Clifford Geertz, as well as some of Geertz’s own writings (specifically some chapters from The Interpretation of Culture). There are two areas in Geertz’s work which interest me. One is his definition of religion:

A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men [sic] by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.

It is an interesting and compelling definition from an anthropological standpoint. Geertz claims that all religions, through their symbols and signs, reach to a metaphysical reality. This is interesting, but not central to my work. Granted there is a bit of overlap with Lindbeck, and the idea of Sacred Consciousness, but I need to avoid the black hole of thoughts if I am to ever complete the expletive dissertation.

The second aspect of Geertz that I find compelling is his understanding of the “Thick Description.” Granted this is taken from Ryle’s thoughts, Geertz applies it to anthropology in a way that can great help and inform theology. Basically, Geertz is arguing that context is the text – that only within the context of a culture can something be understood and to gain that understanding one must have a “thick description” of the culture. His example (actually Ryle’s) is the wink. A thin description would observe a twitch of one eyelid. A thick description would consider the different messages that are conveyed with a wink. Geertz claims that through a thick description of culture one can interpret the signs and symbols of that culture. (I would like to note that Wittgenstein is still in the background – his writings have influenced Geertz… can anyone escape Wittgenstein?)

This is helpful for me to focus on the Baptist community/movement as a text. I am trying to understand the role, symbol, and significance of the minister in a Baptist community. One cannot simply gain such an understanding by observing worship on any given Sunday – that only offers a small piece of the experience. One must engage the community to discern the meaning and practices of the community. If I am to do a theology that is social, that is reflective of the movement of the people, then my analysis must arrive from a thick and not thin description. Geertz has shown me the path upon which I can walk as I venture further and further into the Baptist movement. Watch out for the blood-sucking mosquitoes!

Next up – McClendon and narrative theology…whee!!!