Language, Rhetoric, and Symbol

The words and language converts use to tell conversion stories also become an important aspect of narrative analysis. Language itself is an abstract symbol representing a corresponding concept or object. Beyond basic linguistic representation, however, is a meta- linguistic, symbolic relationship of word and referent through which meaning is given, particularly within religious and conversion narratives. Goldberg (2001) contends religious narratives provide a vision of the self as those within the religious community seek to become the embodiment of images presented to them. Gillespie (1991, p. 247) recognizes the

importance of symbolism in fostering identity, belonging, the transcendent nature of reality, and conversion:

As a means of cementing a feeling of community with the life of the church, religious workers, pastors, and youth ministers can use symbols of religious faith that invoke identification with God. Although this is a rather subjective use of symbols, still, religious people need to constantly be acquainted with those rich representations of ultimate reality which have an evocative aspect to them…

Through such symbols one identifies with God (one who is both caring and personal). Participations in the symbolic representations of God move one beyond simple statements to affirming an experienced reality. Involvement in symbolic understandings helps us declare something intensely personal. Those people identify with God as their own God. And that God is one who recognizes them as in need of forgiveness and acceptance.

As an example, the Christian narrative finds symbolic, historic, and spiritual meaning within the overarching theme of the Judeo-Christian story. Biblical stories reveal God’s action in time and others’ action in time (such as in the lives of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the apostles). Moreover, those stories and images relate to those who hear or read them. The religious narrative becomes the context through which a person sees his/her own life, makes commitments, and become part of the larger story, causing a shift in beliefs towards lived theology. Sachs Norris (2003) believes new converts first view symbolism and language of their new (alien) religious culture through the filter of their original language and worldview, then develop their understanding gradually as they adapt to the new belief system. Fackre (1996, pp. 29-30, 32) appreciates the collegiality and mutual enrichment of the [biblical] text,

the drama of life experience, and the lore of the Christian community along with their corresponding symbols and themes. He sees conversion narrative as communication of religious truth and norms through human experience and expression. For him, the ‘very act of verbal storytelling is the way to faith, hope, and love as God wills and works disclosure and transformation’. Goldberg (2001)tells a conversion narrative demonstrating the symbolic use of language through the story of a 46-year-old Baptist pastor:

So, I joined that particular church after about a month of visiting there. But I was first saved and then I followed Christ to baptism, which I hadn’t been baptized before…And then after this my life began to grow and materialize into something that was real, something that I could really identify with. The emptiness that was there before was now being replaced by something that had meaning and purpose in it. And I began to sense the need of telling others about what had happened to me.

And basically, I think perhaps the change could be detected in my life, as the Bible declares, that when a person is saved, the old man, the old person, or the character that they were passes away, and then they become a new creation in Christ Jesus. That is to say, there might be a character that may be drinking and cutting up and carrying on and a variety of other things that are ill toward God. All of these things began to dissolve away. I found that I had no desire for these things, but I began to abhor them. I actually began to hate them. And this was in accordance with the Scriptures as I found out later.

Goldberg identifies the highly symbolic use of language in this testimony, particularly in movement from his ‘old’ life to his ‘new’ life, his growing loss of desire for destructive behaviors with his new identity in Jesus Christ and new desires towards pleasing God. His language mirrored the conversion model narrated in scripture of the ‘old man’ becoming a ‘new creation in Christ Jesus’. Gooren (2010, p. 96) considered Pentecostal Christian images and language of conversion narratives, particularly how the images and language used has changed in the last two centuries. As compared to the agony and motivating fear of hell found within Puritan conversion stories, more contemporary Christian conversion stories speak of ‘surrendering’, ‘yielding’, or ‘giving themselves or their lives to Christ’ in response to an invitation to salvation and a personal relationship with Him. Pentecostal conversion rituals also provide images symbolic of life-change, including baptism by full immersion, according to Gooren. This form of baptism symbolizes ‘the overwhelming experience of

receiving the Holy Spirit for the first time’.55 _{In other traditional forms of Christianity,} baptism by full immersion symbolizes death to the old life and being raised from death to newness of life based upon scripture. Hoskins (2016) analyzed conversion narratives of thirty-six Muslim converts to Christianity. Three languages of conversion were observed: the ‘language of joining’ religious community, the ‘language of rejecting’ their former religion, and the ‘language of believing’ in newfound faith in Jesus through several ‘spiritual turns’.

Language, rhetoric, and symbols expressed in conversion stories are important in narrative analysis of conversion stories. This symbolic understanding of language has potential, not only for the convert in expressing and being transformed by his conversion experience, but also for the researcher in understanding the story and the convert in a more comprehensive way. As this research investigates religious conversion of those who are transformed from those who believe in immanent realities alone (within the naturalistic Atheist story) to those who come to believe in both immanent and transcendent realities (within the Christian story), it is important to understand the symbols and language of each.

3.4. The Narrative Approach in Conversion Research