THE SPEECH ACTS OF ASKING IN PRAYER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT Cover Image

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THE SPEECH ACTS OF ASKING IN PRAYER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Author(s): Blahoslav Fajmon
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion
Published by: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
Keywords: Speech-act theory; Prayer; Asking; Blessing; Patriarchal blessing; Priestly blessing; Old Testament; Declarative; Directive; Perlocution; Sincerity condition; Condition of non-obviousness; Preparatory conditions; Indirect speech acts; Searle; Austin;

Summary/Abstract: After previously constructing the classification of the speech acts of faith we now address specifically the speech acts of asking in prayer in the Old Testament from the perspective of Austin’s and Searle’s theory. We firstly analyze the declarative and directive dimensions of human blessing while also considering the “sincerity condition”. Searle’s condition of “non-obviousness”, which is valid for the request, is not relevant in the case of asking in prayer. However, it opens the field of inquiry into the perlocutionary intentions of the one who prays. The last part of the essay examines the connection between the “preparatory conditions” of asking in prayer with various relations between different speech-acts in the discourse of prayer.

  • Issue Year: XVII/2015
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 45–69
  • Page Count: 25