Narrow Way with Steve Phillips Orality & Writing
In Orality [Oral Tradition], the ear is the gate to dominating subordinates. In Writing, the mind is the gate to liberating individuals. Orality fosters and creates hierarchy and tribalism, to look upon others as inferior or irrelevant. Writing places every individual on an equal plane. Orality keeps subordinates dependent. Writing liberates the individual from those shackles. “Truth” in traditional societies is the privileged portion of the elite. Truth via Writing exposes its message to all irrespective of status or station.
The written Word eliminates all basis for tribal superiority. All are equal members of a new family, a new community, a fellowship that does not take into account any man according to what he is in the flesh. “Therefore from now on we regard no one according to the flesh: He is a new creation; the old things have passed away” -2 Corinthians 5:16,17. “All of you have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female” –Galatians 3:27,28.
A great cultural upheaval must occur for the truth of the Written Word of God to take deep root. It is not merely that the content of the gospel must be received. If it is mingled with the traditional paradigm of Orality, then that default mindset will twist even the Bible to conform to its presuppositions and world-view: The “Man of God,” the Ifa of the sanctuary, through Orality will cancel God’s Word by his words.
Biblical truth, in Writing, cancels hierarchy, ennobles the individual, liberates the mind, enhances reasoning, and transports beyond the narrow canyon walls of one’s own cultural experience. Through the written Word, he will realize that not only is he no more in bondage to others’ unquestioned directives, but that he also has a voice with something significant to say.
The Scriptures supplant Orality. That Word is external, objective, and verifiable. It is preserved in durable form available for all to read and judge whatever anyone says about it. Orality follows the crooked trail through the bush over centuries of time. Each individual is expected to walk in the same path established by the ancestors without questioning. Because it is passed on orally, manipulation and misrepresentation are easily achieved in the mouth of the one in authority who is relating it.
Orality is thus purely subjective, completely dependent upon the one speaking. The speaker can invent whatever he wishes to influence and control others: and the hearers have no way of knowing whether he has done that or not. This is what is meant by subjective: Nothing outside the man’s own report exists to verify his statements. And hence, the ear is the gate to dominating subordinates in Orality.
Writing, however, places every man on the same level. Each must interact with the message and decide for himself. The Word judges every man, both elder and youth alike. And at the same time, the reader is judging what is written in order to understand its content. And so Paul can boldly say: “I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say” -1 Corinthians 10:15. The mind is the gate to liberate by Writing.
In Writing, the Scriptures carry us beyond everything known here below on earth to now view life from a higher, heavenly, and eternal standpoint. “As it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man:’ to us God revealed them through His Spirit; not in Words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual Words” -1 Corinthians 2:9,10,13.
In Orality, the entire traditional culture mitigates against development of personal opinion and inventiveness. Independent reflection and assessment is discouraged and even forbidden. Ancestral tradition handed down via the elders must prevail. Any deviation is punishable.
Writing presents an external, objective, and verifiable referent for ideas and truth.
Orality is entirely subjective and non-verifiable.
Only in Writing is the individual a participant. Writing asks the question:
“What do you think?” Orality poses no such query.
A re-orientation to the Written Word of God must take place or the weeds of Orality will choke it.