Original Research

Interpreting and responding to the Johannine feeding narrative: An empirical study in the SIFT hermeneutical method amongst Anglican ministry training candidates

Leslie J. Francis
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 68, No 1 | a1205 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v68i1.1205 | © 2012 Leslie J. Francis | This work is licensed under Other
Submitted: 19 December 2011 | Published: 17 August 2012

About the author(s)

Leslie J. Francis, Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, University of Warwick, United Kingdom; Department of New Testament Studies, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Drawing on Jungian psychological type theory, the SIFT method of biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching maintains that different psychological type preferences are associated with distinctive readings of scripture. In the present study this theory was tested amongst two groups of ministry training candidates (a total of 26 participants) who were located within working groups according to their psychological type preferences, and invited to reflect on the Johannine feeding narrative (Jn 6:4−22), and to document their discussion. Analysis of these data provided empirical support for the theory underpinning the SIFT method.

Keywords

Jungian psychological type theory; the SIFT method; biblical hermeneutics; liturgical preaching; psychological type preferences; Johannine feeding narrative in John 6:4-22

Metrics

Total abstract views: 6135
Total article views: 8736

 

Crossref Citations

1. Drawing on the concept of implicit religion and psychological type theory: shaping a cathedral congregation survey and listening to diverse voices
Leslie J. Francis, Ursula McKenna, Ann Casson, Emma L. Eccles, Francis Stewart
Journal of Beliefs & Values  vol: 46  issue: 4  first page: 711  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1080/13617672.2025.2595916

2. Reading the wedding at Cana in Galilee (Jn 2:1–11) through the lenses of introverted sensing and introverted intuition: Perceiving text differently
Leslie J. Francis, Adam J. Stevenson, Christopher F.J. Ross
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies  vol: 77  issue: 4  year: 2021  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v77i4.6858

3. Evaluating Liturgical Engagement With Psalms of Lament: Reading Psalm 74 Through the Lenses of Feeling and Thinking
Leslie J. Francis, John Holdsworth, Andrew Village
Pastoral Psychology  vol: 74  issue: 2  first page: 229  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1007/s11089-024-01172-5

4. Preaching on the revised common lectionary for the feast of Christ the King: Joy for intuitive thinking types, nightmare for sensing feeling types?
Leslie J. Francis, Greg Smith, Jonathan Evans
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies  vol: 77  issue: 4  year: 2021  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v77i4.6746

5. Reading the Good Samaritan (Lk 10: 25–37) through the lenses of introverted intuition and extraverted intuition: Perceiving text differently
Leslie J. Francis, Christopher F.J. Ross
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 78  issue: 4  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v78i4.7443

6. Reading and proclaiming the Birth Narratives from Luke and Matthew: A study in empirical theology amongst curates and their training incumbents employing the SIFT method
Leslie J. Francis, Greg Smith
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 69  issue: 1  year: 2013  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v69i1.2001

7. Do different psychological types look for different things in sermons? A research note
Leslie J. Francis, Christopher Stone, Mandy Robbins
Mental Health, Religion & Culture  vol: 18  issue: 8  first page: 712  year: 2015  
doi: 10.1080/13674676.2014.964001

8. Accessing visitor perception of an immersive cathedral experience: applying the Jungian lenses of sensing and intuition and Bailey’s theory of implicit religion
Leslie J. Francis, Ursula McKenna
Journal of Beliefs & Values  vol: 46  issue: 4  first page: 635  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1080/13617672.2025.2516228

9. Role strain among South African seminarians in the Anglican Church: toward a typology of congregational support
Abraham David Parker
Mental Health, Religion & Culture  vol: 21  issue: 1  first page: 35  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1080/13674676.2018.1445206

10. Hiring labourers for the vineyard and making sense of God’s grace at work: An empirical investigation in hermeneutical theory and ordinary theology
Leslie J. Francis, Greg Smith, Jeff Astley
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 78  issue: 4  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v78i4.7444

11. Reading and proclaiming the Advent call of John the Baptist: An empirical enquiry employing the SIFT method
Leslie J. Francis, Greg Smith
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 70  issue: 1  year: 2014  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v70i1.2718

12. Interpreting the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16: 19-31): An Evaluation of the SIFT Approach
Francis Loftus
Rural Theology  vol: 23  issue: 1  first page: 27  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1080/14704994.2025.2480361

13. Reading Psalm 22 Through the Jungian Lenses of Intuition and Feeling: Engaging Passiontide Liturgy with Imagination and with the Heart
Susan H. Jones, Leslie J. Francis
Rural Theology  first page: 1  year: 2026  
doi: 10.1080/14704994.2026.2630420

14. Reading the resurrection appearance at the lakeside through lenses of sensing and intuition
Leslie J. Francis, Adam Stevenson
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 80  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4102/HTS.v80i1.9048