The Role of Emotion in 1 Peter

In this book Katherine M. Hockey explores the function of emotions in the New Testament by examining the role of emotions in 1 Peter. Moving beyond outdated modern rationalistic views of emotions as irrational bodily feelings she presents a theoretically and historically informed cognitive approach to emotions in the New Testament. Informed by Greco-Roman philosophical and rhetorical views of emotions along with modern emotion theory she shows how the author of 1 Peter uses the logic of each emotion to value and position objects within the audience''s worldview including the self and the other. She also demonstrates how cumulatively the emotions of joy distress fear hope and shame are deployed to build an alternative view of reality. This new view of reality aims to shape the believers'' understanding of the structure of their world encourages a reassessment of their personal goals and ultimately seeks to affect their identity and behaviour.