This text is the first to systematically look at the type and style of parables as a genre across literary and religious lines. While parables have inspired transformation for 3,000 years, they still remain a neglected literary genre. No systematic attempt has been made to explain how parables work in practice. Beginning with the basics, this book moves from describing what constitutes a parable all the way to how parables can be crafted to influence particular audiences. The author gathers example parables from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and literary sources, which further exemplifies the universal way parables inspire change.
The word "parable" is a transliteration of a Greek word meaning "to throw beside." Parables are the metaphorical comparison of two life situations. A short story is thrown beside the life experience of a hearer. When hearers make metaphorical comparisons between the two situations, hearers take the lesson to heart and change. The metaphorical comparison is made at the subconscious level allowing hearers to bypass the cognitive mental roadblocks they normally use to keep themselves from discerning the truth. An "Ah Ha" moment results in life-changing insight. The interpretation of parables is always context sensitive. Each parable lives in two contexts, the context of the parable story itself and the context in which hearers live.
