Os processos constituintes de argumentação no discurso sacro: uma incursão pelo sermão da sexagésima

Abstract

Based on the principle that the effective argumentation results in the assent of the audience and in its predisposition for action, the theme of our work is guided by the demonstration that the argumentative process in Sexagesima Sermon is an essential procedure in father Antonio Vieira`s oratory, and can serve as a teaching for the preachers of the divine word. Therefore, based on the theoretical perspective that considers the text as a place of interaction of active, dialogically constituted subjects which reconstruct the senses using linguistic clues and also based in the studies of Theory of Argumentation by Perelman and Obbrechts-Tyteca (1996) and in the Enunciation by Benveniste (1995), I argue that these reflections presume that the exploitation of those constituent processes of argumentation and of rhetorical figures in the speech of this sacred and exceptional orator are essential and effective strategies for the construction of religious speech, capable of convincing and persuading the community to live Gospel`s words much more than just explaining Them. As object of study, we have chosen randomly some chapters from this work whose theme is expressed by a metaphor, preaching is sowing. The analysis of some topics like the discursive parts, the audience importance, the rhetorical figures and the linguistic resources has enabled us to check the use of argumentative strategies by the orator in order to produce sense effects for persuasive purposes. Besides contributing to religious people concerning the preparation of their speeches, we also hope to add our reflections about the studies of Rhetoric Argumentation to the already existing ones.