J. K. Elliott (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198261827
- eISBN:
- 9780191600562
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198261829.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
An English translation of the oldest and most important early Christian non‐canonical writings. It is based on the earlier collection edited in 1924 by Montague Rhodes James. The book is divided into ...
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An English translation of the oldest and most important early Christian non‐canonical writings. It is based on the earlier collection edited in 1924 by Montague Rhodes James. The book is divided into the conventional categories of gospels, acts, epistles, and revelatory texts. A long subsection deals with stories of Jesus’ infancy and childhood. Another section deals with fragmentary gospel texts on papyrus. The bulk of the book is given over to second‐century legends of individual apostles. Another section covers apocryphal acpocalypses. An appendix gives a selection of stories about the Virgin Mary's assumption and dormition. Each translated text is prefaced with an introduction and select bibliography. Full indexes of citations and themes are provided.Less
An English translation of the oldest and most important early Christian non‐canonical writings. It is based on the earlier collection edited in 1924 by Montague Rhodes James. The book is divided into the conventional categories of gospels, acts, epistles, and revelatory texts. A long subsection deals with stories of Jesus’ infancy and childhood. Another section deals with fragmentary gospel texts on papyrus. The bulk of the book is given over to second‐century legends of individual apostles. Another section covers apocryphal acpocalypses. An appendix gives a selection of stories about the Virgin Mary's assumption and dormition. Each translated text is prefaced with an introduction and select bibliography. Full indexes of citations and themes are provided.
Zvi Ben‐Dor Benite
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195307337
- eISBN:
- 9780199867868
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195307337.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
This chapter describes the development of the myth during the time of the Persian and Roman empires after the “sealing” of the Bible and, later, the destruction of temple in 70 CE. The return of the ...
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This chapter describes the development of the myth during the time of the Persian and Roman empires after the “sealing” of the Bible and, later, the destruction of temple in 70 CE. The return of the Judahite exiles from Babylonia under the leadership of Ezra presented the Jews of the Second Temple period with a serious theological problem: if, as promised, God allowed the return of Two tribes of Judah from exile, why didn't He bring back the remaining Ten Tribes. The problem was also geographical: if they did not return, where are they “now”? These two questions gave rise to two paralleling sets of discussions among Jewish and Christian authors and thinkers. The theological one explained that Ten Tribes were exiled to a special place “beyond” the boundaries of this world as part of their special punishment. The geographical discussion delineated the location of that special place. Both Christian and Jewish thinkers promised the return of the tribes, but framed the ultimate return from exile as part of the “end of the days.” In both discussions geographical knowledge produced in the wake of Roman and Persian imperial expansion played a key role.Less
This chapter describes the development of the myth during the time of the Persian and Roman empires after the “sealing” of the Bible and, later, the destruction of temple in 70 CE. The return of the Judahite exiles from Babylonia under the leadership of Ezra presented the Jews of the Second Temple period with a serious theological problem: if, as promised, God allowed the return of Two tribes of Judah from exile, why didn't He bring back the remaining Ten Tribes. The problem was also geographical: if they did not return, where are they “now”? These two questions gave rise to two paralleling sets of discussions among Jewish and Christian authors and thinkers. The theological one explained that Ten Tribes were exiled to a special place “beyond” the boundaries of this world as part of their special punishment. The geographical discussion delineated the location of that special place. Both Christian and Jewish thinkers promised the return of the tribes, but framed the ultimate return from exile as part of the “end of the days.” In both discussions geographical knowledge produced in the wake of Roman and Persian imperial expansion played a key role.
Terryl L. Givens
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195313901
- eISBN:
- 9780199871933
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195313901.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
In the Hellenistic era, the center of Christian learning shifted to Alexandria. Philo effects a synthesis of Platonic and Hebraic ideas, including preexistence. The idea persists through numerous ...
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In the Hellenistic era, the center of Christian learning shifted to Alexandria. Philo effects a synthesis of Platonic and Hebraic ideas, including preexistence. The idea persists through numerous apocryphal and Pseudepigraphal traditions, associated with Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Ezra, and Solomon. It also appears in Gnostic texts from Nag Hammadi, often in connection with the figure of Sophia. In Paul, the preexistent church and Christ's preexistence are important.Less
In the Hellenistic era, the center of Christian learning shifted to Alexandria. Philo effects a synthesis of Platonic and Hebraic ideas, including preexistence. The idea persists through numerous apocryphal and Pseudepigraphal traditions, associated with Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Ezra, and Solomon. It also appears in Gnostic texts from Nag Hammadi, often in connection with the figure of Sophia. In Paul, the preexistent church and Christ's preexistence are important.
Lawrence M. Wills (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195151428
- eISBN:
- 9780199870516
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195151429.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
An introduction and translation of Greek Esther, or Esther as it appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha. This novel deals with Esther and Mordecai in the court of the King of Persia. It includes the ...
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An introduction and translation of Greek Esther, or Esther as it appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha. This novel deals with Esther and Mordecai in the court of the King of Persia. It includes the motifs of prayer, penitence, the competition of ethnic groups, the role of women, and the construction of gender.Less
An introduction and translation of Greek Esther, or Esther as it appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha. This novel deals with Esther and Mordecai in the court of the King of Persia. It includes the motifs of prayer, penitence, the competition of ethnic groups, the role of women, and the construction of gender.
Lawrence M. Wills (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195151428
- eISBN:
- 9780199870516
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195151429.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
An introduction and translation of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon (also called Bel and the Serpent), added to the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament Apocrypha. Bel and the Dragon is a satire or ...
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An introduction and translation of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon (also called Bel and the Serpent), added to the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament Apocrypha. Bel and the Dragon is a satire or parody of worship of idols. These stories include the motifs of penitence and prayer, competition of ethnic groups, the role of women, and the construction of gender.Less
An introduction and translation of Susanna and Bel and the Dragon (also called Bel and the Serpent), added to the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament Apocrypha. Bel and the Dragon is a satire or parody of worship of idols. These stories include the motifs of penitence and prayer, competition of ethnic groups, the role of women, and the construction of gender.
Lawrence M. Wills (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195151428
- eISBN:
- 9780199870516
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195151429.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
An introduction and translation of Tobit, one of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha, which is set in Israel and Persia. It is a family drama with a fairy‐tale‐like quality; the characters are ...
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An introduction and translation of Tobit, one of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha, which is set in Israel and Persia. It is a family drama with a fairy‐tale‐like quality; the characters are beset by evil demons and protected by angels who perform miracles in human guise. It also includes interesting references to Jewish customs.Less
An introduction and translation of Tobit, one of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha, which is set in Israel and Persia. It is a family drama with a fairy‐tale‐like quality; the characters are beset by evil demons and protected by angels who perform miracles in human guise. It also includes interesting references to Jewish customs.
Lawrence M. Wills (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195151428
- eISBN:
- 9780199870516
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195151429.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
An introduction and translation of Judith, one of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha. Judith is a heroine who chops off the head of Holofernes, the general of Nebuchadnezzar, thus saving ...
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An introduction and translation of Judith, one of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha. Judith is a heroine who chops off the head of Holofernes, the general of Nebuchadnezzar, thus saving Jerusalem from his attacking armies. She is a pious widow who lives a life of prayer and penitence; her example is also transitional to asceticism. This satire includes the motifs of irony, penitence and prayer, competition of ethnic groups, the role of women, and the construction of gender.Less
An introduction and translation of Judith, one of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha. Judith is a heroine who chops off the head of Holofernes, the general of Nebuchadnezzar, thus saving Jerusalem from his attacking armies. She is a pious widow who lives a life of prayer and penitence; her example is also transitional to asceticism. This satire includes the motifs of irony, penitence and prayer, competition of ethnic groups, the role of women, and the construction of gender.
Timothy H. Lim
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780300164343
- eISBN:
- 9780300164954
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300164343.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls provides unprecedented insight into the nature of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament before its fixation. This book presents a complete account of the formation ...
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The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls provides unprecedented insight into the nature of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament before its fixation. This book presents a complete account of the formation of the canon in Ancient Judaism from the emergence of the Torah in the Persian period to the final acceptance of the list of twenty-two/twenty-four books in the Rabbinic period. Using the Hebrew Bible, the Scrolls, the Apocrypha, the Letter of Aristeas, the writings of Philo, Josephus, the New Testament, and Rabbinic literature as primary evidence the book argues that throughout the post-exilic period up to around 100 ce, there was not one official “canon” accepted by all Jews; rather, there existed a plurality of collections of scriptures that were authoritative for different communities. Examining the literary sources and historical circumstances that led to the emergence of authoritative scriptures in ancient Judaism, the book proposes a theory of the majority canon that posits that the Pharisaic canon became the canon of Rabbinic Judaism in the centuries after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.Less
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls provides unprecedented insight into the nature of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament before its fixation. This book presents a complete account of the formation of the canon in Ancient Judaism from the emergence of the Torah in the Persian period to the final acceptance of the list of twenty-two/twenty-four books in the Rabbinic period. Using the Hebrew Bible, the Scrolls, the Apocrypha, the Letter of Aristeas, the writings of Philo, Josephus, the New Testament, and Rabbinic literature as primary evidence the book argues that throughout the post-exilic period up to around 100 ce, there was not one official “canon” accepted by all Jews; rather, there existed a plurality of collections of scriptures that were authoritative for different communities. Examining the literary sources and historical circumstances that led to the emergence of authoritative scriptures in ancient Judaism, the book proposes a theory of the majority canon that posits that the Pharisaic canon became the canon of Rabbinic Judaism in the centuries after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.
Gerald O'Collins SJ and Mario Farrugia SJ
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199259946
- eISBN:
- 9780191602122
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199259941.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
This chapter offers a Catholic view of divine revelation, the response of human faith, the tradition that hands on belief in God, and the scriptures that are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The saving ...
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This chapter offers a Catholic view of divine revelation, the response of human faith, the tradition that hands on belief in God, and the scriptures that are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The saving self-revelation of God comes through an interplay of deeds and words, is centred on Christ, and is a past, present, and future reality. Tradition should be understood both as a process (the act of tradition) and as a living heritage (tradition as content). Being an inspired, written record, the Bible is not to be simply identified with revelation. Biblical truth is progressive, personal, and salvific. The canon of scriptures, the closed list of inspired books, arose through their subsequent recognition by the Church.Less
This chapter offers a Catholic view of divine revelation, the response of human faith, the tradition that hands on belief in God, and the scriptures that are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The saving self-revelation of God comes through an interplay of deeds and words, is centred on Christ, and is a past, present, and future reality. Tradition should be understood both as a process (the act of tradition) and as a living heritage (tradition as content). Being an inspired, written record, the Bible is not to be simply identified with revelation. Biblical truth is progressive, personal, and salvific. The canon of scriptures, the closed list of inspired books, arose through their subsequent recognition by the Church.
Timothy Michael Law
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199781713
- eISBN:
- 9780199345168
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199781713.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World
This new book narrates in a fresh and exciting way the story of the Septuagint, the Greek Scriptures of the ancient Jewish Diaspora that became the first the Christian Old Testament. Consisting both ...
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This new book narrates in a fresh and exciting way the story of the Septuagint, the Greek Scriptures of the ancient Jewish Diaspora that became the first the Christian Old Testament. Consisting both of translations of the Hebrew Scriptures and further original Greek compositions produced between the third century BCE and the second CE, the Septuagint is a window into a critical stage of the Bible's history, during its final formation and its developing authoritative status. Throughout this period, the Jewish Scriptures existed in a plurality of forms, still growing and being subjected to continual editorial modification, and the Septuagint is often our only surviving witness to this phase of the Bible's history. The Septuagint also became the first Christian Old Testament, being used by the New Testament and early Christian writers. This book illustrates the character of the Greek Septuagint, and the significance of its use by the New Testament writers and early Christian thinkers in the construction of early Christian belief. Providing the Jewish Scriptures which Christians read as preliminary to their story to a Greek-speaking Mediterranean world, the Septuagint helped to transform the early Christian movement from a small, insignificant stream of Judaism, to a tide that would quickly rush over the inhabited world. But what happened to the first Christian Old Testament? Slowly at first but then entirely the Western Church abandoned its first Bible and embraced the Hebrew Bible of the early rabbinic movement. When did the shift to the Hebrew begin, and why?Less
This new book narrates in a fresh and exciting way the story of the Septuagint, the Greek Scriptures of the ancient Jewish Diaspora that became the first the Christian Old Testament. Consisting both of translations of the Hebrew Scriptures and further original Greek compositions produced between the third century BCE and the second CE, the Septuagint is a window into a critical stage of the Bible's history, during its final formation and its developing authoritative status. Throughout this period, the Jewish Scriptures existed in a plurality of forms, still growing and being subjected to continual editorial modification, and the Septuagint is often our only surviving witness to this phase of the Bible's history. The Septuagint also became the first Christian Old Testament, being used by the New Testament and early Christian writers. This book illustrates the character of the Greek Septuagint, and the significance of its use by the New Testament writers and early Christian thinkers in the construction of early Christian belief. Providing the Jewish Scriptures which Christians read as preliminary to their story to a Greek-speaking Mediterranean world, the Septuagint helped to transform the early Christian movement from a small, insignificant stream of Judaism, to a tide that would quickly rush over the inhabited world. But what happened to the first Christian Old Testament? Slowly at first but then entirely the Western Church abandoned its first Bible and embraced the Hebrew Bible of the early rabbinic movement. When did the shift to the Hebrew begin, and why?
Edmon L. Gallagher and John D. Meade
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- November 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780198792499
- eISBN:
- 9780191834493
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198792499.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This book contributes to the discussion on the development of the biblical canon by presenting clearly the early Christian lists of canonical books. Scholarly and popular literature frequently ...
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This book contributes to the discussion on the development of the biblical canon by presenting clearly the early Christian lists of canonical books. Scholarly and popular literature frequently mentions the views of early Christians on the biblical canon, and frequently the information is wrong or insufficiently nuanced. This book clearly presents the early canon lists, with notes to guide the interpretation of the lists, and will clear up some confusion on the state of the Bible in early Christianity. The lists certainly do not solve every problem about the development of the Bible, and close study of their contents will in some ways add to the complexities of the subject. But in the belief that scholarship advances most soundly by constant interaction with the ancient sources that it seeks to interpret, ready access to a collection of canon lists in the original language with translation and notes should serve as a boon to biblical scholars and patristic scholars alike.Less
This book contributes to the discussion on the development of the biblical canon by presenting clearly the early Christian lists of canonical books. Scholarly and popular literature frequently mentions the views of early Christians on the biblical canon, and frequently the information is wrong or insufficiently nuanced. This book clearly presents the early canon lists, with notes to guide the interpretation of the lists, and will clear up some confusion on the state of the Bible in early Christianity. The lists certainly do not solve every problem about the development of the Bible, and close study of their contents will in some ways add to the complexities of the subject. But in the belief that scholarship advances most soundly by constant interaction with the ancient sources that it seeks to interpret, ready access to a collection of canon lists in the original language with translation and notes should serve as a boon to biblical scholars and patristic scholars alike.
Alicia Myers
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- November 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190677084
- eISBN:
- 9780190677114
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190677084.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Mothers appear throughout the New Testament. Called “blessed among women” by Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the most obvious example. But Mary is joined by Elizabeth, ...
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Mothers appear throughout the New Testament. Called “blessed among women” by Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the most obvious example. But Mary is joined by Elizabeth, a chorus of unnamed mothers seeking healing or promotions for their children, as well as male mothers, including Paul (Gal 4:19–20) and Jesus. Although interpreters of the New Testament have explored these maternal characters and metaphors, many have only recently begun to take seriously their theological aspects. This book builds on previous studies by arguing maternal language is not only theological but also indebted to ancient gender constructions and their reshaping by early Christians. Especially significant are the physiological, anatomical, and social constructions of female bodies that permeate the ancient world where early Christianity was birthed. This book examines ancient generative theories, physiological understandings of breastmilk and breastfeeding, and presentations of prominent mothers in literature and art to analyze the use of these themes in the New Testament and several, additional early Christian writings. In a context that aligned perfection with “masculinity,” motherhood was the ideal goal for women—a justification for deficient, female existence. Proclaiming a new age ushered in by God’s Christ, however, ancient Christians debated the place of women, mothers, and motherhood as a part of their reframing of gender expectations. Rather than a homogenous approval of literal motherhood, ancient Christian writings depict a spectrum of ideals for women disciples even as they retain the assumption of masculine superiority.Less
Mothers appear throughout the New Testament. Called “blessed among women” by Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the most obvious example. But Mary is joined by Elizabeth, a chorus of unnamed mothers seeking healing or promotions for their children, as well as male mothers, including Paul (Gal 4:19–20) and Jesus. Although interpreters of the New Testament have explored these maternal characters and metaphors, many have only recently begun to take seriously their theological aspects. This book builds on previous studies by arguing maternal language is not only theological but also indebted to ancient gender constructions and their reshaping by early Christians. Especially significant are the physiological, anatomical, and social constructions of female bodies that permeate the ancient world where early Christianity was birthed. This book examines ancient generative theories, physiological understandings of breastmilk and breastfeeding, and presentations of prominent mothers in literature and art to analyze the use of these themes in the New Testament and several, additional early Christian writings. In a context that aligned perfection with “masculinity,” motherhood was the ideal goal for women—a justification for deficient, female existence. Proclaiming a new age ushered in by God’s Christ, however, ancient Christians debated the place of women, mothers, and motherhood as a part of their reframing of gender expectations. Rather than a homogenous approval of literal motherhood, ancient Christian writings depict a spectrum of ideals for women disciples even as they retain the assumption of masculine superiority.
David A. deSilva
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780195329001
- eISBN:
- 9780199979073
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195329001.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Jews have sometimes been reluctant to claim Jesus as one of their own; Christians have often been reluctant to acknowledge the degree to which Jesus' message and mission were at home amidst, and ...
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Jews have sometimes been reluctant to claim Jesus as one of their own; Christians have often been reluctant to acknowledge the degree to which Jesus' message and mission were at home amidst, and shaped by, the Judaism(s) of the Second Temple Period. This book introduces readers to the ancient Jewish writings known as the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha and examines their formative impact on the teachings and mission of Jesus and his half-brothers, James and Jude. Knowledge of this literature bridges the perceived gap between Jesus and Judaism. Where our understanding of early Judaism is limited to the religion reflected in the Hebrew Bible, Jesus will appear more as an outsider speaking “against” Judaism and introducing more that is novel. Where our understanding of early Judaism is also informed by the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Jesus and his half-brothers appear more fully at home within Judaism, and giving us a more precise understanding of what is essential, as well as distinctive, in their proclamation. This study engages several critical issues. How can we recover the voices of Jesus, James, and Jude? How can we assess a particular text's influence on Jews in early first-century Palestine? The result is a portrait of Jesus that is fully at home in Roman Judea and Galilee, and perhaps an explanation for why these extra-biblical Jewish texts continued to be preserved in Christian circles.Less
Jews have sometimes been reluctant to claim Jesus as one of their own; Christians have often been reluctant to acknowledge the degree to which Jesus' message and mission were at home amidst, and shaped by, the Judaism(s) of the Second Temple Period. This book introduces readers to the ancient Jewish writings known as the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha and examines their formative impact on the teachings and mission of Jesus and his half-brothers, James and Jude. Knowledge of this literature bridges the perceived gap between Jesus and Judaism. Where our understanding of early Judaism is limited to the religion reflected in the Hebrew Bible, Jesus will appear more as an outsider speaking “against” Judaism and introducing more that is novel. Where our understanding of early Judaism is also informed by the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Jesus and his half-brothers appear more fully at home within Judaism, and giving us a more precise understanding of what is essential, as well as distinctive, in their proclamation. This study engages several critical issues. How can we recover the voices of Jesus, James, and Jude? How can we assess a particular text's influence on Jews in early first-century Palestine? The result is a portrait of Jesus that is fully at home in Roman Judea and Galilee, and perhaps an explanation for why these extra-biblical Jewish texts continued to be preserved in Christian circles.
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J.
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199863006
- eISBN:
- 9780199979967
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199863006.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Written by Harrington from a Catholic perspective, this chapter notes the presence of the so-called Apocrypha in the Catholic (and Orthodox) Old Testament. Next it explains modern Catholic biblical ...
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Written by Harrington from a Catholic perspective, this chapter notes the presence of the so-called Apocrypha in the Catholic (and Orthodox) Old Testament. Next it explains modern Catholic biblical interpretation in light of official documents from popes (Divino afflante Spiritu), church councils (Dei verbum) and the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Then it shows how Catholics have come to accept biblical criticism as indispensable (but within limits), while insisting also on the importance of the spiritual sense of Scripture, the patristic tradition, and the challenges posed by actualization and inculturation. It illustrates the Catholic approach with reference to Exodus 3–4.Less
Written by Harrington from a Catholic perspective, this chapter notes the presence of the so-called Apocrypha in the Catholic (and Orthodox) Old Testament. Next it explains modern Catholic biblical interpretation in light of official documents from popes (Divino afflante Spiritu), church councils (Dei verbum) and the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Then it shows how Catholics have come to accept biblical criticism as indispensable (but within limits), while insisting also on the importance of the spiritual sense of Scripture, the patristic tradition, and the challenges posed by actualization and inculturation. It illustrates the Catholic approach with reference to Exodus 3–4.
Timothy Michael Law
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199781713
- eISBN:
- 9780199345168
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199781713.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World
Many have already encountered the Septuagint, even if they have never heard of it. This chapter introduces the book, and gives a preview of what readers can expect. There are at least four major ...
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Many have already encountered the Septuagint, even if they have never heard of it. This chapter introduces the book, and gives a preview of what readers can expect. There are at least four major reasons why the Septuagint deserves our attention.Less
Many have already encountered the Septuagint, even if they have never heard of it. This chapter introduces the book, and gives a preview of what readers can expect. There are at least four major reasons why the Septuagint deserves our attention.
Timothy Michael Law
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199781713
- eISBN:
- 9780199345168
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199781713.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World
This chapter summarizes the contents of the so-called Apocrypha. These books were included in later Septuagint manuscripts, so became part of Christian Scripture, and were considered to have ...
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This chapter summarizes the contents of the so-called Apocrypha. These books were included in later Septuagint manuscripts, so became part of Christian Scripture, and were considered to have spiritual value for Jews before the finalization of the Hebrew canon in the second century CE. Many other books which modern scholars refer to as pseudepigrapha were influential in shaping Jewish and Christian theological expression, but most seem never to have been considered authoritative. Nonetheless, all of these writings are essential for understanding the context in which early Judaism and the writing of the New Testament flourished. The question of canonical or authoritative status is in many cases posed only much later, so that the lines between Scripture and not-Scripture in the ancient period are blurred, if they existed at all.Less
This chapter summarizes the contents of the so-called Apocrypha. These books were included in later Septuagint manuscripts, so became part of Christian Scripture, and were considered to have spiritual value for Jews before the finalization of the Hebrew canon in the second century CE. Many other books which modern scholars refer to as pseudepigrapha were influential in shaping Jewish and Christian theological expression, but most seem never to have been considered authoritative. Nonetheless, all of these writings are essential for understanding the context in which early Judaism and the writing of the New Testament flourished. The question of canonical or authoritative status is in many cases posed only much later, so that the lines between Scripture and not-Scripture in the ancient period are blurred, if they existed at all.
Timothy Michael Law
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199781713
- eISBN:
- 9780199345168
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199781713.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World
The New Testament authors were heavily indebted not only to the Scriptures canonized in the Hebrew Bible but also to the Jewish religious literature written between the third century BCE and the ...
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The New Testament authors were heavily indebted not only to the Scriptures canonized in the Hebrew Bible but also to the Jewish religious literature written between the third century BCE and the second CE that was not later canonized. This chapter discusses that background, but also takes up the question of how the New Testament authors encountered the Scriptures. Whatever the availability of textual resources in the first century, the authors of the New Testament demonstrate a close familiarity with the contexts of the Jewish Scriptures from which they quote. Even when the citation is short, or a string of citations is inserted into the new text, the New Testament author's knowledge of the larger context is clear. This means that most of the citations of the Jewish Scriptures in the New Testament reflects not the use of testimony sources or excerpts, but the authors’ engagement with the entire or with much larger portions of the Jewish Scriptures. The chapter concludes with a look at how the Septuagint influenced the language and theology of the New Testament, particularly with reference to certain theologically significant words or teachings that came via the Septuagint.Less
The New Testament authors were heavily indebted not only to the Scriptures canonized in the Hebrew Bible but also to the Jewish religious literature written between the third century BCE and the second CE that was not later canonized. This chapter discusses that background, but also takes up the question of how the New Testament authors encountered the Scriptures. Whatever the availability of textual resources in the first century, the authors of the New Testament demonstrate a close familiarity with the contexts of the Jewish Scriptures from which they quote. Even when the citation is short, or a string of citations is inserted into the new text, the New Testament author's knowledge of the larger context is clear. This means that most of the citations of the Jewish Scriptures in the New Testament reflects not the use of testimony sources or excerpts, but the authors’ engagement with the entire or with much larger portions of the Jewish Scriptures. The chapter concludes with a look at how the Septuagint influenced the language and theology of the New Testament, particularly with reference to certain theologically significant words or teachings that came via the Septuagint.
Linden Bicket
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781474411653
- eISBN:
- 9781474435147
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474411653.003.0003
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
This chapter investigates Brown’s engagement with Mariology in three ways. First, the chapter discusses Brown’s creative use of the Virgin Mary’s various iconographical depictions and cults, in order ...
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This chapter investigates Brown’s engagement with Mariology in three ways. First, the chapter discusses Brown’s creative use of the Virgin Mary’s various iconographical depictions and cults, in order to restore her image to Orkney’s landscape. The chapter examines Brown’s ‘apocryphal’ texts, which reveal that he was more politically-engaged than is often thought. Last, this chapter provides a new reading of enculturation in Time in a Red Coat (1984), the novel that represents the high point of Brown’s Marian corpus.Less
This chapter investigates Brown’s engagement with Mariology in three ways. First, the chapter discusses Brown’s creative use of the Virgin Mary’s various iconographical depictions and cults, in order to restore her image to Orkney’s landscape. The chapter examines Brown’s ‘apocryphal’ texts, which reveal that he was more politically-engaged than is often thought. Last, this chapter provides a new reading of enculturation in Time in a Red Coat (1984), the novel that represents the high point of Brown’s Marian corpus.
Linden Bicket
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781474411653
- eISBN:
- 9781474435147
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474411653.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
This chapter considers the ways in which Brown adapts, develops, and treats the cult of St Magnus in literary terms. It examines Brown’s creative use of history, hagiography, and the cult of St ...
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This chapter considers the ways in which Brown adapts, develops, and treats the cult of St Magnus in literary terms. It examines Brown’s creative use of history, hagiography, and the cult of St Magnus as first seen in the Icelandic Sagas. It discusses Brown’s complex fusion of hagiographic, apocryphal, biblical and saga writings in his novel Magnus (1973) and in other devotional poetry. The chapter contends that Brown resituates a largely forgotten Norse saint within a Scottish and Scandinavian hagiographical context, while simultaneously reintroducing St Magnus into twentieth century Scottish literature.Less
This chapter considers the ways in which Brown adapts, develops, and treats the cult of St Magnus in literary terms. It examines Brown’s creative use of history, hagiography, and the cult of St Magnus as first seen in the Icelandic Sagas. It discusses Brown’s complex fusion of hagiographic, apocryphal, biblical and saga writings in his novel Magnus (1973) and in other devotional poetry. The chapter contends that Brown resituates a largely forgotten Norse saint within a Scottish and Scandinavian hagiographical context, while simultaneously reintroducing St Magnus into twentieth century Scottish literature.
Linden Bicket
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781474411653
- eISBN:
- 9781474435147
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474411653.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
The book’s epilogue revisits the key features of Brown’s Catholic sacramental universe. It notes the significance of biblical echo, allusion, and Brown’s saints, martyrs, reformers, and ...
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The book’s epilogue revisits the key features of Brown’s Catholic sacramental universe. It notes the significance of biblical echo, allusion, and Brown’s saints, martyrs, reformers, and transformative moments of grace. The epilogue stresses the importance of Brown’s use of ceremony and ritual, and emphasises his interest in (and create use of) apocrypha, midrash, and folklore. The epilogue contends that Brown’s work has been critically framed in incomplete and even damaging ways, but that Brown was a Scottish Catholic artist whose grammar of devotion was global.Less
The book’s epilogue revisits the key features of Brown’s Catholic sacramental universe. It notes the significance of biblical echo, allusion, and Brown’s saints, martyrs, reformers, and transformative moments of grace. The epilogue stresses the importance of Brown’s use of ceremony and ritual, and emphasises his interest in (and create use of) apocrypha, midrash, and folklore. The epilogue contends that Brown’s work has been critically framed in incomplete and even damaging ways, but that Brown was a Scottish Catholic artist whose grammar of devotion was global.
