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Bible and Bedlam
Bible and Bedlam first critically questions the exclusion and stereotyping of certain biblical characters and scholars perceived as 'mad', as such judgements illustrate the 'sanism' (prejudice against individuals who are diagnosed or perceived as mentally ill) perpetuated within the discipline of Western biblical studies. Second, it seeks to highlight the widespread ideological 'gatekeeping' - 'protection' and 'policing' of madness in both western history and scholarship - with regard to celebrated biblical figures, including Jesus and Paul. Third, it initiates creative exchanges between biblical texts, interpretations and contemporary voices from 'mad' studies and sources (autobiographies, memoirs etc.), which are designed to critically disturb, disrupt and displace commonly projected (and often pejorative) assumptions surrounding 'madness'. Voices of those subject to diagnostic labelling such as autism, schizophrenia and/or psychosis are among those juxtaposed here with selected biblical interpretations and texts.
Sense and Stigma in the Gospels
Louise J. Lawrence presents provocative re-interpretations of biblical characters that have previously been sidelined and stigmatised on account of their perceived disability. She introduces approaches taken from Sensory Anthropology and Disability Studies to bring fresh methodological perspectives to familiar Gospel texts.
The Crisis of Representation
The term “Crisis of Representation” rose to fame through Michel Foucault. The crisis, in the context of this issue, has not only a political and economic dimension, but a cultural, aesthetic and religious one as well. Thus, a serious inquiry into this complex and multidimensional phenomenon requires an interdisciplinary approach. The issue targets the phenomena at hand through 15 contributions – all with unique and innovative approaches to the topic. One common aim that holds the issue together is the analysis of the nature of the crisis, which helps to find suitable theoretical frameworks. On the other hand, the term itself functions as a tool that enables the analysis of specific societal developments. Contributing authors brought with them expertise from their respective fields including philosophy, political sciences, theology, Islamic studies and religious studies. This allowed for a cross-disciplinary approach on the phenomenon with special foci on politics, religions, societies and finance, as well as theoretical developments on current philosophical and post-colonial discourses.
Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews
'Faithfulness and the Purpose of Hebrews' offers fresh answers to several unresolved questions by employing that branch of social psychology known as social identity theory. The author of Hebrews describes the faithfulness of Jesus as prototypical and relates the faithfulness of all other to Jesus' faith. Utilizing a model of present temporal orientation, the study interprets the dynamic relationship between the
Mirrors of the Divine
Mirrors of the Divine brings into focus how four influential authors of the late ancient world--Tertullian of Carthage, Clement of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, and Augustine of Hippo--employ language of vision and of mirrors in their discursive struggles to construct Christian agency, identity, and epistemology. Early Christian authors described the vision of God through the Pauline verse 1 Corinthians 13:12: "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face." Yet each author interpreted this verse differently, based on a diverse set of assumptions about how they understood seeing and mirrors to function: does vision occur by something leaving or entering the eye? Is one...
Reading with Anthropology
The social science of anthropology has been used in recent years to open up fascinating new ways of understanding biblical texts. In this fresh and stimulating study, Louise Lawrence argues that anthropology and theology need not be enemies but can become constructive dialogue partners in the search to understand the Bible better. Like a museum curator she guides readers around seven anthropological "exhibits" where selected biblical texts are analysed with resources from anthropology. Themes include spirit-inspired religious healers, power and violence, sex and gender, body and emotion, and social memory. The dialogue opened up here between biblical books and the study of other cultures promises fresh insights on well-known texts. Reading with Anthropology will be of equal interest to biblical scholars seeking a way in to the use of anthropology in their discipline and to anthropologists wishing to better appreciate biblical cultures.
The Sermon on the Mount and Spiritual Exercises
What, in Matthew’s view, should a human being become and how does one attain that ideal? In The Sermon on the Mount and Spiritual Exercises: The Making of the Matthean Self, George Branch-Trevathan presents a new account of Matthew’s ethics and argues that the evangelist presents the Sermon on the Mount as functioning like many other ancient sayings collections, that is, as facilitating transformative work on oneself, or “spiritual exercises,” that enable one to realize the evangelist’s ideals. The conclusion suggests some implications for our understanding of ethical formation in antiquity and the study of ethics more generally. This will be an essential volume for scholars studying the Gospel of Matthew, early Christian ethics, the relationships between early Christian and ancient philosophical writings, or ethical formation in antiquity.
Language and Identity in Ancient Narratives
When a Christian writer refers to Jesus as "the Lord," what does it signify? Is it primarily a way of making a political or theological statement, or might social concerns have had more influence on the writer's choice of words? Studies of early Christianity regularly depend on a nuanced understanding of lexical significance, but current research often fails to consider social aspects of "what words mean." Julia A. Snyder argues that methodological improvements are needed in how lexical significance in ancient Greek texts is determined, based on an analysis of the relationship between speech patterns and addressee identity in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts of John, and Acts of Philip. She also illustrates how sociolinguistic variation contributes to characterization and the construction of Christian identity in the narratives, how it sheds light on the rewriting of ancient texts, and how it informs the question of whether apostolic narratives were produced for evangelistic purposes.
Letter & Spirit, Vol. 9: Christ and the Unity of Scripture
The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and Dr. Scott Hahn present the ninth annual edition of Letter & Spirit with the theme "Christ and the unity of Scripture". The seven highly-readable articles explore, from the Gospels of Matthew and John, to the letters of St. Paul, how the seemingly disparate themes and images are unified - and therefore properly understood - in Christ. The articles, while academic in nature, are easily accessible to the average reader and can be read with great profit, both spiritually and in coming to learn the truths of the Catholic faith more deeply.
