The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation

by Paul M. Blowers (Editor), Peter W Martens (Editor)

Overview

The Bible was the essence of virtually every aspect of the life of the early churches. The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation explores a wide array of themes related to the reception, canonization, interpretation, uses, and legacies of the Bible in early Christianity. Each section contains overviews and cutting-edge scholarship that expands understanding of the field.

Part One examines the material text transmitted, translated, and invested with authority, and the very conceptualization of sacred Scripture as God's word for the church. Part Two looks at the culture and disciplines or science of interpretation in representative exegetical traditions. Part Three addresses the diverse literary and non-literary modes of interpretation, while Part Four canvasses the communal background and foreground of early Christian interpretation, where the Bible was paramount in shaping normative Christian identity. Part Five assesses the determinative role of the Bible in major developments and theological controversies in the life of the churches. Part Six returns to interpretation proper and samples how certain abiding motifs from within scriptural revelation were treated by major Christian expositors.

The overall history of biblical interpretation has itself now become the subject of a growing scholarship and the final part skilfully examines how early Christian exegesis was retrieved and critically evaluated in later periods of church history. Taken together, the chapters provide nuanced paths of introduction for students and scholars from a wide spectrum of academic fields, including classics, biblical studies, the general history of interpretation, the social and cultural history of late ancient and early medieval Christianity, historical theology, and systematic and contextual theology. Readers will be oriented to the major resources for, and issues in, the critical study of early Christian biblical interpretation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192858948
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/15/2022
Series:	Oxford Handbooks
Pages:	784
Sales rank:	1,024,287
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 6.80(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Paul M. Blowers, Dean E. Walker Professor of Church History, Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan College,Peter W Martens, Associate Professor of Early Christianity and Chair, Department of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University

Paul M. Blowers is Dean E. Walker Professor of Church History at Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan College. He was formerly President of the North American Patristics Society from 2008-09. His publications include Maximus the Confessor: Jesus Christ and the Transfiguration of the World (2016) and Drama of the Divine Economy: Creator and Creation in Early Christian Theology and Piety (2012).


Peter W. Martens is Associate Professor of Early Christianity and Chair of the Department of Theological Studies at Saint Louis University. He is the author of Origen and Scripture: The Contours of the Exegetical Life (2012) and the critical edition Adrian's Introduction to the Divine Scriptures (2017).

Table of Contents

List of abbreviationsList of figuresList of contributorsIntroduction, Paul M. Blowers and Peter W. MartensPart I: Scripture1. Scripture as Artefact, Lincoln H. Blumell2. The Septuagint and Other Translations, Reinhart Ceulemans3. Canons and Rules of Faith, Joseph Lienhard, SJ4. Divine Discourse: Scripture in the Economy of Revelation, Frances YoungPart II: Interpreters and Interpretation5. Greco-Roman Literary Criticism, Peter Struck6. Early Christian Handbooks on Interpretation, Tarmo Toom7. From Letter to Spirit: The Multiple Senses of Scripture, John C. Cavadini8. The Ideal Interpreter, Peter W. MartensPart III: Settings and Genres of Scriptural InterpretationI Exegetical Genres9. Commentaries, Josef Lössl10. Scholia, Eric Scherbenske11. Questions and Responses, Lorenzo Perrone12. Paraphrase and Metaphrase, Andrew Faulkner13. Catanae, Richard A. Layton14. Sentences, Luke Dysinger, OSBII Liturgical Interpretation15. Catecheses and Homilies, Wendy Mayer16. Poetry and Hymnody, Jeffrey Wickes17. Liturgy as Performative Interpretation, L. Edward PhillipsIII Narrative and Visual Interpretation18. Christian Apocrypha, Stephen J. Shoemaker19. Novels, F. Stanley Jones20. Hagiography, Bronwen Neil21. Visual Art, Robin M. JensenPart IV: Communities and Criteria22. Christianity and Judaism, James Carleton Paget23. Christians and Pagans, John Granger Cook24. Marcion and His Critics, H. Clifton Ward25. Gnostics and Their Critics, David Brakke26. Manichaean Biblical Interpretation, Jason BeDuhnPart V: Scripture in the Life of the Church27. Scripture and Martyrdom, Johan Leemans and Anthony Dupont28. Scripture in the Trinitarian Controversy, Lewis Ayres29. Scripture in the Christological Controversies, Andrew Hofer, OP30. Scripture and a Christian Empire, Michael Hollerich31. Scripture and Asceticism, Elizabeth A. ClarkVI: Scriptural Figures and Motifs32. Creation, Paul M. Blowers33. Adam and Eve, Peter C. Bouteneff34. Covenants, Everett Ferguson35. Exodus, Michael Graves36 Law, B. Lee Blackburn, Jr.37. Psalms, Michael Cameron38. Semon on the Mount, Mark W. Elliot39. The Gospel of John, C. E. Hill40. Paul the Apostle, Judith L. Kovacs41. Cross, John Behr42. Heaven and Hell, Jeffrey A. TrumbowerVII: Retrievals and Criticisms43. Medieval Latin Reception, Franklin T. Harkins44. Byzantine Reception, Mary B. Cunningham45. Reception in the Renaissance and Reformation, Esther Chung-Kim46. Modern Biblical Criticism and the Legacy of Pre-Modern Interpretation, Michael C. Legaspi47. Retrievals in Contemporary Christian Theology, Matthew Levering

Editorial Reviews

"Paul Blowers and Peter Martens have assembled a chorus of leading scholarly voices from across the landscape of early Christian studies and the history of late antiquity in which it arose and came to prominence. Their collective endeavor has resulted in a volume that maps the present understanding of early Christian biblical interpretation in all its complexity." — Alexander H. Pierce, Trinity Journal

"This Handbook provides a wealth of up-to-date information and does so in an inspiring manner. With its particular approach to the subject, it is difficult to think of areas not addressed." — C. Stenschke, Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses

From the Publisher