Thecla's Devotion: Narrative, Emotion and Identity in the Acts of Paul and Thecla

by Jane McLarty

Overview

Second century apocryphal Christian texts are Christian fiction: they draw on the motifs of contemporary pagan stories of romance, travel and adventure to entertain their readers, but also to explore what it means to be Christian. The Thecla episodein the Apocryphal Acts of Paul recounts the conversion of a young pagan woman, her rejection of marriage, her narrow escapes from martyrdom and the end of her story as an independent, ascetic evangelist. In Thecla's Devotion, J.D. Mc Larty reads the Thecla episode against a paradigm pagan romance, Callirhoe: for both texts the passions are key to the unfolding of the plot - how are unruly emotions to be managed and controlled? The pagan would answer, 'through reason'. This study uses the portrayal of emotion within character and plot to explore the response of the Thecla episode to this key question for Christian identity formation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780227176573
Publisher:	James Clarke & Co. Ltd
Publication date:	01/31/2019
Pages:	265
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.17(h) x (d)

About the Author

J.D. Mc Larty is Senior Tutor of Wolfson College and Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge. Her first degree was in Classics at Girton College, Cambridge. After a 5 year stint in the City she returned to Cambridge where she has taught New Testament Greek for the Faculty of Divinity for a number of years. J.D. Mc Larty is Senior Tutor of Wolfson College and Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge. Her first degree was in Classics at Girton College, Cambridge. After a 5 year stint in the City she returned to Cambridge where she has taught New Testament Greek for the Faculty of Divinity for a number of years.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Abbreviations Chapter 1 Contexts Part 1 - Plot Chapter 2. Reading the Plot Chapter 3. The Reader's Journey Chapter 4. Time Chapter 5. Space and Place Part 1 Conclusions: the affective force of the plot Part 2 - Character Chapter 6. Emotion and Characterisation Chapter 7. Characterisation in Callirhoe Chapter 8. Characterisation in the Acts of Thecla Part 2 Conclusions: the characterisation of the Acts of Thecla read against Callirhoe Chapter 9. Emotion and Identity in the Acts of Thecla Appendix: The Plot of Callirhoe Bibliography Index Acknowledgements Abbreviations Chapter 1 Contexts Part 1 - Plot Chapter 2. Reading the Plot Chapter 3. The Reader's Journey Chapter 4. Time Chapter 5. Space and Place Part 1 Conclusions: the affective force of the plot Part 2 - Character Chapter 6. Emotion and Characterisation Chapter 7. Characterisation in Callirhoe Chapter 8. Characterisation in the Acts of Thecla Part 2 Conclusions: the characterisation of the Acts of Thecla read against Callirhoe Chapter 9. Emotion and Identity in the Acts of Thecla Appendix: The Plot of Callirhoe Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

"In this sophisticated and close reading of the Acts of Thecla, Jane Mc Larty brings together the insights of contemporary narrative analysis and those of recent study of the emotions in antiquity, in particular as explored through the Hellenistic novels of the early Empire. In so doing, she rescues the story from narrow debates about the role of women in early Christianity, and from the slogans of 'feminist' or 'liberationist' against 'conservative'. Instead, through the story of Thecla and of the other characters who people the narrative we see how understandings of the affective dimensions of Christian life are being explored and reconceived. This will be important reading not only for devotees of Thecla but also for anyone interested in the formation of a Christian identity and of a Christian self."Professor Judith M. Lieu, FBA, University of Cambridge"In this fascinating study, J.D. Mc Larty examines the Acts of Thecla in the light of Graeco-Roman romantic novels, paying careful attention to both plot and characterisation as a means of analysing the emotive response expected of readers by the author. By skilfully weaving together insights from literary and gender studies on the presentation of Paul and Thecla, Mc Larty draws striking and surprising conclusions about the place of emotions and the passions in the construction of Christian identity envisaged by this enigmatic early Christian text."Professor Paul Middleton, University of Chester"This marvellous book combines in equal measure learned philological acumen, theoretical sophistication and genuine originality. Thecla's Devotion does scholarship a great service in being both a focussed study on the Acts of Paul and Thecla and an exploration of its connections to Greek romances, second-century Christian literature and ancient philosophy. Mc Larty has also clothed the substantial scholarly work here in elegant and lucid prose. A rare book indeed!"Dr Simon Gathercole, University of Cambridge Questions Mac Larty raises here are worth thinking more about.-Julia Snyder, Theologische Revue

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