Behind the Gospels: Understanding the Oral Tradition - Brossura

Eve, Eric

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0281062552 ISBN 13: 9780281062553

Casa editrice: SPCK Publishing, 2013

Riassunto

New Testament scholars regularly talk about 'oral tradition' as a means by which material Jesus reached the writers of the Gospels. However, they are often a little vague about what this actually means and, unsurprisingly, many students and clergy are even more unclear. There is no convenient book-length treatment of the topic which can be used by students, or indeed anyone else wishing to inform themselves about this area. Behind the Gospels aims to fill this gap, both by some general theoretical discussions of the nature of oral tradition and ancient texts, and by a survey of the discussions of these issues in New Testament studies from classical form criticism down to the present day. Issues surrounding oral tradition and its implications are essential to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Gospels and as such this book will be core reading for students, clergy, and New Testament scholars whose specific area of expertise lie outside this area.

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Recensione:

This book shows that there has been real progress in biblical studies since form criticism started to investigate the oral prehistory of the Gospels. After a century of research we know much more about the prehistory of the Gospels and, just as important, what we do not know and perhaps will never know. Eric Eve gives a balanced and lucid account of all attempts to reconstruct the oral tradition behind the written Gospels. Was it controlled by some authorities? Was it stabilized by an informal control of the audience? Is there a break between oral and written media? Were the texts formed by the laws of tradition or rather by the laws of collective and personal memory? Can we grasp traces of eyewitnesses in the Gospels? Eve s judgements on these questions are fair, his arguments convincing. This is a foundational book both for Jesus research and for our understanding of the literary history of the New Testament. --Gerd Theissen, Professor Emeritus of New Testament, University of Heidelberg

For a hundred years, the million-dollar question has been, What was the nature and state of the tradition between Jesus and the Gospels? Eve surveys the major proposals, offers critical and constructive commentary, and makes appropriately nuanced suggestions of his own. On this topic, his work is now the place to start. --Dale C. Allison, Jr., Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

No other book presently available is likely to provide us with a more competent and compelling summation of the current discussion of oral traditions in early Christianity, and the impact they had on the composition and comprehension of the Gospels. Eve s systematic and concise discussion of eleven representative contributors to media studies brilliantly illuminates the significance of the oral dimension in the life of the Jesus traditions and the composition of the Gospels, and alerts us to sizeable blind spots in the historical, critical paradigm whose methods and practices are largely derived from our continuous working with printed texts. Written insightfully and with eminent fairness, the author accurately gauges the paradigmatic significance of the recent oral, memorial studies for New Testament scholarship. Behind the Gospels is easily accessible and I strongly recommend it to all students of the New Testament, professionals and non-professionals alike. --Werner H. Kelber, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Rice University

L'autore:

Eric Eve is Fellow and Tutor in Theology at Harris Manchester College, Oxford.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: SPCK Publishing
• Data di pubblicazione: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0281062552
• ISBN 13: 9780281062553
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 224