The Process of Jesus’ Deification and Cognitive Dissonance Theory
The starting point of this article is the paradox that the first-century Jew, Jesus the Galilean, came to be considered divine by a sect belonging to a religion which is often deemed to be monotheistic, to the extent that many scholars refer to this phenomenon as “striking” and “puzzling.” Although...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2017
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| In: |
Numen
Year: 2017, Volume: 64, Issue: 2/3, Pages: 119-152 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Jesus Christus
/ Galilee
/ Apotheosis
/ Cognitive dissonance
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| IxTheo Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy AE Psychology of religion HC New Testament KBL Near East and North Africa NBF Christology |
| Further subjects: | B
Jesus the Galilean
deification
cognitive dissonance
selective memory
cognitive work
spiritualization
proselytizing
worship
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| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | The starting point of this article is the paradox that the first-century Jew, Jesus the Galilean, came to be considered divine by a sect belonging to a religion which is often deemed to be monotheistic, to the extent that many scholars refer to this phenomenon as “striking” and “puzzling.” Although a complete survey of the cultural and religious (Jewish, Greco-Roman) contexts in which the sect of the Nazoreans — the original core group from which Christianity grew — developed its beliefs and practices is of paramount importance for understanding this phenomenon, my contention is that a historical approach should be supplemented by social science theories. In this article, I argue that cognitive dissonance theory, after having been enriched and modified by quite a few criticisms in the last several decades, contributes to making the psychological and social processes which led to Jesus’ exaltation and deification more intelligible. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5276 |
| Contains: | In: Numen
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685276-12341457 |