John 4:23-24 in North African Preaching


This paper explores the possibility of recovering a tradition of Donatist readings of John’s Gospel, by highlighting five of the so-called Donatist ‘anonymous’ homilies of the Vienna Collection (Sermones Escorial. 16, 19, 20, 22 and 23; cf. Leroy 1994/1999; Bass 2014/2016; Dossey 2010; and Shaw 2011...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scrinium
Main Author: Grabau, Joseph L. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2017
In: Scrinium
IxTheo Classification:HC New Testament
KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity
KBL Near East and North Africa
Further subjects:B Gospel of John
 Christian North Africa
 biblical interpretation
 Augustine of Hippo
 Donatism

B Bible. Johannesevangelium 4,23-24
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Summary:This paper explores the possibility of recovering a tradition of Donatist readings of John’s Gospel, by highlighting five of the so-called Donatist ‘anonymous’ homilies of the Vienna Collection (Sermones Escorial. 16, 19, 20, 22 and 23; cf. Leroy 1994/1999; Bass 2014/2016; Dossey 2010; and Shaw 2011). After pointing out their relatively limited, threefold Johaninne interest – chapters 4 and 8, and the ‘farewell discourse’ of chapters 14-17 (Tilley 1997) – I then focus on Sermo Escorial. 16, presenting its exegetical and theological strategies in the light of Donatist ecclesiology and its North African context. Here, I argue that a particular use of John 4:23, in conjunction with a modified form of a well-known concept of Cyprian (nulla salus extra ecclesiam), stands in sharp opposition to any of Augustine’s interpretations of the same verse. Thus, I suggest, Augustine seems both to correct Donatist views of salvation and the church, as well as a Donatist reading of the verse in question. This thesis is to be linked up with other Johannine citations in future research.

ISSN:1817-7565
Contains:In: Scrinium
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/18177565-00131p12