The historicity of myth and the myth of historicity
This article reassesses the importance of historical biblical scholarship, but from the perspective of those who views are seldom considered by the academy, namely, poor, working-class and marginalized 'readers' of the Bible. Recognising that these 'readers' of Bible do have an i...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2004
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| In: |
Neotestamentica
Year: 2004, Volume: 38, Issue: 1, Pages: 127-144 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article reassesses the importance of historical biblical scholarship, but from the perspective of those who views are seldom considered by the academy, namely, poor, working-class and marginalized 'readers' of the Bible. Recognising that these 'readers' of Bible do have an interest in socio-historical matters, both in the present contexts and in the biblical texts, the article goes on to an analysis of how we might go about appropriating socio-historical modes of reading in our work with ordinary 'readers' of the Bible. It is here that the article engages with the historicity of myth and the myth of historicity. First, it is argued that the historically interested socially engaged scholar who works with ordinary 'readers' of the Bible should be overtly aware of the myth of historicity. Such scholars must embody a more nuanced view of history in the very act of imparting historical information in our collaborative work with non-scholars. Second, when biblical narratives are granted mythic significance - that is, they are signified as meaning, powerful and true irrespective of their historical claims - the task of the socially engaged biblical scholar is to respond with critical responsibility to the academy and with social accountability to our context. |
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| ISSN: | 2518-4628 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Neotestamentica
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.10520/EJC83152 |