Studies of Shapes: Subjectivity in Palaeography and Understanding

This article explores the critical possibilities that arise in New Testament studies when we view palaeography as a subjective discipline. In response to recent trends in palaeography that contrive new tools and techniques for making ‘objective’ judgements regarding the dates of manuscripts, I argue...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Allen, Garrick V. 1988- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2025
In: New Testament studies
Year: 2025, Volume: 71, Issue: 2, Pages: 231-242
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B New Testament / Paleography / Handwriting / Cognitivism / Knowledge / Understanding
IxTheo Classification:HC New Testament
Further subjects:B Understanding
B aesthetic cognitivism
B Knowledge
B Palaeography
B New Testament
B Manuscripts
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Description
Summary:This article explores the critical possibilities that arise in New Testament studies when we view palaeography as a subjective discipline. In response to recent trends in palaeography that contrive new tools and techniques for making ‘objective’ judgements regarding the dates of manuscripts, I argue that another equally valid approach is to embrace palaeography as a practice akin to aesthetics, one that relies on observation and judgements about shapes to create new contexts for interpretation. Even if palaeography is no longer considered as ‘scientific’ as it was in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there are multiple new opportunities that arise when we place palaeographic discourse and its critical practices into conversation with other disciplines.
ISSN:1469-8145
Contains:Enthalten in: New Testament studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0028688524000377