Archetypal narratives : pattern and parable in the lives of three saints /
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| Author / Creator: | Krajewski, Elizabeth M. G., author |
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| Imprint: | Turnhout, Belgium : Brepols, [2018]. ©2018 |
| Description: | xii, 246 pages ; 24 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Studia Traditionis Theologiae (STT) ; 27 Studia traditionis theologiae ; 27. |
| Subject: | |
| Format: | Print Book |
| URL for this record: | http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/11790488 |
| Summary: | Saints' Lives have been read as documentary evidence for their particular historical periods, biographies of their heroic protagonists, folklore for the entertainment of monks, or propaganda in defense of a cult. None of these readings, however, address the problem of theologically interpreting narratives that were conceived and dispersed within a Christian monastic environment. Concentrating on the earliest extant Lives of Sts Brigit, Samson, and Cuthbert, the author adopts an interpretive approach that combines close textual analysis with a theological hermeneutic to uncover the deep biblical influences within the narratives, and poses the possibility that many of the stories within them are actually parables - stories intended to be both metaphorical and illustrative, but hardly factual. Building on this foundation, each narrative is then explored for its internal structural logic, a step which is seen to identify each hagiographer's unique skills, as well as literary and theological concerns. A theological interpretation of the narratives opens up a fresh appreciation of their religious impact, and the possibility of a widened 'horizon of meaning' for readers. |
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| Physical Description: | xii, 246 pages ; 24 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-237) and indexes. |
| ISBN: | 9782503577111 2503577113 |
