Archetypal Narratives. Pattern and Parable in the Lives of Three Saints (Studia Traditionis Theologiae) - Softcover

Elizabeth M. G. Krajewski

Softcover

ISBN 10: 2503577113 ISBN 13: 9782503577111

Publisher: Brepols Publishers, 2017

Synopsis

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.

Edition details

• Publisher: Brepols Publishers
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 2503577113
• ISBN 13: 9782503577111
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 246