Memory, Mission, and Identity: Orality and the Apostolic Miracle Tradition

by Brandon Walker

Overview

This book uses social memory theory to evaluate the miracle stories of Peter and Paul in three second-century texts: canonical Acts, the Acts of Peter and the Acts of Paul. Far from negligible to the spread of early Christianity, the memory of Jesus' miracles and those related to apostles Peter and Paul was important for establishing early Christian identity and promoted discipleship. The memory of miracles of Peter and Paul was retained and developed in an effort to promote imitation of Jesus in second-century Christian communities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9782503555898
Publisher:	Brepols Publishers
Publication date:	11/19/2015
Series:	Studia Traditionis Theologiae Series , #20
Pages:	346
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Preface xiii

Abbreviations xv

Christian Sources xv

Ancient Sources xv

Abbreviations xvii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Miracle, Identity and Memory 11

1 Introduction 11

1.1 Early Christian Identity 12

2 Miracle and Identity 29

3 Conclusion 39

Chapter 2 The Transmission of a Tradition: Memory, Orality, and Discipleship 41

1 Introduction 41

1.1 Form Criticism 42

1.2 Towards Oral Tradition 45

2 Oral Tradition 50

2.1 Transmission of Oral Tradition 53

2.2 Memory and Orality in Antiquity 55

2.3 Texts and Orality 55

2.4 Rhetoric and Education 60

2.5 Ancient Performances 63

3 Discipleship 70

3.1 Rabbinic Discipleship 72

3.2 Discipleship in Greco-Roman Context 73

3.3 Early Christian Discipleship 75

4 Conclusion 80

Chapter 3 Memory and Miracle in Discipleship 83

1 Introduction 83

2 Miracles of Jesus 84

2.1 The Meaning of the Miracles 86

2.2 Witness of Disciples 93

2.3 The Twelve: Discipleship and Mimesis 96

3 Insiders, Outsiders and would-be Disciples 97

3.1 The Calling of the Twelve 98

3.2 Sending of the Twelve 100

4 Conclusion 105

Chapter 4 Miracle Tradition in Luke's Acts 111

1 Introduction 111

1.1 Purpose of Luke's Acts: Apostolic Memories, Apostolic Tradition 112

1.2 Date, Sources and Orality 122

2 Miracles 135

2.1 Healings and Exorcisms 135

2.2 Resuscitations (Acts 9.36-42; Acts 20.7-12) 148

2.3 Miracles of Rescue (Acts 5.17-19; 12.1-12; Acts 16.16) 151

2.4 Punitive Judgment Miracles 158

3 Following Jesus in Luke's Acts: Community and Identity 163

3.1 'In Deed and Word' 164

3.2 Take up your cross (daily): Persecution and Martyrdom 166

3.3 Miracle, Magic and Syncretism 167

3.4 Rich, Poor and the Marginalized 169

3.5 Apostles as Interpreters 173

3.6 Travel and Dependence 174

3.7 Faith, Faithfulness and Salvation 176

4 Conclusion 180

Chapter 5 The Miracle Tradition in the Acts of Paul 183

1 Introduction 183

1.1 The Text of the Acts of Paul 184

1.2 Date, Sources and Orality 186

2 Miracle 201

2.1 Healings and Exorcisms 202

2.2 Resuscitation 206

2.3 Miracles of Rescue 208

2.4 Nature Miracles 215

3 Following Jesus in the Acts of Paul: Identity and Community 217

3.1 Paul's Ascetic Gospel? 218

3.2 Persecutions 220

3.3 Pneumatology 223

4 Conclusion 225

Chapter 6 Miracle Tradition in the Acts of Peter 227

1 Introduction 227

1.1 The Text of the Acts of Peter 228

1.2 Date, Origin, Sources and Orality 230

2 Miracle 245

2.1 Healing and Exorcisms 245

2.2 Resuscitations 249

2.3 Visions, Dreams and Epiphanies 254

2.4 Nature Miracles 258

3 Following Jesus in the Acts of Peter: Identity and Community 261

3.1 Word and Deed: Miracles and the Imitatio Christi 263

3.2 Competition and Propaganda 267

3.3 Asceticism 268

3.4 Rich and Poor 270

4 Conclusion 271

Chapter 7 Conclusion 273

1 Introduction 273

2 Miracles 276

2.1 Continuity 276

2.2 Discontinuity 277

3 Following Jesus 278

3.1 Continuity 278

3.2 Discontinuity 279

Bibliography 281

Indices 311

Scripture Index 313

Other Early Christian and Jewish Sources 331

Other Ancient Sources 335

Modern Author Index 339

Subject Index 345