What Are the Gospels? 25th Anniversary Edition: A Comparison with Graeco-Roman Biography
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Overview
The publication of Richard Burridge’s What Are the Gospels? in 1992 inaugurated a transformation in Gospel studies by overturning the previous consensus about Gospel uniqueness. Burridge argued convincingly for an understanding of the Gospels as biographies, a ubiquitous genre in the Graeco-Roman world. To establish this claim, Burridge compared each of the four canonical Gospels to the many extant Graeco-Roman biographies. Drawing on insights from literary theory, he demonstrated that the previously widespread view of the Gospels as unique compositions was false. Burridge went on to discuss what a properly "biographical" perspective might mean for Gospel interpretation, which was amply demonstrated in the revised second edition reflecting on how his view had become the new consensus. This third, twenty-fifth anniversary edition not only celebrates the continuing influence of What Are the Gospels?, but also features a major new contribution in which Burridge analyzes recent debates and scholarship about the Gospels. Burridge both answers his critics and reflects upon the new directions now being taken by those who accept the biographical approach. This new edition also features as an appendix a significant article in which he tackles the related problem of the genre of Acts. A proven book with lasting staying power, What Are the Gospels? is not only still as relevant and instructive as it was when first published, but will also doubtlessly inspire new research and scholarship in the years ahead.
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Top Highlights
“The external, structural pattern of the gospels is clear: they are works of prose narrative of medium length, with an apparently chronological structure into which topical material is inserted, written on a fairly narrow scale focused on Jesus, composed from different literary units of stories and sayings selected from both oral and written sources in order to portray the central character of Jesus through his deeds and words and the reactions of others to him. Not all of these generic features are unique to βίοι literature; but the overall combination of them reflects the same family resemblance as was seen in our study of Graeco-Roman βίοι.” (Page 200)
“Genre is a system of communication of meaning. Before we can understand the meaning of a text, we must master its genre. Genre will then be our guide to help us re-construct the original meaning, to check our interpretation to see if it is valid and to assist in evaluating the worth of the text and communication.” (Page 51)
“The first feature to signal genre is often the title itself.” (Page 108)
“All four works were described as aretalogy, ‘an ancient type of biographical writing … a formal account of the remarkable career of an impressive teacher that was used as a basis for moral instruction’.” (Page 16)
“We have suggested that in βίος one person will dominate as the focus and subject” (Page 130)
- Title: What are the Gospels? A Comparison with Graeco-Roman Biography (25th Anniversary Edition)
- Author: Richard A. Burridge
- Edition: 25th Anniversary Edition
- Publisher: Baylor University Press
- Print Publication Date: 2018
- Logos Release Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- Subjects: Bible. N.T. Gospels › Language, style; Jesus Christ › Biography--History and criticism; Greek literature, Hellenistic › History and criticism; Greek literature › Relation to the New Testament; Religious biography › History and criticism
- ISBNs: 9781481308762, 9780802809711, 9781481308748, 9781481308755, 9780521483636, 1481308769, 0802809715, 1481308742, 1481308750, 0521483638
- Resource ID: LLS:WS_89AB0F5B1CEB46A9B2AAD98F09AC57D6
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-05-30T19:45:59Z
