With variations, that history as proposed by a number of scholars j. My fascination for the gospel of john was sparked in 1994 by the former principle of the london school of theology, rev dr peter cotterell and his lectures and book on discourse analysis. The oldest stories of the fourth gospel appear to indicate that the johannine community originated as a group of jews who came to believe that jesus was the messiah, who nonetheless continued to maintain their jewish identity and to worship in their jewish synagogue. Read the fulltext online edition of the community of the beloved disciple 1979. They are often grouped erroneously with the catholic epistlesthe letters not intended for a specific audience but for various groups. Despite their major impact on jewish history, reli gion and community, the. Adele reinhartz and robert kysar have challenged the idea of a johannine community and cite the lack of evidence for such a community. The main debate centers on who authored the writings, and which of the writings, if any, can be ascribed to a common author. This study in johannine ecclesiology reconstructs the history of one christian community in the first century a community whose life from its inception to its last hour is reflected in the gospel and epistles of john. Johannine ecclesiology the communitys origins sage journals. Johannine community1 as noted in the syllabus, the fourth gospel fg is difficult to interpret without background. Proposing that either john the elder, as an otherwise unknown person who came alongside john the apostle and wrote on his behalf, or that a johannine community at ephesus established around the apostle and wrote the fourth gospel based on his memoirs could explain the sophisticated theology of johns gospel. Pdf the johannine community, the parting of the ways, and. While some critics would say that a comprehensive, coherent theology may not be within reach, still we can outline those unifying themes that undergird these writings.
In the field of johannine studies, the gospel of john has been read as a. In this book i hope to impart both a love for john and an enthusiasm for the adventurousness of johannine thought. In this book, brown endeavored not only to reconstruct the history of johannine community in the first century but also, by implication, attempted to give us. The johannine community may have included christians who migrated to asia minor from palestine after the destruction of jerusalem in. John painter studies the character and history of johannine christianity, the process fo the composition of the gospel and its relation to 1 john, the purpose of the gospel, and all its major themes and issues. Hill holds that many early historical figures did indeed reference the gospel of john. The life, loves, and hates of an individual church in new testaments times. While evidence regarding the author is slight, some scholars believe this gospel developed from a school or johannine circle working at the end of the 1st century, possibly in ephesus. Most scholars therefore treat the five as a single corpus of johannine literature, albeit not from the same author. Elder john and the johannine community what is truth. The combined evidence of the gospel and letters lends historical plausibility to this.
An account of the history of this johannine community, including its origin. How the johannine community igures in the parting of the ways is an old, and. The life of the johannine community and of the fourth gospel is a chapter of jewish history the history of the johannine community from its origin through the period of its life in which the fourth gospel was composed forms to no small extent a. Johannine theology organizes the unifying theological subjects belonging to the new testament literature traditionally attributed to john. In this book, brown endeavored not only to reconstruct the history of johannine community in the first century but also, by implication, attempted to give us an account on the formation of the christian faith. The history, literature, and theology of the johannine community painter, john on. Which of the following methods seeks to uncover how a communitys history affects the way it writes its history. For over fifty years, scholars have claimed that the biblical books of john, 1 john, 2 john, and 3 john originated in an ancient, sectarian christian movement. The gospel also reflects the sectarian nature of the community to which the author belonged. The holy spirit in the johannine tradition burge, mr. But they remind the reader that, in the johaninne situation, to avoid an open confession had implications not only for the believer fearful of exposure but also for the others who took the risk and allowed themselves.
In this volume, leading biblical scholar richard bauckham illuminates main theological themes in the gospel of john, providing insightful analysis of key texts. The study explores the genre of quest stories and draws attention to the concentration. Scholars have debated the authorship of the johannine works gospel of john, the first, second, and third epistles of john, and the book of revelation since at least the third century. The authorship of the johannine works the gospel of john, epistles of john, and the book of revelation has been debated by scholars since at least the 2nd century ad. Brown was perhaps the greatest johannine scholar of the twentyfirst century. The essays in this book, ranging from focused studies of key passages in the fourth gospel to its broader social world, consider the past and potential impact of the scrolls on johannine studies in the context of a growing interest in the historical roots of the johannine tradition and the origins and nature of the johannine community and its. But this close proximity to the synagogue does not necessitate the creation of a scenario for the johannine community in which its whole history is bound to jewish christianity. I believe that two aspects are of basic importance. So it is also in 1 john, where many of the themes of the gospel are echoed. The combined evidence of the gospel and letters lends historical plausibility to.
The johannine community of the first century bequeathed to the universal church its distinctive literary corpus and estimation of jesus, which came to dominate the development of later christian orthodoxy. Story of the johannine community and its literature oxford. Ferreira focuses on exegetical and terminological aspects of john 17 which he regards as the gospels most significant statement on. Story of the johannine community and its literature. Beasleymurray notes, everything we want to know about this book. It does not offer a comprehensive study of johannine ecclesiology. The authorship of the johannine worksthe gospel of john, epistles of john, and the book of. The evangelist writes on a double level and intermingled. The johannine letters consist of three documents almost universally associated with the gospel of john. Richter, and i have all attempted to reconstruct the pregospel history of the johannine community from hints in the gospel. Social memory and social identity in the study of early judaism and early christianity. The gospel of john, the three johannine epistles, and the book of revelation, exhibit marked similarities, although more so between the gospel and the epistle especially the gospel and 1 john than between those and revelation. To what extent their behavior reflects actual events in the history of the johannine community is, of course, impossible to know. Scholars have debated the authorship of johannine literature the gospel of john, epistles of john, and the book of revelation since at least the third century, but especially since the enlightenment.
Footwashing in john and the johannine community john christopher. Differences in theology and tone that separate john from the synoptics are often explained through the peculiar history of the johannine community. The community behind the gospel of john the bart ehrman blog. Johannine christianity refers to an ancient christian community of uncertain existence, which placed great emphasis on the teachings of jesus, particularly as revealed through the gospel of john starting as a community of early followers of jesus who defined themselves rather starkly against the jewish milieu in which they arose, these believers cultivated an intense devotion to. John, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of.
The johannine community as a constructed, imagined community. Despite these obvious links, many johannine scholars fail to connect the authorial claims of john and 1 john. Sociolinguistics emphasizes language as a social phenomenon, which can be analysed with reference not only to its broad context of culture, but also, through the use of register analysis, to its narrower. The book also contains historical background information which adds layers to. Recent research on the johannine literature has concluded that behi. How many books of the new testament claim to have been written by paul. Text, context and the johannine community adopts a new approach to the social context of the johannine writings by drawing on modern sociolinguistic theory.
Throughout christian history, the gospel of johns distinctive way of presenting the life, works, teachings, death, and resurrection of jesus have earned it labels such as the spiritual gospel and the maverick gospel. Vatican ii and the lessons of the johannine community. Extending beyond johannine studies, browns work on the history of early christianity and the churches the apostles left behind brown 1984 is also among the most practical and interesting of his 47 books. Recent research on the johannine literature has concluded that behind these writings stand a flourishing community of christians who lived under the tutelage of the beloved disciple, preserved his writings and venerated his memory. I hope to share some reflective thoughts about raymond e.
This volume gathers shorter journal articles from a publishing career that began in 1975, placing them together with new studies that appear for this first time, and thus complementing moloneys already wellknown commentary and scholarly monographs on the fourth gospel. Johannine ecclesiology the library of new testament. In this book, brown endeavored not only to reconstruct the history of johannine. It is full of long dialogues, it speaks of signs rather than exorcisms or miracles, and its narrative differs at many points from the synoptics. The authorship by john the apostle is rejected by many modern scholars.
Reconstructing the history of the johannine community, largely rehearses previous work on john that has emphasized the gospels multilayered nature and has sought to reconstruct the history of the johannine community so martyn and brown. The gospel of john is a gospel dramatically different from the synoptic gospels. Johannine studies libguides at digital theological library. Sugirtharajah, professor of biblical hermeneutics, school of historical studies, university of. Burge examines one feature of this communitys belief. Johannine literature refers to the collection of new testament works that are traditionally attributed to john the apostle or to johannine christian community.
Eusebius of caesarea, ecclesiastical history book iii. Of these five books, the only one that explicitly identifies its author as a john is revelation. Johannine literature also presents a high christology that equates jesus with god. Martyns central thesis in history and theology in the fourth gospel is that the fourth gospel is a polemic work against the jewish synagogues by a masterful redactor belonging to a johannine community, whose identity was a jewishchristian group converted inside the synagogues but later expulsed from the jewish community. The history, literature, and theology of the johannine community. Ancient tradition attributes all the books to john the apostle. Brown, among others, posit a community of writers rather than a single individual that gave final form to the work. The community of the beloved disciple by raymond e. Rainbow presents the most complete account of the theology of the johannine corpus available today. Johannine letters biblical studies oxford bibliographies. It was a community that struggled with the world, with the jews, and with other christians. Authorship of the johannine works religionwiki fandom. Authorship of the johannine works project gutenberg self. The johannine epistles offer clues concerning their historical context.
The most important event that can be detected is a. This book is the result of a phd dissertation with m. Reflections on the johannine dialectical situation the preaching and teaching of the beloved disciple is taken to represent the constructive work of the johannine evangelist, whoever he might have been. Can we still speak meaningfully of a johannine community. In addition, the book makes several new suggestions. A the pregospel era and the origins of the johannine. The johannine community may have included christians who migrated to asia minor from palestine after the destruction of jerusalem in 70 c.
Martyn, history and theologyinthe fourth gospel 3rd. Both critical and comprehensive, this volume includes all the books of the new testament ascribed to john. Brown in the late 1960s and 1970s, the hypothesis of a socially distinctive johannine community in which the gospel and letters of john originated and for which they were also written has played an important role in johannine scholarship. Moloney has been heard in johannine studies for many decades.
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