Njals Saga and its Christian Background

Njals Saga is universally recognised as the greatest and
most complex of all the sagas of Icelanders (Islendingasoegur).
The originality with which the writer composed his narrative has led to
its being likened to a novel created by an author who certainly used
sources, although identifying which parts of the saga descend from oral,
and which from written sources has proved difficult. The 'Christian
background' of the title of this study refers to the ecclesiastical
texts (including Scripture and its exegesis, church liturgy and the
liturgical year, and hagiographical and apocryphal writings) which, it
is argued, were used by the author of Njals saga as he both
created a bipartite structure, using familiar Christian metaphors to
help unify the work; and developed his central thematic concern: that
good legal judgement depends upon justice and mercy acting together, as
in divine judgement. It is this which finally redeems Skarphe?inn
Njalsson.