
Perceptions of the Divine in Greek Historiography
A Hermeneutical Dilemma from Herodotus to Luke
James M. Morgan(Author)
Schwabe Verlagsgruppe AG Schwabe Verlag
1st Edition
Published on 8. June 2026
Book
Hardback
465 pages
978-3-7965-5495-7 (ISBN)
Description
Writing history in the shadow of the Homeric tradition and drama, Greek historians contended with each other about issues such as the choice of subject, genre, and style. A persistent question concerned the legitimate use of perceptions and experiences of the divine sphere in historical discourse. A hermeneutical dilemma arose from this and was approached in different ways from the inception of Greek historiography with Herodotus, Thucydides and Xenophon, continuing well into the first century CE with authors such as Flavius Josephus, Plutarch, and Luke. This book surveys this enduring feature of history-writing, proposes an interpretative narratological model for reading historians theologically, and then applies it to the works of Herodotus and Luke, who, despite their differences, exemplify how historiography exhibited tradition and innovation through theological reflection for their audiences' edification and entertainment.
More details
Series
Language
English
Product notice
Hardback (stationery)
Dimensions
Height: 161 mm
Width: 228 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
844 gr
ISBN-13
978-3-7965-5495-7 (9783796554957)
Schweitzer Classification
Person
James M. Morgan is a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Biblical Studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. His research interests lie in ancient historiography, biblical exegesis and narratology. He has taught and conducted research in Italy, Niger, and Switzerland.