Prophecy and kingship in Adomnán's "Life of Saint Columba" / Michael J. Enright.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Enright, Michael J., 1944-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Columba, Saint, 521-597.

Columba.

Adamnan, Saint, 625?-704. Vita S. Columbae.

Adamnan.

Christian saints--Biography--History and criticism.

Christian saints.

Christian saints--Biography.

Christian hagiography--History.

Christian hagiography.

History.

Prophecy in literature.

Physical Description:

202 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Dublin, Ireland ; Portland, OR : Four Courts Press, [2013]

Summary:

This book offers a new interpretation of Adomnán's Life of Saint Columba, a crucial source for the study of early Irish and northern British history. Whereas previous scholars have assumed that this vita was that of a fairly typical Irish saint, Michael J. Enright shows that Adomnán intended to portray Columba as an authentic Old Testament-style prophet, one superior to any other leader because he had been divinely chosen and commissioned to impose God's will on the British Isles. His purposes were not refutable by any other power since, like Moses, Samuel and Elijah, he had been made into God's own singular herald. His commission was to reform kingship by selecting, anointing and guiding rulers according to Old Testament precedent. Like a scriptural prophet, moreover, he taught his followers to be prophets so as to ensure the continuity of his mission. In order to advance this regime of the prophet-guided ruler, God also endowed Columba with the special privilege of giving victory in battle to those who supported him. Adomnán intended to show that no other leader or institution could ever legitimately defy Columba, whose spirit actively lived on in his community. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Prophets and princes on isles of ocean: Adomnán's 'call' for an Old Testament-style regime 6

How Columba became an Old Testament prophet 10

Why Adomnán links paganism, empire, unction and sacral death in VCI 36 24

Mantles, 'sons' and divine calls 39

A mirror for a guardian of princes 61

The prophet's reform plan 78

2 Claims, agendas and a prophetic culture in the Lives of Patrick and Columba 85

Patrick and Benignus at Tara 88

Two types of inheritance and the pagan option 94

Choosing ambiguity and training successors 105

Scribal prophets: Ben Sirach and Ezra 133

Assumptions, strategies and a syncretistic intellectual milieu 143

3 A Columban covenant in Northumbria: interpreting VCI 1 and II 46 157.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-199) and index.

ISBN:

9781846823824

184682382X

OCLC:

825749384