Joseph of Arimathea : a study in reception history / William John Lyons.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lyons, William John, author.

Series:

Biblical refigurations

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Joseph, of Arimathea, Saint.

Joseph.

Joseph, of Arimathea, Saint--Cult--Great Britain.

Joseph, of Arimathea, Saint--In literature.

Cults.

Great Britain.

Physical Description:

193 pages ; 21 cm.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2014.

Summary:

Joseph of Arimathea: A Study in Reception History examines the extensive and convoluted afterlives of a minor biblical character who nevertheless plays a major role in three pivotal scenes in the passion of Jesus Christ: the request to Pilate for the body, the descent from the cross, and the burial of Jesus' corpse. Characterized in subtly different ways by each of the four Evangelists, these sparse biblical Josephs were expanded, expounded, translated, harmonized, and extended by early literary sources and developed thematically by the artistic traditions of the Renaissance. In the Medieval Period, Joseph arrived, by 'fortuitous' accident, in the British Isles, becoming an iconic figure for English nationalists (through the Glastonbury tradition) and for Briish imperialists through Parry's musical setting of Blake's 'Jerusalem'). Twentieth-century developments in church life, film, literature, spiritualism, and studies of the historical Joseph round out what such a minor character can accomplish, given a sufficient richness in original texts and the right opportunities afforded by later cultural developments. In Joseph of Arimathea's case, certain aspects proved highly adaptable, especially the sharp contrast provided by his portrayal as a bold active figure in the Gospel of Mark and as a fearful passive character in the Gospel of John, the attractiveness of his wealth and nobility to those who considered themselves of similar (or much higher) status, and the opportunities provided by his swift appearance and departure from the most important event in Christianity's foundational documents. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction

The Biblical Joseph

The Early Joseph

The Renaissance Joseph

The Glastonbury Joseph

The 'Jerusalem' Joseph

The twentieth-century Joseph

Conclusion.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780199695911

0199695911

9780199695928

019969592X

OCLC:

859580313