Composite citations in antiquity
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into a fascinating aspect of ancient religious and literary traditions that shaped how sacred texts were understood and transmitted across cultures. Sean A. Adams brings together expert contributors to examine how early Jewish, Greco-Roman, and Christian writers combined multiple textual sources into single quotations, creating what scholars call composite citations.
The book investigates a practice that reveals much about how ancient authors approached sacred and authoritative texts. Rather than quoting sources in isolation, these writers often wove together passages from different origins to create new meanings and emphasize particular theological or philosophical points. This technique appears throughout early Christian literature, including works up to Justin Martyr, as well as in Jewish and Greco-Roman writings.
Each contributor addresses compelling questions about authorial intent and audience reception. Did writers consciously craft these composite texts, or did they inherit them from existing traditions? How did contemporary readers understand these layered quotations? Would they have recognized the individual components and their original contexts?
The volume offers valuable insights for anyone interested in how spiritual communities have historically interpreted and applied foundational texts. By examining the rhetorical and literary effects of these composite citations, readers gain deeper appreciation for the sophisticated ways ancient authors communicated complex religious ideas. Christopher Stanley's concluding reflections tie these findings to broader implications for understanding early Christian literature and biblical interpretation.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)
📄 Length: 256 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore RELIGION / Biblical Studies / Exegesis & Hermeneutics
- ✓ Explore Rhetoric, ancient
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore RELIGION / Biblical Studies / New Testament
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Sources
- ✓ Explore Exegesis & Hermeneutics
- ✓ Explore RELIGION
