Hit or Myth? Methodological Considerations in Comparing Dionysos with the Johannine Jesus

Bibliographic Data

ID21453428
AuthorsFergus J King (0000-0001-6822-1529, Fergus J. King, D.Th. (University of South Africa) is Director of Ministry Formation, Trinity College within the University of Divinity, Melbourne, Australia. He is also Professor of NT Mission (Sociocultural Interpretation) at the Missional University, and Conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle, NSW. Please contact the author via., corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume51
Issue2
Pages88-100
Publication date2021-05-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBiblical Theology Bulletin Journal of Bible and Culture (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0146-1079 • E-ISSN: 1945-7596
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0146107921997108
OpenAlexW3142667584
LanguageEN
References cited20

The relationship between Dionysiac and emerging Christian traditions has long exercised biblical and classical scholars. Dionysianism is complex because of both its constituent mythologies and the fluidity and variety of its rituals. Emerging Christianity similarly defies a single metanarrative. This essay notes the difficulties of comparing Dionysiac tradition with just one early Christian text: the Gospel of John. The variety of Dionysiac material, the particular issues raised by critical readings of the Gospel (content and composition), the difficulty of overarching theological terminology (like “sacramentalism”), intertextuality, and mimesis criticism are all problematic when comparing the two traditions and their texts

Art · Biblical studies · Criticism · Early Christianity · Epistemology · Gospel · Intertextuality · Linguistics · Literature · Metanarrative · Mythology · Narrative · Terminology · Textual criticism · Theology · Variety (cybernetics) · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Historical and Linguistic Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Philosophy

Tools

Open DOI