The Fourth Gospel in First-Century Media Culture

This book examines the Fourth Gospel in reference to First-Century media culture, including issues of issues of orality, aurality and performance. Werner Kelber's The Oral and the Written Gospel substantially challenged predominant paradigms for understanding early Jesus traditions and the formation of written Gospels. Since that publication, a more precise and complex picture of first - century media culture has emerged. Yet while issues of orality, aurality, performance, and mnemonics are now well voiced in Synoptic Studies, Johannine scholars remain largely unaware of such issues and their implications. The highly respected contributors to this book seek to fill this lacuna by exploring various applications of orality, literacy, memory, and performance theories to the Johannine Literature in hopes of opening new avenues for future discussion. Part 1 surveys the scope of the field by introducing the major themes of ancient media studies and noting their applicability to the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles. Part 2 analyzes major themes in the Johannine Literature from a media perspective, while Part 3 features case studies of specific texts. Two responses by Werner Kelber and Alan Culpepper complete the volume. Formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement , a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches.

• Table of contents
• Part I: John and Oral Culture
  • Introducing Media Culture to Johannine Studies: Orality, Performance, and Memory - Anthony Le Donne; Tom Thatcher
  • Seeing, Hearing, Declaring, Writing: Media Dynamics in the Letters of John - Jeffrey E. Brickle
  • The Riddle of the Baptist and the Genesis of the Prologue: John 1:1-18 in Oral/Aural Media Culture - Tom Thatcher
  • A Performance of the Text: The Adulteress' Entrance into John's Gospel - Chris Keith
• Part II: John as Oral Performance
  • John's Memory Theater: A Study of Composition in Performance - Tom Thatcher
  • The Medium and Message of John: Audience Address and Audience Identity in the Fourth Gospel - Thomas E. Boomershine
  • Jesus Retold as the World's Light in Johannine Oral Prophecy - Antoinette Wire
• Part III: John in the Medium of Memory
  • Scripture Talks because Jesus Talks: The Narrative Rhetoric of Persuading and Creativity in John's Use of Scripture - Michael Labahn
  • John's Gospel and the Oral Gospel Tradition - James D. G. Dunn
  • Memory, Commemoration and History in John 2:19-22: A Critique and Application of Social Memory - Anthony Le Donne
  • Abraham as a Figure of Memory in John 8:31-59 Catrin H. Williams
• Part IV: Reflections and Directions
  • What Difference Does the Medium Make? - Barry Schwartz
  • Introducing Media Culture to Johannine Studies - Gail R. O'Day
• Bibliography