00555 - Ancient Christian Literature

Learning outcomes

The course leads the student to know ancient Christian Literature in its historical development, and in its connection with jewish and graeco-roman tradition and with literary genres. The student will learn how to read and analyze ancient Christian texts.

Course contents

The course aims at presenting the development of apocalyptic literature from its beginnings in the Old Testament, through the so-called ‘intertestamentary writings’ (II-I b.C.), up to the New Testament writings: gospels, letters and, above all, Revelation. The second part of the course will consist of a survey of the exegesis of Revelation in early Christian literature.

Readings/Bibliography

1) Texts:

a) The Old Testament writings concerning apocalyptic literature can be found in any modern Italian translation, such as the edition CEI (= “Conferenza Episcopale Italiana”), 2008 (freely downloadable; the text will be also uploaded by the teacher within teaching material). The CEI translation is printed also in Bibbia di Gerusalemme (1a ed., EDB, Bologna 1974 [e rist.]; 2a ed., EDB, Bologna 2009 [e rist.]), complete with a rich annotation.

b) A selection of short texts from intertestamentary literature will be handed out during the lessons, and uploaded in .pdf format within teaching material.

c) the text of Revelation can be found can be found in any modern Italian translation, such as the edition CEI (= “Conferenza Episcopale Italiana”), 2008 (freely downloadable; the text will be also uploaded by the teacher within teaching material). The CEI translation is printed also in La Bibbia di Gerusalemme (1a ed., EDB, Bologna 1974 [e rist.]; 2a ed., EDB, Bologna 2009 [e rist.]), complete with a rich annotation.

2) Studies:

a) (Handbook of Early Christian Literature):

– M. Simonetti-E. Prinzivalli, Letteratura Cristiana Antica, EDB, Bologna 2010 (only the following pages: 11-54; 79-100; 103-224; 502-519; 531-556.

b) (General introduction to apocalyptic literature):

– K. Koch, Difficoltà dell’apocalittica, Paideia, Brescia 1977;

c) (Commentaries to Revelation: one commentary, at the student’s choice):

– L’Apocalisse di Giovanni, intr., trad. e note a c. di E. Lupieri, Fondazione Lorenzo Valla/Mondadori, Milano 1999

– Apocalisse di Gesù Cristo, intr., trad. e note a c. di E. Corsini, SEI, Torino 2002

– Apocalisse di Giovanni, intr., trad. e note a c. di D. Tripaldi, Carocci, Roma 2012

 

N.B.

Attending students will read:

- the handbook (see above Studi, point a);

- class notes and texts commented upon during classes;

- a commentary on the Apocalypse of John (to be picked out of those mentioned above Studi, point c);

- the book by K. Koch (see above Studi, point b);

In addition to the handbook, the commentary and Koch’s book and in substitution of the class notes, students who cannot attend lessons will choose and read 2 articles included in the following collections of essays, which will be uploaded in .pdf format as teaching materials:

– J.J. Collins, What is Apocalyptic Literature?, in Id. (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Apocalyptic Literature, Oxford-New York, NY 2014, pp. 1-18;

– Id., Apocalypticism in Early Christianity, in J.J. Collins, The Apocalyptic Imagination. An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature, Grand Rapids, MI-Cambridge 1998, pp. 256-279;

– R.E. Sturm, Defining the Word 'Apocalyptic': a Problem in Biblical Criticism, in J. Marcus-M.L. Soards (eds), Apocalyptic and the New Testament. essays in Honor of J. Louis Martin, London-New York, NY 2015, pp. 17-48;

– L.L. Thompson, Ordinary Lives: John and His First Readers, in D.L. Barr (ed.), Reading the Book of Revelation. A Resource for Students, Atlanta, GA 2003, pp. 25-47;

– L. Arcari, La titolatura dell’Apocalisse di Giovanni: ‘apocalisse’ o ‘profezia’? Appunti per una ri- definizione del ‘genere apocalittico’ sulla scorta di quello profetico, “Henoch” 23 (2001), pp. 243-265;

– E. Noffke, Introduzione alla letteratura mediogiudaica precristiana, Claudiana, Torino 2004, pp. 45-77 (letteratura intertestamentaria; definizione apocalittica; letteratura enochica);

– P. Sacchi, Ordine cosmico e prospettiva ultraterrena nel postesilio. Il problema del male e l'origine dell'apocalittica, in Id., L'apocalittica giudaica e la sua storia, Paideia, Brescia 1990, pp. 79-98.

Teaching methods

Lectures; use of bibliographic and electronic databases.

Assessment methods

Oral exam. In order to pass the test students must:

a) demonstrate full acquaintance with the texts read during the course;

b) identify the main features of apocalyptic literature in its historical development, from the Old Testament to intertestamentary literature, up to the writings of the New Testament (gospels, letters), and especially the book of Revelation;

c) describe the main lines of the exegesis on the book of Revelation as well as the forms and development of Christian literature in the first centuries.

Teaching tools

Projector; PC.

Office hours

See the website of Antonio Cacciari

See the website of Daniele Tripaldi