New Perspectives on the Nativity

Description

The infancy narratives represent some of the most beautiful and intriguing passages in the Gospels. The stories they relate are also arguably the most well-known in the Christian tradition, from the child in the manger to the Magi paying homage to the infant Jesus. However there have been relatively few attempts to consider the stories of the Nativity from modern academic perspectives, examining them from feminist perspectives, poltical standpoints, in cinematic representations as well as more standard but up-to-date academic approaches. New Perspectives on the Nativity attempts to redress this providing a fresh insights on these crucial Christian texts from a cast of distinguished contributors. At the outset, Henry Wansbrough surveys scholarship on the infancy narratives since Raymond Brown's landmark study, The Birth of the Messiah (2nd edition, 1993). Thereafter, four chapters deal with Luke's infancy story. Ian Boxall demonstrates how the narrative offers subtle foreshadowings of the passion and resurrection. Barbara Reid surveys Luke's portrayal of three female prophets (Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna), who prepare for the later presentation of Jesus as a prophet. Leonard Maluf suggests a new understanding of Zechariah's canticle (the Benedictus), by situating it firmly in its Jewish background. Finally, Nicholas King indicates how the "inn" of the nativity prefigures the later journey of the gospel message. The next four contributions are concerned with Matthew's narrative. Warren Carter shows how the conflict between the infant Jesus and the ruling powers is repeated more dramatically in the life and death of the adult Christ. Benedict Viviano proposes that the three stages in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus belong within a grand scheme of seven ages of salvation history. Bernard Robinson investigates Matthew's nativity story within the context of biblical and Greco-Roman history-writing. Christopher Fuller highlights the carnivalesque approach to the Magi story in Pasolini's classic film, The Gospel According to St Matthew. Three final essays focus on the religious value of the infancy stories. Ann Loades reflects on late-20th-century poems dealing with the nativity. John Kaltner explores the references to Jesus' birth found in Islamic tradition. Finally, Thomas O'Loughlin argues that contemporary preoccupations with historical investigation can blind us to the mystery presented in the nativity stories.

Dr Jeremy Corley teaches Biblical Studies at Ushaw College, Durham, UK. He is author of Ben Sira's Teaching on Friendship (Brown Judaic Studies, 2002) and more than twenty articles on the New Testament and Second Temple Judaism.

'Raymond E. Brown's Birth of the Messiah was a milestone and indeed a touchstone in Catholic research on the Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke. However, Father Brown never intended his book to be a barrier to further research and reflection, but rather a springboard. It is in that spirit that these essays offer new paths of research and reflection to continue and carry forward our appreciation and appropriation of the message of the Infancy Narratives.' - John Meier, Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA -- John Meier 'This engaging collection of essays offers an excellent showcase of literary, theological and political readings of the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, including studies in the history of reception. It ably demonstrates that when historical questions grow old, the texts prove fertile in ever new ways. A great resource for many Christmases to come!' - John M.G. Barclay, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, UK -- John M.G. Barclay 'Jeremy Corley and his team are to be congratulated. New Perspectives on the Nativity is the unrivalled complement to and extension of Raymond E. Brown's magisterial study, The Birth of the Messiah. Sharing Brown's conviction as to the priority of theological over purely historical analyses of the infancy narratives, the contributors pursue this intent through a refreshing range of literary, cultural, socio-political, feminist, inter-religious and liturgical readings. Together, the essays witness to the remarkable vitality of contemporary biblical scholarship and proliferation of approaches, contributing insights extending well beyond those available in Brown's rather more constrained approach, yet evincing a similar concern to place the best of scholarship at the service of as broad a readership as possible.' - Paul D. Murray, Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the Centre for Catholic Studies, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, UK. -- Paul D. Murray "Pouring through the breach in convention that Raymond Brown opened with The Birth of the Messiah (2d. ed. 1993), theologians and biblical scholars explore the Christmas stories in fresh light, both for teachers and preachers, and for believers and scholars. Their topics include a narrative reading of Luke's nativity story, a new look at the familiar text of Zechariah's Benedictus in Luke 1:68-79, making sense of the genealogy in Matthew 1:17 and the theology of history, A Bakhtinian reading of the Magi story through the eyes of Pasolini, the nativity in recent British poetry, the Muslim Mary, and losing mystery in history." -Eithne O'Leyne, BOOK NEWS, Inc. "After Corley's three-page introduction, this volume presents essays by H. Wansbrough on the infancy stories of the Gospels since R.E. Brown; I Boxall on Luke's nativity story--a narrative reading; B.E. Reid on the prophetic voices of Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna in Luke 1-2; L.J. Maluf on Zechariah's Benedictus (Lk 1:68-79)--a new look at familiar text; N. King on the significance of the inn for Luke's infancy narrative; W. Carter on Matthew 1-2 and Roman political power; B.T. Viviano on making sense of the Matthean genealogy--Mt 1:17 and the theology of history; B.P. Robinson on Matthew's nativity stories--historical and theological questions for today's readers; C. Fuller on the Magi story through the eyes of P. Pasolini--a Bakhtinian reading; A. Loades on the nativity in recent British poetry; J. Kaltner on the Muslim Mary; and T. O'Loughlin on losing mystery in history--the challenge of recalling the nativity. Also included are an appendix by O.M. McDonald on resemblances between Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2; a dictionary of technical terms, significant persons, and ancient texts; and a bibliography of studies on the nativity from 1990 and 2009." -New Testament Abstracts, Vol. 54 Reviewed in Religious Studies Review, Vol 36, No. 3, September 2010 (UK) 'A welcome summary of recent scholarship on the birth narratives' 'This book offers a glimpse of some recent approaches to aspects of the Christmas story. It offers, as the Introducation says, 'a wide variety of perspectives - literary, political, feminist, theological, poetic, Islamic and liturgical'. Something for everyone.' -- Theology This new collection of essays edited by Jeremy Corley, offers a smorgasbord of entrances into the nativity stories of Matthew and Luke. What these essays offer is a fresh look at these stories through the lens of newer methods of reading that are gaining ground in the realm of academic biblical studies such as feminist readings, literary readings and various aspects of the history of interpretation. - Benjamin J M Johnson, University of Durham, UK -- Benjamin J M Johnson