The spectre of Stephen and the haunting of Acts

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Curkpatrick, Stephen (2002) The spectre of Stephen and the haunting of Acts. Journal of Higher Criticism, 9 (1). pp. 16-31. ISSN 1075-7139

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Abstract

Critical studies on the Acts of the Apostles have consistently suggested that this late New Testament writing takes a degree of fictive license in its narration of Christian origins. This article seeks to tease out some implications from loose ends in a writing that appears to erase some difficult memories as it attempts to give a unified, coherent view of Christian origins. The article proposes that at least two uncomfortable memories emerge from this text: one, an uneasy memory for contemporaries of the writer—the murder of Stephen; and two, an ineluctable memory for Christian tradition concerning some early pejorative evaluation of contemporary Judaism. The Acts strategy of ameliorating difficult memories occurs at the cost of erasing the complexity and memory of the internal tensions involved.

Item Type:	Published Articles
Repository Version:	Published Version
Keywords (separated by commas):	New Testament, Acts, Stephen, Luke, biblical criticism, Judaism, Christian origins, narrative criticism
Fields of Research:	22 Philosophy and Religious Studies > 2204 Religion and Religious Studies > 220401 Christian Studies (incl. Biblical Studies and Church History)
Socio-Economic Objective:	E Expanding Knowledge > 97 Expanding Knowledge > 970122 Expanding Knowledge in Philosophy and Religious Studies
Type of Activity:	Pure Basic Research
Subject Area(s):	B - New Testament
Association with MCD:	STC: Stirling Theological College
Depositing User:	Repository Manager
Date Deposited:	12 Aug 2009 03:59
Last Modified:	14 Feb 2011 15:38
URI:	http://repository.mcd.edu.au/id/eprint/199

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