Talking Statues: a Study of Miraculous Statues and Images in the Pagan and Christian Tradition
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Tomáš Vítek
Abstract
The article analyses “miraculous” statements made by the statues of gods. Such pronouncements often occurred in the context of divination: some were a part of extraordinary manifestations by the statues in which various movements were ascribed a divinatory meaning, others took place in the context of incubation. Christians viewed the statements as a proof of deception; at the same time, however, they interpreted them as manifestations of malevolent demons inhabiting the statues. Paradoxically, when the Christians acquired their own icons, they started to pay homage to them and ascribed miraculous speeches to them without there being any mention of deceit.
Abstract
The article analyses “miraculous” statements made by the statues of gods. Such pronouncements often occurred in the context of divination: some were a part of extraordinary manifestations by the statues in which various movements were ascribed a divinatory meaning, others took place in the context of incubation. Christians viewed the statements as a proof of deception; at the same time, however, they interpreted them as manifestations of malevolent demons inhabiting the statues. Paradoxically, when the Christians acquired their own icons, they started to pay homage to them and ascribed miraculous speeches to them without there being any mention of deceit.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Inhalt VII
- Allgemeine und bibliographische Abkürzungen IX
- Einführung 1
- Aufgaben eines Übersetzers beim Übersetzen der Texte von Nag Hammadi 7
- Griechische Substantive und ihre koptischen Entsprechungen in den Apokryphon- Johannes-Versionen (NHC II,1, III,1, IV,1 und BG 2). Fallbeispiele koptischer Übersetzungspraxis 29
- Interpreting the Parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas 49
- The Parable about a Man Who Killed ⲙⲉⲅⲓⲥⲧⲁⲛⲟⲥ (Gos. Thom. 98) 59
- The Gnostic Rewriting of the Story about the Sons of God and Daughters of Men (Gen 6:1–4) in the Apocryphon of John (BG 2 p. 73,18–75,10 and parr.) 75
- “Some say that Sodom is the place of pasture of the great Seth” 113
- Die Apokalypse des Petrus – ein vernachlässigter Text aus Nag-Hammadi-Codex VII 125
- Alexander of Lycopolis and Titus of Bostra on Manichaeism and Providence 141
- Warum Syro-Palästina? Thesen zu den Anfängen der Mandäer 154
- Two Unidentified Fragments of Mandaean Ritual Scrolls in the British Museum 188
- Talking Statues: a Study of Miraculous Statues and Images in the Pagan and Christian Tradition 196
- Anmerkungen zur Filiation der Didache 237
- Darkened, Forgotten? – and Rediscovered: Two Medieval Images of the Twenty-four Elders of the Apocalypse in Old Coptic Cairo and their Technical History 277
- Books and Education in the Franciscan Missionary Enterprise among the Copts (17th & 18th centuries) 303
- Autorenverzeichnis 320
- Stellenregister 322
- Namenregister 350
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Inhalt VII
- Allgemeine und bibliographische Abkürzungen IX
- Einführung 1
- Aufgaben eines Übersetzers beim Übersetzen der Texte von Nag Hammadi 7
- Griechische Substantive und ihre koptischen Entsprechungen in den Apokryphon- Johannes-Versionen (NHC II,1, III,1, IV,1 und BG 2). Fallbeispiele koptischer Übersetzungspraxis 29
- Interpreting the Parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas 49
- The Parable about a Man Who Killed ⲙⲉⲅⲓⲥⲧⲁⲛⲟⲥ (Gos. Thom. 98) 59
- The Gnostic Rewriting of the Story about the Sons of God and Daughters of Men (Gen 6:1–4) in the Apocryphon of John (BG 2 p. 73,18–75,10 and parr.) 75
- “Some say that Sodom is the place of pasture of the great Seth” 113
- Die Apokalypse des Petrus – ein vernachlässigter Text aus Nag-Hammadi-Codex VII 125
- Alexander of Lycopolis and Titus of Bostra on Manichaeism and Providence 141
- Warum Syro-Palästina? Thesen zu den Anfängen der Mandäer 154
- Two Unidentified Fragments of Mandaean Ritual Scrolls in the British Museum 188
- Talking Statues: a Study of Miraculous Statues and Images in the Pagan and Christian Tradition 196
- Anmerkungen zur Filiation der Didache 237
- Darkened, Forgotten? – and Rediscovered: Two Medieval Images of the Twenty-four Elders of the Apocalypse in Old Coptic Cairo and their Technical History 277
- Books and Education in the Franciscan Missionary Enterprise among the Copts (17th & 18th centuries) 303
- Autorenverzeichnis 320
- Stellenregister 322
- Namenregister 350
