Biblical Exegesis and Mystical Theology in the Venerable Bede (Variorum Collected Studies)

Biblical Exegesis and Mystical Theology in the Venerable Bede brings together seventeen essays by Arthur Holder exploring the theology and spirituality found in Bede's biblical commentaries and homilies. The volume shows that Bede was both a masterful student of received tradition and a creative thinker concerned to address the needs and interests of his audience of Christian pastors and teachers in the eighth-century Northumbrian church. Although Bede is best known as the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, the last half-century of scholarship has demonstrated the sophistication and vast influence of his work in the fields of grammar, biblical interpretation, hagiography, poetry, computus, natural science, and theology. The chapters in this volume show how Bede's exegesis was integrally connected with his work in all those genres and with the monumental artistic productions of his monastery such as the illuminated bible manuscript known as the Codex Amiatinus. The five parts of the book deal with Bede as teacher and biblical scholar, his interpretations of the tabernacle and the temple, his commentary on the Song of Songs, his attitudes toward philosophy and heresy, and his mystical theology. This book will be of interest to students of Christian theology, mysticism, the development of biblical interpretation, and the history of early medieval England. Biblical Exegesis and Mystical Theology in the Venerable Bede brings together 17 essays by Arthur Holder exploring the theology and spirituality found in Bede’s biblical commentaries and homilies. The volume shows that Bede was both a masterful student of received tradition and a creative thinker concerned to address the needs and interests of his audience of Christian pastors and teachers in the eighth-century Northumbrian church., Although Bede is best known as the author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, the last half-century of scholarship has demonstrated the sophistication and vast influence of his work in the fields of grammar, biblical interpretation, hagiography, poetry, computus, natural science, and theology. The chapters in this volume show how Bede’s exegesis was integrally connected with his work in all those genres and with the monumental artistic productions of his monastery such as the illuminated bible manuscript known as the Codex Amiatinus. The five parts of the book deal with Bede as a teacher and biblical scholar, his interpretations of the tabernacle and the temple, his commentary on the Song of Songs, his attitudes toward philosophy and heresy, and his mystical theology. This book will be of interest to students of Christian theology, mysticism, the development of biblical interpretation, and the history of early medieval England. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 10 Abbreviations 11 Introduction 12 Part I Bede as teacher and biblical scholar 20 1 Bede and the tradition of patristic exegesis 22 2 (Un)dating Bede’s De arte metrica 34 3 The feminine Christ in Bede’s biblical commentaries 41 4 Bede and the New Testament 51 Part II Bede on the tabernacle and the temple 68 5 New treasures and old in Bede’s De tabernaculo and De templo 70 6 Allegory and history in Bede’s interpretation of sacred architecture 83 7 The Venerable Bede on the mysteries of our salvation 96 8 Introduction to Bede: On the Tabernacle 113 Part III Bede on the Song of Songs 126 9 The patristic sources of Bede’s commentary on the Song of Songs 128 10 The anti-Pelagian character of Bede’s commentary on the Song of Songs 134 11 Christ as incarnate Wisdom in Bede’s commentary on the Song of Songs 146 12 Bede’s spiritual teachings 159 Part IV Bede on philosophy and heresy 176 13 Using philosophers to think with: the Venerable Bede on Christian life and practice 178 14 Hunting snakes in the grass: Bede as heresiologist 188 Part V Bede as mystical theologian 202 15 Bede’s perfecti, the vision of God, and the foretaste of heaven 204 16 Bede and the spiritual senses 224 17 Co-heirs of Christ’s glory: deification in Bede 243 Index 261 Venerable,Bede;,Codex,Amiatinus;,Mystical,theology;,Hagiography;,Latin,patristics;,Spirituality;,Medieval,biblical,interpretation;,Early,medieval,England Venerable Bede,Codex Amiatinus,Mystical theology,Hagiography,Latin patristics,Spirituality,Medieval biblical interpretation,Early medieval England