From Death to Life: Conversion in Joseph and AsenethThis monograph, the first in English on any aspect of Joseph and Aseneth, examines Aseneth's conversion as narrated in this important but neglected apocryphal Jewish romance. An extensive history of research on Joseph and Aseneth and an analysis of key issues such as text, original language, character, provenance, date, and genre, precede and inform the study of conversion. The story of Aseneth's conversion has too often been understood on the basis of premature and superficial comparisons with other paradigms of conversion and initiation in the Hellenistic world. As a corrective, Chesnutt assigns priority to descriptive over comparative analysis. He draws comparisons and contrasts with other models of conversion and initiation only after he has carefully examined Aseneth's conversion in its own right within the literary context of Joseph and Aseneth and the social context which the document itself reflects. The attention not only to conversion but also to much broader social and religious dimensions of Judaism in antiquity makes this book important for specialists in Christian origins, Greco-Roman religions, women's studies, and patristics, as well as the history of Judaism |
Common terms and phrases
account of Aseneth's affinities ancient angelic anointed Antikes Judentum Apuleius Aseneth was written Aseneth's conversion author of Joseph Baptism Batiffol blessed bread Brill Burchard Cambridge Chapter Christian circumcision context conversion in Joseph conversion to Judaism cult cultic cup of immortality defilement early Judaism eating Egypt Egyptian elements Essene evidence existence expression function genre Gentile Gnosis gnostic Greek heavenly Hellenistic Judaism idem idolatry idols imagery immersion initiatory Isiac initiation Isis Israel Jeremias Jewish Jewish community Jewish Literature Jewish proselytism Jews Joseph and Aseneth Joseph et Aséneth jüdische language Leiden literary Lord Lucius Merkabah mysticism Metam motifs Mysterien mystery initiation mystery religions narrative Nickelsburg ointment of incorruption original passim Philo Philonenko prayer proselyte Pseudepigrapha Qumran rabbinic recent reference represented revelatory experience rites sacred meal Sänger Scholars Press significant social Socio-Cultural Setting soteriological sources status story suggests symbolism Tannaim Therapeutae tion tradition translation University Press Untersuchungen vols worship