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Comments on Biblical Mythology as genre

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Biblical Mythology as genre

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What books or other resources introduce the different genres recognised in the Bible from a literary view? It would be helpful if the recommended resources address how scholars differentiate between Biblical mythology and other mythologies.

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Thanks for the question, @#54307 . I've edited it to make it on topic, as the original question was t... (1 comment)
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There is considerable debate in matters concerning literary criticism within Christianity, so many sources will reflect a certain perspective on the historicity of accounts and how genre interplays with such hermeneutic approaches. As such, a great deal of subjectivity is to be expected with such recommendations depending on one's a priori theological assumptions about the biblical texts. With that said, I have seen these texts widely recommended, but is by no means a comprehensive bibliography.

  • Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative, rev. & updated ed. (New York: Basic Books, 2011).

  • Dinkler, Michal Beth, and John Collins. Literary Theory and the New Testament. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2020).

  • Freedman, David Noel, ed. "Form Criticism." The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

  • Friedman, Richard. Who Wrote the Bible? (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2019).

  • Gerhart, Mary. “Generic Competence in Biblical Hermeneutics.” Edited by Mary Gerhart and James G. Williams. Semeia 43 (1988).

  • Osborne, Grant R. The Hermeneutical Spiral, rev. and expanded (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006).

  • Pritchard, James Bennett, ed. The Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. 3rd ed. with Supplement. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969 (read the Introduction).

  • Stowers, S. K. Letter Writing in Greco-Roman Antiquity. Vol. 5. Library of Early Christianity. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1986.

  • Thiselton, Anthony C. Hermeneutics: An Introduction. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.

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which book would be the best (3 comments)
which book would be the best
Michael16‭ wrote 11 months ago

I have the art of narrative, haven't read it, however I can't be sure if all these books will directly address and classify various genres. I am reading Cambridge Introduction to Narrative. It is very introductory. Can you specify if the which would be the best, and if the scholars call the biblical myths as myths or use alt terms like fiction etc. I suppose the hermeneutical books may address it.

qohelet‭ wrote 11 months ago

I'm generally inclined to close this as too broad because it really touches on the entire field of hermeneutics and literary/form criticism (two entire fields), which is far too broad to summarize in an answer here. If your interest is primarily on historicity (is this fiction, mythology in an ancient sense, myth in a modern sense, historical, literally historical, etc.), often books address these related to specific texts. A good Old Testament or New Testament overview will often address this, but what perspective you are coming from biases how you approach this. You can find all of these camps represented in various accounts.

qohelet‭ wrote 11 months ago · edited 11 months ago

This would be kind of like coming to an automotive site and asking what types of repairs can be performed on cars. Too broad to attempt to answer / summarize, and in this case, also very subjective depending on one's a priori assumptions (even within Christianity, let alone outside it in the general world of academic biblical studies).