Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts
This article analyzes the phenomena that arise when the images of New Testament authors are placed before, alongside, and within the titles and incipits of New Testament texts in ancient manuscripts. Such images facilitate encounters with “specters” of the authors, invoking their bodily presence in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/7/574 |
| _version_ | 1797416205339852800 |
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| author | Isaac T. Soon |
| author_facet | Isaac T. Soon |
| author_sort | Isaac T. Soon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article analyzes the phenomena that arise when the images of New Testament authors are placed before, alongside, and within the titles and incipits of New Testament texts in ancient manuscripts. Such images facilitate encounters with “specters” of the authors, invoking their bodily presence in the absence of their physical body. They are encodings of collective memory but also participants in perpetuating and sometimes modifying the physical appearance of apostolic figures. On occasion, the blending of textual incipits with apostolic images sublimate authorial identity and textual identity; the bodies of apostles become frames through which to view their written works. Although they are paratexts, apostolic icons can rearrange and aggregate other paratextual features including titles and even <i>Euthaliana</i>. Images of the apostles further interact with anonymous features of NT manuscripts, such as <i>Euthaliana</i>, providing authorization for works without ascription in the manuscripts themselves. Images of the apostles in NT manuscripts are therefore more than decoration or pious creativity. They are loci of presence, identity, memory, and authority. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:00:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50b88f88eeaa4ec2bad08c98beaecaec |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:00:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-50b88f88eeaa4ec2bad08c98beaecaec2023-12-03T12:09:25ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-06-0113757410.3390/rel13070574Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament ManuscriptsIsaac T. Soon0Department of Religious Studies, Crandall University, Moncton, NB E1G 3H9, CanadaThis article analyzes the phenomena that arise when the images of New Testament authors are placed before, alongside, and within the titles and incipits of New Testament texts in ancient manuscripts. Such images facilitate encounters with “specters” of the authors, invoking their bodily presence in the absence of their physical body. They are encodings of collective memory but also participants in perpetuating and sometimes modifying the physical appearance of apostolic figures. On occasion, the blending of textual incipits with apostolic images sublimate authorial identity and textual identity; the bodies of apostles become frames through which to view their written works. Although they are paratexts, apostolic icons can rearrange and aggregate other paratextual features including titles and even <i>Euthaliana</i>. Images of the apostles further interact with anonymous features of NT manuscripts, such as <i>Euthaliana</i>, providing authorization for works without ascription in the manuscripts themselves. Images of the apostles in NT manuscripts are therefore more than decoration or pious creativity. They are loci of presence, identity, memory, and authority.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/7/574iconographyNew Testamenticonsapostles<i>Euthaliana</i>Paul |
| spellingShingle | Isaac T. Soon Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts Religions iconography New Testament icons apostles <i>Euthaliana</i> Paul |
| title | Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts |
| title_full | Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts |
| title_fullStr | Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts |
| title_short | Absent in Body, Present in Spirit: Apostolic Iconography in Greek Byzantine New Testament Manuscripts |
| title_sort | absent in body present in spirit apostolic iconography in greek byzantine new testament manuscripts |
| topic | iconography New Testament icons apostles <i>Euthaliana</i> Paul |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/7/574 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT isaactsoon absentinbodypresentinspiritapostoliciconographyingreekbyzantinenewtestamentmanuscripts |