Descent and ascent in the Fourth Gospel: The Johannine deconstruction of the heavenly ascent revelatory paradigm

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorKelber, Werner H.en_US
dc.creatorHolleman, C.P. Toby, Jren_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T00:03:27Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T00:03:27Zen_US
dc.date.issued1990en_US
dc.description.abstractThe otherworldly depiction of Jesus in coordination with the origin and function of descent-ascent language in the Gospel of John is the subject of this study. In Chapter One it is found that the gospel explicitly and repeatedly refers to Jesus' heavenly origin, his divine titles, his descent from heaven, and his ascent back to his celestial home in order to emphasize his preeminent revelatory authority. Furthermore, it would appear that the gospel attempts to suppress a competing revelatory point of view in which heavenly visions and heavenly ascensions by mortals are normative. A review in Chapter Two of the way in which modern scholars have attempted to come to terms with these matters indicates that the Fourth Gospel depicts its protagonist according to one trans-cultural conceptual paradigm containing a descent-ascent pattern for revelatory figures in order to oppose an alternative paradigm in which both divine descent-ascent and human ascent-descent patterns are present. Focusing upon ancient Jewish and Christian angel stories, Chapter Three demonstrates that an essential difference between the two paradigms has to do with whether the locus of divine-human discourse is earth or heaven. In the EARTHBOUND paradigm revelation is transmitted solely upon the earth and the heavenly messenger possesses unrivaled revelatory authority. But in the alternative HEAVENWARD paradigm the role and status of the heavenly messenger are patently subordinated to the mortal who is permitted to see if not actually journey up into the celestial world. Chapter Four's selective but narratologically-informed reading of the Gospel of John shows how the gospel's depiction of its protagonist according to the EARTHBOUND paradigm methodically suppresses and deconstructs revelatory and salvific beliefs rooted in the HEAVENWARD viewpoint. Of particular interest is the way in which an historically necessary departure from the EARTHBOUND schema, by ironically representing the ascent of Jesus as a lifting up upon the cross, effectively puts to death (from the gospel's point of view) ideas about the possibility of mortals ascending to heaven with or without Jesus prior to the end of their own lives.en_US
dc.format.extent349 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoThesis Reli. 1990 Hollemanen_US
dc.identifier.citationHolleman, C.P. Toby, Jr. "Descent and ascent in the Fourth Gospel: The Johannine deconstruction of the heavenly ascent revelatory paradigm." (1990) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16350">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/16350</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/16350en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectReligionen_US
dc.subjectBiblical studiesen_US
dc.subjectReligious historyen_US
dc.subjectAncient historyen_US
dc.subjectReligious educationen_US
dc.titleDescent and ascent in the Fourth Gospel: The Johannine deconstruction of the heavenly ascent revelatory paradigmen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentReligious Studiesen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineHumanitiesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
9110979.PDF
Size:
10.4 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
Collections
Rice University Theses and Dissertations