The Johannine Tradition in Late Antique and Medieval Poetry

Cutino, Michele (ed.)

The Johannine Tradition in Late Antique and Medieval Poetry proposes to examine the impact of the Gospel of John, which is fundamental from the point of view of the history of Christian doctrines, on ancient poetic production, with some forays into the Middle Ages. The critical literature on these aspects is particularly abundant, but hitherto an overall view of the presence and importance of the Johannine tradition in the evolution of Christian poetry was lacking. Based on the Strasbourg colloquium that took place on 16-17 September 2021, the present volume aims to fill this gap, with contributions highlighting not an episodic presence of Johannine texts in poetic compositions, but a structuring function in the definition of the poetic choices of the various authors. The focus of attention could therefore only be on the genre of biblical rewritings, which derive their particular significance from their organic attempt to “remake” the biblical text in accordance with very precise cultural objectives and the expectations of a select audience.