{"product_id":"christian-divination-in-late-antiquity-9789462988705","title":"Christian Divination in Late Antiquity","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn Late Antiquity, people commonly sought to acquire hidden knowledge about the past, the present, and the future, using a variety of methods. While Christians acknowledged that these methods could work effectively, in theory they were not allowed to make use of them. In practice, they behaved in diverse ways. Some probably renounced any hope of learning about the future. Others resorted to old practices regardless of the consequences. A third option was to construct divinatory methods that were effective yet religiously tolerable. This book is devoted to the study of such practices and their practitioners, and provides answers to essential questions concerning Christian divination. How did it develop? How closely were Christian methods related to older, traditional practices? Who used them and in which situations? Who offered oracular services? And how were they perceived by clerics, intellectuals, and common people?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I recommend this book not just to scholars of late antique religion, but more widely to students and researchers of medieval Christianity and medieval prognostication. [...] For students of the middle ages the book is a welcome reminder that many of the medieval practices that used to be and sometimes still are discussed as \"pagan survivals\" were in fact already a part of Christian culture in late antiquity and were the result of active elaboration of Christian ideas to answer the kinds of needs ancient divination had covered.\"\u003cbr\u003e- Jesse Keskiaho, \u003ccite\u003eThe Medieval Review\u003c\/cite\u003e, 22.01.16 (2021) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Robert Wisniewski has written a beautiful and very interesting book about Christian divination in Late Antiquity (4th-6th century).\"\u003cbr\u003e- Mark Beumer, \u003ccite\u003eKleio-Historia\u003c\/cite\u003e, 13 (2021) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The volume is a well-organized and detailed treatment of Christian divination in the fourth through the eighth centuries. The evidence is fascinating and compelling. Wisniewski balances examination of the widespread practices themselves with how Christian officials sometimes condemned them.\" \u003cbr\u003e- Jennifer Eyl, \u003ccite\u003eJournal of Early Christian Studies\u003c\/cite\u003e, Vol. 29, No. 3 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “[...] the book is a wonderful resource for the Christian divinatory practices that clerical authors, if not explicitly recommended, 'neither were...so eager to condemn' (15).” \u003cbr\u003e- Yuliya Minets, \u003ccite\u003eChurch History\u003c\/cite\u003e, Vol. 91, Iss. 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eINTRODUCTION \u003cbr\u003eThe current state of research \u003cbr\u003eThe evidence and its intricacies \u003cbr\u003eObjectives and plan of the book \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 1 - ATTITUDES TO DIVINATION \u003cbr\u003ePagan divination \u003cbr\u003eAttitudes to non-pagan divination \u003cbr\u003eLegal background \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 2 - PROPHETS \u003cbr\u003eThe twilight of prophecy in early Christianity \u003cbr\u003eA resurgence of prophecy \u003cbr\u003eConsultation with prophets \u003cbr\u003eQuestions and questioners \u003cbr\u003eSelf-perception of the prophets \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 3 - TAKE AND READ: READING THE FUTURE FROM THE BIBLE \u003cbr\u003eFirst words heard \u003cbr\u003eFirst words read \u003cbr\u003eExamination of biblical prophecies \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 4 - BOOKS AND BONES \u003cbr\u003eSortes sanctorum \u003cbr\u003eSortes Monacenses \u003cbr\u003eThe Gospel of the Lots of Mary \u003cbr\u003eSortes Sangallenses \u003cbr\u003eCodices with hermeneiai \u003cbr\u003eOther divinatory books \u003cbr\u003eExperts and clients \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 5 - DIVINATORY LOTS \u003cbr\u003eOracular tickets \u003cbr\u003eOrigins \u003cbr\u003eInquirers, attitudes and popularity \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 6 - INTERROGATING DEMONIACS \u003cbr\u003eSaints and energumens \u003cbr\u003eA Gallic female seer and spiritus pythonis \u003cbr\u003ePythones, engastrimythoi, ventriloqui, arrepticii \u003cbr\u003eConsultations in Constantinople and Egypt \u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER 7 - INCUBATION \u003cbr\u003eEarly developments \u003cbr\u003e 'Pagan' and Christian Incubation \u003cbr\u003eIncubation sanctuaries \u003cbr\u003eIncubation in practice \u003cbr\u003ePopularity, resistance and discussions \u003cbr\u003eCONCLUSIONS \u003cbr\u003eBIBLIOGRAPHY \u003cbr\u003eAbbreviations \u003cbr\u003ePrimary sources \u003cbr\u003eSecondary sources \u003cbr\u003eINDEX","brand":"Amsterdam University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50473236988247,"sku":"9789462988705","price":111.15,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9789462988705.jpg?v=1744905812","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/christian-divination-in-late-antiquity-9789462988705","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}