Nomadic Text: A Theory of Biblical Reception History

by Brennan W. Breed

Brennan W. Breed claims that biblical interpretation should focus on the shifting capacities of the text, viewing it as a dynamic process rather than a static product. Rather than seeking to determine the original text and its meaning, Breed proposes that scholars approach the production, transmission, and interpretation of the biblical text as interwoven elements of its overarching reception history. Grounded in the insights of contemporary literary theory, this approach alters the framing questions of interpretation from "What does this text mean?" to "What can this text do?"

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

Reviews

[Matthew Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a most welcome contribution to the field of reception history, but should not be missed by biblically-interested students in general. It is at one a devastating critique of the scholarly propensity to create rather arbitrary 'borders' to separate 'original' from 'secondary' texts, and to construct cages (i.e., contexts) in which to keep texts put (Breed uses the humorous image of scholars as zookeepers). Breed's proposal is that rather than seeing texts as static, we should view them as nomadic, moving from one territory to another. In each territory, various 'virtual capabilities' of the text are activated. Breed takes Job 19:25-27 as his text piece. It's a nice selection, since it's had a lively history. Full of great metaphors, dense at times, but overall an engaging and important contribution.