Circumcision Gone Wrong: Paul’s Message as a Case of Ritual Disruption
This article considers Paul’s message about male circumcision as a case of ritual disruption, which functions as an informant on the notions of inclusion and exclusion of its cultural context. Paul’s challenge to existing social norms with regard to proselyte circumcision allows us to better see the...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2016
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| In: |
Neotestamentica
Year: 2016, Volume: 50, Issue: 2, Pages: 373-396 |
| Further subjects: | B
Jewish eschatology
B Jewish proselyte circumcision B male circumcision B Ritual disruption B Pauline Letters B Gentile inclusion |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | This article considers Paul’s message about male circumcision as a case of ritual disruption, which functions as an informant on the notions of inclusion and exclusion of its cultural context. Paul’s challenge to existing social norms with regard to proselyte circumcision allows us to better see the ways in which circumcision is thought to construct and deconstruct relationships. This approach shows that the disruptiveness of Paul’s message does not stem from a distinctive understanding of circumcision or from a unique openness to gentiles, as is often assumed. Paul shares the widely held understanding of proselyte circumcision as a rite that marks the transformation of male gentile “outsiders” into Jewish “insiders,” yet he strongly denies that it is appropriate for gentiles “in Christ” to undergo this rite, since they already are “insiders.” This makes the ritual of proselyte circumcision not merely unnecessary, but even harmful, since it negates gentile incorporation through Christ. |
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| ISSN: | 2518-4628 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Neotestamentica
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1353/neo.2016.0051 |