Examples of Faith and Virtue: Cyprian's Use of the Book of Daniel

Cyprian's Book of Daniel is the Daniel of the Greek OT, including the parts also known as the Prayer of Azariah, Bel and the Dragon, and the Book of Susanna. His unquestioning use of them as Scripture is congruent with his treatment of other so-called deuterocanonical books, reflecting the prac...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Murphy, Edwina 1970- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2023
In: Pro ecclesia
Year: 2023, Volume: 32, Issue: 3/4, Pages: 356-375
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Cyprianus, Thascius Caecilius, Saint 200-258 / Azariah / Old Testament / Exegesis / Church work
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity
RG Pastoral care
Further subjects:B Latin fathers
B reception of Scripture
B Models
B Biblical Interpretation
B Patristic Exegesis
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Cyprian's Book of Daniel is the Daniel of the Greek OT, including the parts also known as the Prayer of Azariah, Bel and the Dragon, and the Book of Susanna. His unquestioning use of them as Scripture is congruent with his treatment of other so-called deuterocanonical books, reflecting the practice of mid-third century Carthage. Cyprian uses Daniel across all areas of his pastoral concern. Although the reading strategies of direct application and prophetic fulfillment are used to convey aspects of divine truth, Cyprian largely relies on models, an important element of Greco-Roman paideia, as a means of appropriating the book. The three youths, and Daniel himself, are repeatedly presented as exemplars of steadfast faith in the face of persecution, unity, and proper confession of sin. King Nebuchadnezzar is a negative example of the failure to give alms, while the virtuous Susanna is equated with the church, which must be wary of rogue presbyters trying to destroy it. As with all Cyprian's exegesis, his catechetical use of the Book of Daniel is grounded in the conviction that the Scriptures, Old and New, directly address the existential challenges facing his flock.
ISSN:2631-8334
Reference:Kommentar in "The Old Testament and Catechesis: Response (2023)"
Contains:Enthalten in: Pro ecclesia
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/10638512241275756