Aristotelian Ethics and Luke 15: 11-32 in Early Modern England
The discourse surrounding Luke 15:11-32 commonly titled the parable of the prodigal son in early modern England is a major site of convergence for Aristotelian and Christian ethics. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the perceived role of prodigality (in the sense of excessive e...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
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Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell
[2017]
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In: |
Journal of religious history
Year: 2017, Volume: 41, Issue: 2, Pages: 181-196 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Verlorener Sohn
/ England
/ Christliche Ethik
/ Aristoteles 384 v. Chr.-322 v. Chr.
/ Ethik
/ Geschichte 1500-1700
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RelBib Classification: | HC New Testament KBF British Isles VA Philosophy |
Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
Summary: | The discourse surrounding Luke 15:11-32 commonly titled the parable of the prodigal son in early modern England is a major site of convergence for Aristotelian and Christian ethics. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the perceived role of prodigality (in the sense of excessive expenditure) in the parable of the prodigal son became deeply bound up with Aristotelian ethics; the parable's evolving title and its increasingly prominent role in casus summarii both contributed to and were affected by these changes. Despite the importance of both Aristotelian ethics and the parable of the prodigal son to early modern culture, scant research exists on the vital intersection between the two. By tracing the evolution of biblical paratexts, this article explicates how the parable gained its title. It then explores how the shared use of ?s?t?a (prodigality) in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Luke 15:13 affected the interpretation of Luke 15:11-32 in early modern England, and the repercussions this had for early modern philosophy and theology. It concludes that Aristotelian ethics were hugely influential in both the early modern interpretation of Luke 15:11-32 and the concept of prodigality that the parable was so often used to explore. |
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ISSN: | 1467-9809 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of religious history
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/1467-9809.12369 |