Beyond the Written Word
Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion

The concept of 'scripture' as written religious text is re-examined, considering orally distributed sacred writings.

William Albert Graham (Author)

9780521448208, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 11 March 1993

324 pages
22.6 x 15 x 2.4 cm, 0.413 kg

'Well written for both graduate and undergraduate use.' Religious Studies Review

The concept of 'scripture' as written religious text is re-examined in this close analysis of the traditions of oral use of the sacred writings of religions around the world. Pointing out the central importance of the oral and aural experience of religious texts in the life of religious communities of both Eastern and Western cultures, William Graham asserts the need for a new perspective on how scripture has been appropriated and used by the vast majority of all people who have been religious, most of whom could neither read nor write. Graham first probes the history of literacy, focusing on the prominent role of the written word in modern Western culture and its history in Western civilisation. He then considers the unique case of scripture, examining the problems of communication of texts to illiterate or semi-literate religious communities, the various oral uses of scripture, and affective impact of the spoken holy word vis-á-vis the silently written page.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I. Of Written and Spoken Words: 1. Writing and written culture
2. The print textuality of modern culture
3. Books, reading and literacy in the premodern west
Part II. Of Written and Spoken Scripture: 4. Scripture in Judeo-Christian perspective
5. Holy writ and holy word
6. Scripture as spoken word: the Indian paradigm
Part III. 'An Arabic Reciting': Qur`an as Spoken Book: 7. Revelation and recitation
8. Muslim scripture as spoken word
9. Voicing the Qur`an: questions of meaning
Part IV. 'The Lively Oracles of God': Bible as Spoken Word: 10. The spoken word of Christian holy writ
11. God's word in the desert
12. Hearing and seeing: the rhetoric of Martin Luther
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Religion: general [HRA]