Geography and the Ascension Narrative in Acts (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series)

313 Pages·2009·1.88 MB·English

by  Matthew Sleeman

GEOGRAPHY AND THE ASCENSION
NARRATIVE IN ACTS
ThebookofActscontainsastronggeographicalcomponent.Yet
readings of Acts typically ignore or marginalise geography’s con-
tribution to the construction of the narrative’s theology. In this
book Matthew Sleeman argues that Jesus’ ascension into heaven
isfoundationalforestablishingthe‘spatiality’ofActs,showingthat
thenarrative’sunderstandingofplaceandspaceisshapeddecisively
byChrist’sheavenlylocation.Drawingonrecentadvancesingeo-
graphical theory, Sleeman offers a ‘spatial’ interpretation that
expandsourvisionofhowspaceandplaceinformthetheological
impulses of Acts. Presenting a complement to conventional ‘tem-
poral’readingsofActs,heshedsnewlightonthetheologyofthe
book,andsuggestsnewwaysofreadingnotonlyActsbutalsoother
NewTestamenttexts.
Sleeman’s work combines innovative biblical scholarship with
accessible and informative geographical analysis, and is suitable
forthosewithresearchandteachinginterestsinhumangeography
orbiblicalstudies.
MATTHEW SLEEMAN isLecturerinNewTestamentandGreekat
OakHillTheologicalCollege,London.

SOCIETY FOR NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
MONOGRAPH SERIES
GeneralEditor:JohnM.Court
146
GEOGRAPHY AND THE ASCENSION NARRATIVE
IN ACTS
SOCIETY FOR NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
MONOGRAPH SERIES
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Geography and the Ascension
Narrative in Acts
MATTHEW SLEEMAN
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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©MatthewSleeman2009
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Firstpublished2009
PrintedintheUnitedKingdomattheUniversityPress,Cambridge
AcataloguerecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloguinginPublicationdata
Sleeman,Matthew,1968–
GeographyandtheAscensionnarrativeinActs/MatthewSleeman.
p. cm.–(SocietyforNewTestamentstudies.Monographseries)
Includesbibliographicalreferences.
ISBN978-0-521-50962-6
1. SpaceperceptionintheBible. 2. Bible.N.T.Acts–Geography.
3. JesusChrist–Ascension. 4. Bible.N.T.Acts–Theology.
5. Bible.N.T.Acts–Criticism,Narrative. I. Title. II. Series.
BS2625.6.S59S54 2009
226.60091–dc22
2009009345
ISBN978-0-521-50962-6hardback
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copyright©1989,1995NationalCounciloftheChurchesofChristintheUnited
StatesofAmerica.Usedbypermission.Allrightsreserved.
ForKaren,andourchildren:
Phoebe,David,ThomasandTabitha

CONTENTS
Acknowledgements pagex
PartI Theory 1
1 Ascensionscholarshipattheturnofthecentury 3
2 Findingaplaceforascensiongeography 22
Synthesisandprospect 57
PartII Exegesis 61
3 Acts1:1–26 63
4 Acts2:1–6:7 93
5 Acts6:8–8:3 139
6 Acts8:4–9:31 174
7 Acts9:32–11:18 218
8 Concludingreflections 255
Bibliography 265
IndexofBiblereferences 288
Generalindex 294
ix