Divining Gospel

About this book

A "Divining Gospel" is an edition of the Gospel of John designed for use in fortune-telling. These special editions were widespread in Late Antiquity but became suspect, surviving mostly in fragments. Here for the first time is published the text and translation of the divination apparatus from a unique early Syriac Gospel manuscript. This Syriac version enables us to evaluate the nature of this enigmatic material, clarifying its function as both divinatory and interpretive. The present study discusses the controversial place of divination in Christianity and the use of a biblical codes in that practice. An analysis of the Divining Gospel also enables us to capture a portrait of the book's practitioners and the distinctive techniques of biblical interpretation they employed to bring the Gospel's messages to bear on the daily concerns of their clients. This study underscores the significance of the materiality of books for historic Christian practice and opens a window onto a phenomenon that was once common but is presently little understood. It helps us appreciate the diverse and unconventional uses of scripture in popular religious practice. --