Kids and Kingdom: The Precarious Presence of Children in the

Kids and Kingdom: The Precarious Presence of Children in the Synoptic Gospels

Kids and Kingdom challenges the traditional view that Jesus was deeply concerned over children. Instead, it is argued that despite the Synoptic authors' attempts to convince us that children are fully included in the kingdom of God--that "Jesus loves the little children"--their presentations fail to conceal images of household disruption and alienation of children brought about by Jesus' eschatological movement. After establishing what Greco-Roman and Jewish sources reveal about children by the end of the first century, a deconstructive literary approach is applied to the Synoptic Gospels, foregrounding children over other characters in relation to Jesus' adult ministry. Murphy scrutinizes prominent healing narratives involving children, and teachings involving children such as "The Child in the Midst" (Mark 9:36-37 and parallels), "One of These Little Ones" (Mark 9:42 and parallels), and "Let the Young Children Come to Me" (Mark 10:13-16 and parallels). These are examined against sayings of Jesus relativizing family ties and the lifestyle indicative of the radical call to discipleship in the Synoptic narratives. Fundamentally, this study does not seek to resolve but to highlight the tensions in the Synoptic Gospels between attempts at child inclusivity and the radical demands of discipleship.
Country USA
Brand Pickwick Publications
Manufacturer Pickwick Publications
Binding Paperback
ReleaseDate 2013-09-10
UnitCount 1
EANs 9781620325681

Country	USA
Brand	Pickwick Publications
Manufacturer	Pickwick Publications
Binding	Paperback
ReleaseDate	2013-09-10
UnitCount	1
EANs	9781620325681

Kids and Kingdom: The Precarious Presence of Children in the Synoptic Gospels